We look forward to all Armstrong Clark Stain entries!

To construct an addition to our home we had to remove an old dilapidated deck.  As a 75-year old civil engineer I was determined to replace it with the best deck my limited construction skills  would allow.  The design included a 24' X 24' main deck, a 6' X 26' connection to the back door, a handicapped tamp, and three low stairways.  I chose to enhanced the design by using reversing chevrons squares surrounded with windowpane borders that aligned with the deck railing posts.  To provide even more interest the last section has variable width straight decking with a large radius spanning the entire width.  (see photos)  The deck was constructed of pressure treated 2 X 6 lumber using Camo "hidden fasteners" to eliminate screw holes.

The deck railing was constructed using 12.5 gauge soft-wire with "quick ends" (wire vises).  A technique I learned working at a friend's vineyard.  This design was much less expensive that stainless steel wite and turnbuckles.  This is a much sleeker look as well, particularly after coving the quick ends with a pressure treated top handrails installed vertically.

The deck was built as a self supported structure to avoid the need for ledger boards which I have found to be a point of weakness.  With its low profile this required twenty footers.  Fortunately these did not have to extent very deep as frost is not an issue in coastal North Carolina.

After all this work I wanted to use an oil based deck stain that would help it last a long time.  After an extensive on-line search, Afer waiting nine months for the deck to dry out , I ordered Armstrong-Clark's semi transparent stain in driftwood, to match the color of our house.  The stain was delivered without delay so I was apply to apply it straight away.  As this was new construction there was little preparation work required.  The result:  BEAUTIFUL!  I could not be more pleased.

Early this spring i found a good deal in the suding i have always wanted for my home, so we traveled 2 states away to pick up this beautiful Western Red Cedar clapboard siding. So now the question became what to finish it with. After alot of research and reading of customer reviews, i decided on Anderson Clark stain as the best longest lasting stain i could find with minimal color fade over time. I order 3 sample colors, and tested them out on the siding. I choose the transparent redwood tone. I ordered a 5 gallon pail, and once it arrived, we began the prep work. As per the instructions, we washed and rinsed each piece with a light bleach/soap water solution. Then once dry we applied the stain in batches. It went on beautiful and soaked in fast, leaving a gorgeous finish. The last and easiest step was hanging the siding on the house after all the prep work. As you can tell, it came out amazing! I am so happy with the stain/ wood combo results, and i am sure it will last for years to come. Thank you Anderson Clark Stains! 

In late March I took this photo of my woodshed to be and it hurt.
While I was traveling my partner decided to have her redwood deck in California stained and the  contractor decided to use an ArmstrongClark stain. On my return I was so impressed with the result that I decided that this is the product that would provide TLC to my woodshed  structure. I ordered 5 gals ArmstrongClark Stain Color:: Semi-Trans Natural Oak.
During August I traveled to the Southern Tier of NY to start the staining.
The woodshed is 24' side to side and 16' front to rear sloping from 9'9" to 7'6". I did not treat the wood before starting the staining and was immediately impressed with the results.
Besides the before and after pictures I am also including some photographs while the staining was in process so the before and after results are side by side on some of the beams. I am a novice pushing the roller so please do not be too critical of the quality of the execution.

After resurfacing our deck 2 years ago Covid made it difficult to find time to stain our deck as essential workers. Finally after 2 years and a bunch of research on stains we decided Armstrong Clark was the way to go to protect our deck for years to come. So we prepared our deck with the restore a deck system and then stained it with the amber hardwood stain. I couldn’t be happier with the results. 

After sealing our deck last year with a short lasting product, I decided to do my research and find something that would last longer. I used the prep kit and Rustic brown stain and I am so pleased with the results! We get all day full hot sun in summer and it’s been almost 4 months but the deck still looks like it was freshly stained. We get lots of wet feet running up and down the deck and the water still beads up (our last product did not last this long).I am so happy I found Armstrong Clark, I followed all directions on preparing the deck with the kit that was part of the package and although time consuming, the outcome was great.

Stained deck and stairs to deck. Deck was built 25 years ago in 1997. Deck had not been stained since approx 2010 (12 yrs) Used Armstrong Clark stain semi solid in Woodland. Ordered the 5 gallon pail and then ordered two additional 1 gallon pails. The pictures speak for themselves. Love this stain

Since hubby and i purchased our home, which was a model home, in 2001 we have tried four different stains….. and we were lucky if it lasted 2 years !  I found an article on this stain and it’s fantastic!  I used the cleaner and the brightener and finished with the semi transparent rustic brown.  I noticed from the first stained board this was an actual stain …. not a paint.  we had a very hot summer and it still looks great !

Impressed with this stain! I have two small covered porches that have about 200 sqft of angelim pedra/Angelheart decking, which has a natural reddish blonde color. I stained them with Behr about 10 years ago (terrible - don't ever use it). The decks don't get too much sun or rain, but the Behr stain was wearing/flaking off and some parts were going a bit gray.

After about 4 hrs sanding with 60 and 100 grit, the remnants of the old stain were removed and decking was looking pretty refreshed. I purchased the Mahogany color at first, but I was worried that it would be too dark, so I ended up using the Amber color instead. Mahogany would have been way too dark.

I taped off all of the edges and applied the stain with a 6" mini roller, taking care to smooth out any bubbles with a brush and to even out any noticeable pools/excess stain. Angelheart is very dense, not quite as much as Ipe, and it absorbs very little of the stain, although it does seem to soak in to a point. After an hour or so, I wiped any excess stain with a clean rag. I couldn't be happier with the results - my decks look amazing.

A couple of things:
- I purchased two 1-gallon containers, but only needed one to cover my 200 sqft of decking.
- Be sure to shake the can well. These stains are semi-transparent, and when you open the can, the stain is opaque. It has quite a bit of colorant in it - so make sure to shake and stir. I did my front porch second, and I notice that it is a bit darker. I'm guessing this is due to more color that had settled to the bottom of the can. Be sure to shake and stir!
- I applied the stain while it was in the upper 90's (Texas summers...)
- This may be common sense, but... after prepping your deck, I recommend wetting your deck down and deciding how you feel about the color. If you like the natural wet color, go with Amber. If you want it to be darker, go with Mahogany for a more red color, or Black Walnut for the darkest option.

I look forward to my annual process of caring for the deck. That’s because it transforms the deck to once again look like new. The deck is approximately 15 years old and is about 800sq ft. It was installed with over 3000 screws from the bottom up. I begin by power washing the Brazilian hardwood (IPE). Every 4th year I rent a sander and give it a good sanding. Then my son and I apply 1.5 gallons of Armstrong-Clark Mahogany Hardwood stain. Yes, 1.5 gallons covers ~800sq ft of IPE. This process revitalizes the deck and makes it the center piece of our summer bbq’s. I typically receive comments from friends and family throughout the summer on how great the deck looks. With this annual ritual, which is well worth it, this deck has many more years of looking great and hosting summer bbq’s.

We bought a cabin with approximately 500 square feet of deck. The wood was very weathered and mildewed, and appeared never to have been treated. We scrubbed it using Restore-A-Deck cleaner, sanded, then stained with Armstrong Clark semi- transparent deck stain in Chestnut. It was a lot of work but we are so pleased with the result!

I powered wash the deck. I used berh wood cleaner, and Armstrong and Clark natural tone stain. We are very pleased with the results. 

Our deck project was to take a neglected deck that either had a brown solid stain or paint on it and restore it and switch to a semi-transparent stain. We sanded the deck to remove the old stain/paint, replaced the rotten boards with reclaimed wood from the third tier of the deck we tore down, replaced the rotten handrails with new wooden posts/handrails and metal balusters, let the new wood age, then prepped all wood using Restore-A-Deck (RAD) Stain Stripper followed by RAD Wood Brightener following product instructions. Once the wood was dry for 2 days (confirmed wood moisture was at or below 10% using a moisture meter) we applied a single coat of Armstrong Clark Semi-Transparent Cedar deck stain to the walking surfaces using a stain applicator pad (double coat on the handrails and posts). We are thrilled with the results, but for anyone out there wondering if I would switch from a solid stain/paint to semi-transparent ever again the answer is a resounding no due to how labor intensive the prep was! If only it were as easy as the RAD prep system and staining were...

deck 3 replaced the decking boards and railing last year deck is 450 sf. applied 2 coats to all three decks on the deck boards only used about 13 gallons for about 930 square feet of decking plus min railing.

Deck 2 of 3. This was a new install on my flat roof. Deck is off my bedroom and is 280 sf. As mentioned in deck 1 I should have used the brightener instead of power washer. The stain goes on pretty easy and dry's quick. You can do the second coat the same day.

I have 3 decks I am using this stain on. This is my first deck its about 200 square feet. I replaced the deck board and railing last year. I decided to power wash the decks first however I would use the brightener if I was to do it again. The power washer leaves fibers look a little fuzzy in some area. I applied a second coat the same day. This is the second time I used this product. The first time was on my daughters deck and I used the cleaner kit came out just as nice. Deck 2 and 3 will be done before the contest is over. 

True story…I recently remodeled my condo backyard. It is a small space in an urban area. The design was inspired by Armstrong-Clark Stain and a pocket-screw cabinetmaking infomercial. I picked up a free sample of Armstrong-Clark Stain at a local paint store. After testing it, it was clearly the best product among those I sampled. I considered this my Covid-19 project. I had a bunch of extra time due to “working from home” and some extra money because I had to cancel a long-planned vacation…again due to Covid. My plan was to remodel the backyard and have it arranged around a redwood raised bed. I built a raised bed a few years before, but it fell apart due to a poor choice of wood stain and lack of protection from the elements. I liked the look of this stain color so much that I built a redwood accent wall using the same Armstrong-Clark Stain. I expanded the project even further and extended the upstairs desk. I used the same stain on the redwood facia, which tied the whole space together.
I hesitated to enter this contest. When viewing projects completed by past winners, it seemed like you needed a large backyard and a million-dollar house to be considered. I may not have a million-dollar house, but these projects created a warm, welcoming space that any family would be proud to call home. I’ve received many positive comments from my neighbors, which I feel can be attributed to the rich and beautiful wood stain. I highly recommend your wood stain products to all my friends and family and encourage them to take on their own home improvement projects using Armstrong-Clark stain.

The paint on our old deck has peeled off very badly and some wood boards were also rotten. We first removed the paint with a grinder and replaced the rotten boards with new lumber. We then used Clean and Brighten Restore-A-Deck kit to prep. Finally, one coat of semi-transparent chestnut stain was applied by using a car wash brush. The results were amazing and Armstrong Clark wood stain is simply the best!

We’re first-time homeowners and did a lot of research about what kind of stain would work best for us (as first-time deck stainers learning on the job!) and found the recommendation on deckstainhelp.com that Armstrong Clark stains are the easiest to apply. The deck was built about 10 years ago (and we think it hadn’t been stained since the original stain job). Most of the old stain was worn away, but it was definitely a semi-solid. We wanted to change to a semi-transparent so that it will wear more evenly.

We pressure washed it to remove as much of the old stain as we could and then we did our best to sand off any that remained (especially thick areas). We used the calculator on the Armstrong Clark website and purchased two combo packs of 5 gallon semi-transparent stain in natural oak + RAD cleaner + RAD brightener (from armstrongclarkstain.com). We used both of the RAD products before staining. We applied one coat of stain on all the spindles, and two coats on all the top rails, floor boards and staircase. We had enough extra stain to apply two coats to our large picnic table and wooden swing, too! Our family loves using our “new” deck and we’re so happy with the Armstrong Clark stain results - the stain absorbed and blended so well even on areas where we weren't able to 100% remove the old stain.  We have received so many compliments! We’ll never use any other stain and have recommended it to everyone we know with a deck staining project.

Beautiful Amish built garage- built with larch wood to face the Buffalo winters. We needed a quality stain and Armstrong Clark rustic brown was the winner!

3rd time ordering your partly transparent mahogany stain. Easy to apply, beautiful to look at, and durable. 

Built a new driveway gate out of 1/16th steel tube and used ceder planks. Sanded them down and applied AC Natural Oak with a brush and then wiped off excess. Wood accepted the stain beautifully and project came out great!

After pressure washing it had been almost 5 years since I stained it last. The railings were still in good shape so I just redid the deck and white board on top of railings. The railing was different type of wood so it came out darker which looked really nice as it matched the accent on the house. And the white topper matched the trim. I was very happy with the results. 

We moved into this house about 4 years ago.  My wife wanted to tear out the existing deck due to the weathered/silver look.  After researching great tips and reading through the wonderful posts here on armstrongclarkstain.com, I figured out we had an Ipe wood deck so I decided to prove my wife wrong (with much apprehension).  I prepped with restore cleaner and brightener and finished with semi-trans Amber.  We hosted a huge gathering, and everyone loved the way the deck finish look.  Especially my wife!  Thanks again Armstrongclark! 

Client had a failing lanai ceiling due to improper installation. It was very unsightly due to the blotchy application of a solid stain and a bad power washing job. We decided to take down the entire ceiling, sand the boards and apply AC rustic brown stain. No need for brightener or cleaner as the boards were never introduced to weather. After finishing with AC, we reinstalled the boards according to manufacturers specifications. 

My last attempt to salvage our 30-year-old pressure-treated deck that had approximately 4 layers of oil-based solid stain applied to it over the past 10 years. I love the look of real wood and wanted to try to save it. After glass blasting, I used Armstrong's Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener and was able to reach the "real" wood and character, that I have not seen in 28 years. I then created a 50/50 mixture of Rustic Brown (semi) and Driftwood (semi) colors to produce a primitive barn board color that would blend into my natural environment.  I could not be happier with this stain and its application. I have a lot of experience with wood stains of all kinds and would highly recommend this product. 

IPE hardwood deck, cleaned and sealed in Amber.

RAD Stripper and brightner on a 4 year old cedar deck that was previously stained with ReadySeal.

Used Armstrong Clark semi-trans cedar to stain. Very happy with the results. Easy to use, even for a newbie. 1 coat everywhere except for the deck floor which took up 2 coats (wet on wet). 

Semi Trans Cedar on 1 year old deck built with pressure treated pine. Used restore a deck 2 step cleaner brightener with light brushing. (no pressure washer) First time staining a deck but love the results! Get lots of compliments! 

Semi Trans Cedar on 1 year old deck built with pressure treated pine.  Used restore a deck 2 step cleaner brightener with light brushing. (no pressure washer) First time staining a deck but love the results! Get lots of compliments!

Well can't qualify for the contest but I wanted to let you know how satisfied I am with the stain from  Armstrong Clark.  This was a rebuild deck with a raised tree boarder replacing a paver boarder destroyed by massive tree roots. After I started the framed deck pattern I had to try a two color stain. I used routed 2 X 6 decking sanded with deck brightener after 90 days. I leaned so much on this challenging project. I chose your product after much research and so far I'm glad I did.