Armstrong Clark Oil Based Wood Deck Stains

How to Apply a Maintenance Coat of Armstrong Clark

by Armstrong

Here is great video from one of our customers showing how to prep and apply a maintenance coat of the Armstrong Clark Wood Stain.

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Eugene
Eugene
5 months ago

I’m using the amber stain on My redwood deck. Would you recommend doing a second coat? Also, I had a couple areas that puddled up a little bit and darkened more than the rest of the deck. Is there a fix to this?

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Eugene
Eugene
5 months ago
Reply to  Armstrong

Even if I sand down the area where it puddled and ended up darker? I was thinking to sand that section down to lighten it up and reapply some stain, would this work? Thank you for your reply.

Tom
Tom
5 months ago

I applied a maintenance coat on my mahogany front porch. One area just will not dry completely. I have wiped off excess stain twice. How do I get rid of the tackiness?

Dave
Dave
7 months ago

I stained my pressure treated deck last year with one coat of armstrong clark semi transparent natural oak. I want to apply another coat of stain this year. What is the proper way to clean/prep the deck before applying the second coat? Can I use a bleach and water solution like I used for the first coat or do you recommend something else? Also I have a gallon can of stain which I opened last year. Will this can of stain still be good?

Thanks

Dave
Dave
7 months ago
Reply to  Armstrong

Use only the cleaner? Brightener is not necessary? Will bleach and water work for cleaning instead of restore-a-deck wood cleaner? Whatever cleaning method produces the best staining results is what I will use.

Thanks

Van
Van
8 months ago

What is the best course of action? Deck didn’t hold up too well over the winter, lots of black spots from leaves, etc and scratches.

Cedar deck is a year and a half old, waited 4/5 months and then used RAD cleaner and brightener, waited 4 days and stained the deck. Looked great.

A light clean with light detergent doesn’t clean it. Anything more and it takes the stain off.

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Nick Webb
Nick Webb
8 months ago

Hello!
In fall 2021 I rebuilt my ipe deck, reusing and refinishing the existing wood, using AC RAD products. I used both mahogany and amber stains, on different parts.
The deck looks fine, but it has faded and I want to add a maintenance coat. I have a bag of Step 1 stripper (purple) and another of Step 2 brightener left over from 2021. Do I need either of these to prep the deck for a coat of stain and, if not, what should I use?
Thank you.

Anna Gilbert
Anna Gilbert
9 months ago

Good afternoon. We are planning on staining our deck next month. Looking for best product(s) you would recommend based off of the info below. Looking to have a more natural look but also hoping for minimum maintenance if possible.

  1. The deck is 35 years old
  2. Never been painted or stained
  3. We live in Wisconsin (cold/snowy winters, wet springs, hot/dry summers)
  4. There are a few places with mold/moisture

Thank you for you help in advance!
Anna

Anna Gilbert
Anna Gilbert
9 months ago
Reply to  Armstrong

Great thanks! Would you recommend applying with a sprayer or a roller?

Chris
Chris
10 months ago

New deck stained with semi transparent oak 2 years ago. Worker just used strong bleach type solution to clean off algae, which stripped most color (yet uneven patches). At this point can we just power wash or scrub uneven color areas then reapply stain? Will previous solution affect stain application (that is, should we wait some time?

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Jennifer
Jennifer
11 months ago

We stained our deck with the semi-transparent natural oak 2 years ago. If I decide to do a different color of the semi-transparent, do I still only clean and brighten or would it need stripped as well? Thanks

Francois Mairesse
Francois Mairesse
1 year ago

Hi, we just stained a 20 years old deck with Oxford brown semi solid, as well as outdoor  door thresholds. Does it need a top coat or can I just  reapply the stain in a few years? I’m not sure what wood it is. Thanks.

Francois Mairesse
Francois Mairesse
1 year ago
Reply to 

Thanks!

Noel
Noel
1 year ago

Thank you

Noel
Noel
1 year ago

I just stained my IPE deck. It is a covered deck but part of it gets direct sun. that part sucked up  the stain more than the less weathered IPE. looks ok and I won’t be able to put a second coat on that section for 24 hours. Can I do a second coat 24 hours later. 60% humidity and 85 degrees. No sheen on this section 5 hours after coating.  Hardwood deck stain, amber. No pigment left on can bottom when finished.

Pat folliott
Pat folliott
1 year ago

Hi, first coat yesterday of semi solid.  Seems it might need a second coat?

Pat folliott
Pat folliott
1 year ago
Reply to 

It is 50-50 mix of espresso and Oxford.  

Patrick Folliott
Patrick Folliott
1 year ago
Reply to 

manual mixing/stirring i believe

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1 year ago

i stained my new deck last year.  It turned out great and held up wonderfully over winter.  Should I be maintain it by  touching it up this year?  If so, do I need to prep it with restore a deck or just clean it?

Bob
Bob
1 year ago

I am about to do a maintenance coat and will be following the direction of using the cleaner and then brightener. In this process should i be looking to scrub/wash off the prior coat of stain or simply clean the wood where its more worn so the stain will be consistent. In other words – how much scrubbing and pressure washing is required for the prep/clean ahead of applying a maintenance coat?

Brian Zimmerman
Brian Zimmerman
1 year ago

Hi!
I have a 500 sq ft deck which has been stained twice with Armstrong semi transparent cedar. Can I use a darker satin like the brown after cleaning and brightening?
Thanks!

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2 years ago

Do you use the same calculation for amount of stain for a maintenance coat, as you do for a new coat? My deck surface (which is all I’m going to stain, not railings) is 28×12. I see the recommendation to use 2/3 for a single coat. Would that be what a maintenance coat would be considered? thanks.

Jill
Jill
2 years ago

We just stained the final area 3 hours ago. Not completely dry and it’s supposed to rain..should I wipe down?

Ellen
Ellen
2 years ago

Can I use semi transparent Armstrong Clark stain on new KDAT wood on a deck? Do I need to wait to apply it or can I apply it before the wood is installed? Do I need to use the brighter on old boards?

Silvia Vega
Silvia Vega
2 years ago

Hi there,
I applied AC semi-transp cedar to my cedar deck last year (late September) and it is holding up pretty well.  What is the best maintenance I can do this year?  A simple wash or restore-a-deck?
Thanks!Silvia

Silvia Vega
Silvia Vega
2 years ago
Reply to 

So only wash it until a new coat is needed?  Great.  Thanks.

David Roundhill
David Roundhill
2 years ago

How would I decide whether to do a second coat of IPE stain over a first?  The first coat was applied a few days ago. The IPE is 20 years old and in moderately good condition. 

David Roundhill
David Roundhill
2 years ago

How would I decide whether to do a second coat of IPE stain over a first?

Vincent Flood
Vincent Flood
2 years ago

Last year I I was able to stain most of my deck before weather and work forced me to leave about 20% unfinished.  Of the six gallons of Sierra Redwood stain I used about 4 gallons.  The remaining 2 gallons were sealed in the 5 gallon container.  I want to finish the undone parts and apply a second coat to the stained sections. As they have faded a bit from the initial color. The remaining 2 gallons are somewhat heavy with pigment solids (due to undermixing during application I think) .  My Questions are:Can I inter mix fresh stain with the leftover stain?Will the previously stained deck require less stain for second coat than the first coat?How aggressively should I clean the stained portion? Should I uses the deck cleaner and brightener on it?If I buy a “Safety” extra gallon what is your return policy If don’t have top use it?Thank for the great product and service.Vincent Flood

Dave r
Dave r
2 years ago

Last year I redid some eucalyptus furniture with the full kit – clean and brighten – then the dark walnut stain. After the winter my chairs look faded and my table tops are partly grey wood and stained wood. 
Do I have to start over with the full kit on all of it or just the table tops and clean and another round of the stain on the chairs?

Dave R
Dave R
2 years ago
Reply to 

So i don’t need to use your cleaner or brightner at all for a maintenance coat the second year – just soap and water and let the furniture dry before applying?

Eric
Eric
2 years ago

Bought a sample of driftwood grey. It has a significant blue hue. Is this always the case ?

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2 years ago

I stained my deck with AC Semi-Transparent Cedar last summer. Looked beautiful.

After the snow has melted, I find it covered with ugly dark leaf stains. How can I clean without damaging the stain?
I tried to clean with soap solution and deck brush but after a lot of effort you can see the stains are still there.
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2 years ago
Reply to 

Before redo, I must clean the leaf stains. What is the best way to do it?

Claude Bentley
Claude Bentley
3 years ago

Hi

I bought a cedar siding home built in 1976 and it does not appear to have ever been stained or protected in any way. I would like to prep/clean the siding and apply AC clear fire retardant stain/sealer to the siding. What do I need to do to start. Need some advice before I order the AC products. What products do I need and some advise on the prep. Thank you
Jim Cesario
Jim Cesario
3 years ago

What is the lowest temperature that woodland brown semi solid be applied to siding?

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3 years ago

Hello! I applied ARMSTRONG CLARK IPE AND HARDWOOD STAIN to my two year old, never treated IPE deck. It was cleaned using restore a deck per instructions. After drying the deck has some splotches. Is this because the deck was not prepared properly or do I need another coat of stain?
Bob

Bob
Bob
3 years ago
Reply to 

Thank you. This pic was taken after 3 weeks. Can it be recoated as is? Do I need to reclean with Restore-A-Deck?

nancy
nancy
3 years ago

We stained our deck with Driftwood, 2 yrs ago. I’m a little confused as to whether we need both the cleaner and brightener or just the cleaner for prep. When is only cleaner used? Thanks.

Jon Broderick
Jon Broderick
3 years ago

Can these stains be used on exterior wood windows and doors?

Stephen McDowell
Stephen McDowell
3 years ago

How long after staining before replacing furniture? Thanks.

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3 years ago

On 6/3/20 posted a question about Mountain Cedar Semi-solid rubbing off. I neglected to mention that I rubbed off/in the stain with a cloth after applying it with a pad. Can I apply a clear protectant coat AFTER I reapply a maintenance coat of the semi- solid?

Emilio
Emilio
3 years ago

The contractor that built our cedar deck recently, lightly sanded then immediately applied Armstrong Clark amber oil just 3 days after the deck was completed. I should also mention that it rained the day before the stain was applied. Is there cause for concern as far as humidity being trapped by the stain and rot the wood over time?

Tacoma Frank
Tacoma Frank
3 years ago

Hi, a contractor applied 1 sloppy coat of your chestnut semi-transparent last year (see photo) on cedar deck. Lot’s of it has worn off. Please advise on restaining using same material. Do I need to strip, and clean, and brighten? Do I need to power wash? Also, I have previously opened and unopened cans (1 and 5 gal) of stain, do these need to be reshaken at store or can I roll and then stir? Thank you!!

Tacoma Frank
Tacoma Frank
3 years ago
Reply to 

Thank you. Would it help to do a light pressure wash initially before the strip stage since that seems to take a lot of the old stain off without wood damage?

Tom
Tom
3 years ago

?Good video. So you did not use the brightener, is that correct ?

Chris
Chris
2 years ago
Reply to 

I am confused reading this thread. I am hoping to do a maintenance coat for AC semi-trans Natural Oak. Same color and stain as I did September 2019 (so just shy of 2 yrs). This comment would lead me to believe a RAD clean is all that is needed before my one or two maintenance coats, but further above you reply to someone saying “Use both [cleaner & brightwner] for maintenance coats” when they asked about  2 year old driftwood stain. I assume they were using the same color and stain and would therefore just need to clean. Am I missing something?

Edward Stanulis
Edward Stanulis
3 years ago

I just applied semi-transparent Driftwood Grey and it looks good. I was not able to apply second coat wet on wet, so I have a few questions. (1) Is a “normal application” just one coat? (2) Does a second coat provide a longer time before a deck needs recoating? (3) Is the basic reason for applying a second coat is to provide more color consistency? (4) Will I be able to apply second coat one week after the first coat?

Traci
Traci
3 years ago

Should I fill in wood bee holes before staining a deck

Jack B
Jack B
1 year ago
Reply to 

I have the same problem. What would work to fill in the bee holes and accept the stain?  Also have some holes in green deck itself.  Thanks. 

tom
tom
3 years ago

Last year i stained a new front porch of mahogany with you Amber hardwood stain, one coat, looks great. should i apply a new coat this year? should i use your deck cleaner as prep? thanks

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3 years ago

Have applied Mountain Cedar semi solid stain on my deck two of the last four years. Used a staining pad, but the stain never seems to completely dry; the stain from two years ago is still rubbing off on shoes. Used the same stain as was originally applied. What am I doing wrong?

Doug
Doug
3 years ago

I’d like to do a maintenance coat with the semi-solid. It’s been two years since the first time. What prepping do I need to do?

Doug
Doug
3 years ago

Why wasn’t the 2nd step (brightener) used in the video?

Craig Shannon
Craig Shannon
3 years ago

I saw a video where the person was using a deck staining brush. I am re-doing my pier and can’t find the brush he used . It was yellow bristle that attached to an extension pole. He was using Armstrong-Clark products as will I, Waiting to hear back before placing my order. Thanks,Craig Shannon

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3 years ago

I stained my deck last Sept. 2019. I’d like to apply a 2nd coat to the deck floor. Can I just clean the floor with a power washer or do I have to use a deck brightener first.

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3 years ago

After brightening, how much time can pass before applying the stain? I know that you have to wait a minimum of 48 hours and the wood needs to be dry; however, it may be a week or so after the brightening before a proper weather window exists. Is there a cut-off time before the wood needs to be brightened again before applying the stain?

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3 years ago
Reply to 

Thank you.

Kerri
Kerri
3 years ago

If I applied AC natural tone stain 1 year ago, can I come back and apply AC Natural Oak Semi-transparent stain without stripping the natural tone?

Kerri
Kerri
3 years ago
Reply to 

Do you have a cleaner you recommend or just soap and water to remove the dust?

Rosemary
Rosemary
3 years ago

I stained my one year old deck 2 years ago with the semi-transparent stain. It still looks OK. Regardless, should I be staining my deck again this year? Generally how often does one need to stain with a semi-transparent stain? If I do stain it this year, is it essential to do the cleaning & brightening again or can I just brush deck off and apply the stain? I will be using the same stain color that is on there already.

Dawn
Dawn
3 years ago

Good morning ? we stained our 2yr old deck (pressure treated) last year. The stain soaked in so much we gave it a second coat then too. This spring the floor of the deck seems very dry with the knots in the wood turning almost white. It also obviously needs to be cleaned. After cleaning and brightening should we als9 restrain this year? After that how often should we stain? We are using semi transparent, the new colour from last year.

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