Armstrong Clark is a penetrating oil based stain that will soak deep into the wood grain offering protection from UV graying and water. The advantages to a penetrating deck stain is that they will not peel but rather fade over the years. The key though is proper prep before applying your AC especially if your wood is new.
New “smooth” wood should not be stained right away with Armstrong Clark. A few things need to happen first:
- The wood should dry out in the climate
- Exposed layers of wood cells should oxidize slightly
- Mill glaze needs to be removed
- Prep after waiting will remove both oxidation and mill glaze
New Decks and Armstrong Clark Stain Tips
The best advice is to not stain your new smooth wood too soon after install but follow these steps:
- Install wood and let sit outside for 3-4 months or more if using a transparent or semi-transparent color. If using a semi-solid color, you should wait 12 months.
- Once the wood has been exposed, use the Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener Kit for prep.
- Let the wood dry for 2 or more days after prep.
- Apply 1 coat of the Armstrong Clark Stain. Do not over apply.
To maintain your new coat of AC you will most likely need to a light coat in 12-24 months to just the floors or horizontals surfaces. In the future, you will need to reapply AC every 2-3 years for most scenarios or as needed based on your particular traffic and weather.
Important Note: Rough Sawn cut wood can be stained right after install as long as the wood is clean and dry.
How to Calculate Square Footage
Deck Sq. Footage
Flooring Length x width =?
Railing Length x height =?
Steps Width x Depth x #of Steps =?
Add up all 3 for the Total Sq. footage.
Fence Sq. Footage
Length x height =?
Multiply x 2 for both sides = Total Sq. Footage
Coverage Rate for AC Stains
The specified coverage rate for Armstrong Clark is 150-300 square feet per gallon for the first coat on new wood. From this, and from measuring the surface you can calculate how much stain you need. For more aged wood you could easily factor in some extra stain. On newer wood that is still smooth and dense, you probably are not going to use as much.
Note: Hardwood Decking spreads about twice as far. 300-400 sq feet per gallon and only 1 coat.
For maintenance coats you are not going to use near as much stain as you did initially staining bare wood. There are just way too many variables to know the exact coverage rate. There is really no way of knowing exactly how much stain you will need. It is better to buy more than you need than to not have enough. You can always save left over stain for next time. Armstrong Clark has a shelf life of 1 year if opened and 3 years unopened as long as the can is properly resealed.
If you have a question on prepping your need wood or deck, feel free to ask below.
In installed a new deck in Feb of 2024. used the two step RAD process and AC semi-transparent (chestnut) stain in August of last year. I’m under the impression that for best results I should stain again this year. And right now would be a good time before we set up our deck for summer and fill it with pots etc.
Is it too soon? 8 months after initial stain?
Do I need to do both prep steps again with Rad before re-staining?
Thanks!
How does it look? You may be fine until late Fall or next Spring. Post a pic or two in comments.
It looks OK although it feels like I’m already starting to see a little bit of Weir? I’m basically mostly concerned about being rock solid for the long-term. My last deck, I neglected so I would like to air on the side of doing better than worse.
When time to redo, either now or Fall, use both steps for the prep.
I have a two year old deck, what do I need to stain this? It has never been stained
Prep with this kit:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
After it dries for 48 hours, stain with the AC stain in any color you like.
I have a couple decks just completed 6 months ago. The deck is lava rock color trek decking and the railings are pressure treated wood. I want to stain the pressure treated (PT) wood this summer. still debating on if i want to go as dark as the deck or keep it similar to the current PT color.
my question is how does the PT wood affect the stain color selection? I assume i cant lighten the color up at all? I mean if i went with a cedar color it wouldnt go lighter than the current PT color unless i waited longer for it to start getting lighter?
I am also putting a cedar lattice on the bottom of the deck. to get close to the lava rock color of the deck. I am guessing I would go with the the black walnut hardwood stain? If i used this same stain on the PT wood as well i assume it would be darker?
Stains enhance the natural color of your wood. You cannot lighten the natural color of the wood. We would suggest trying some samples:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/samples
Look at Rustic Brown and Black Walnut to try to match the Trex.
I have a 3 year old deck that needs re-staining. Is Armstrong-Clark a recommended stain for an existing deck? What surface prep is required. The original stain was a Cabot semi-transparent that has been well weathere.
Use this kit for prep to remove the Cabot:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
AC stains work great for all decking. Any color that you like.
Need advice on how to clean and what stain to use on a Larch clad cabin in Pennsylvania, never been stained. Thanks Paul
Post pics for prep help in the comments.
Hi A-C, I am undertaking the renovation of a wrap-around porch with both new and old cedar. See Pics. The old cedar needs to be sanded as part of the renovation. However, I am confused about the correct order of preparation to achieve the best results using A-C semi-transparent Cedar stain. Contractors who have bid on the project recommended the following steps: 1. Wash/Strip wood, 2. Apply Brightener, 3. Pause to let the surface dry for one day, 4. Lightly sand, 5. Apply A-C stain. Is this the correct order, or should sanding be done before brightening? Thanks so much for your advice and great product. The new cedar is Port Orford Cedar.
Sanding does not need to be done as sanding may “close” the pores of the wood grain, reducing stain penetration. If you sand, never sand finer than 60-80 grit, and it is better to do it before the brightening step.
Hi A-C, I have a combo of 25-year old and new cedar on a wrap-around porch. And I am wondering whether I can mix together Cedar Semi-transparent and Mountain Cedar Semi-Solid in order to achieve a look in-between the two products. Is that possible? And will it work? Thank you
Yes, you can mix. The only issue is that when using the semi-solid colors, the new wood has to weather for 1 year.
My contractor recommends using a semi-solid stain. He suggested waiting until June 2025 for the new wood to acclimate before starting the job. What is the reason for “waiting 1 year” before applying semi-solid stains to new cedar (which happens to be Port Orford Cedar and denser than red cedar)?
No wood is not very porous, and the viscosity of the semi-solid colors can create issues when applied to new wood that is not “porous” enough to accept the semi-solid colors fully into the wood grain.
how does one remove mill glaze or tell if it has been removed?
With the Cleaner and Brightener Restore A Deck Kit we sell.
My wife is extremely sensitive stain odors. Is there an odor and does it linger in the air and on the wood?
Yes, AC stains have an odor and will linger untill fuly cured. FYI, all deck stains will have an odor.
Hello, sorry if this has already been answered. How long do I have to wait to stain a new KDAT PT deck? The lumber tag said clear and sami-transparent could be done immediately. Semi-solid should be applied after 3-6 months. I want to use the black walnut stain, do you still recommend waiting 12 months? Is there a water test that could be performed as an indicator to “readiness”?
Thanks!
You cannot stain it right away for KDAT. Wait 1-2 months for KDAT wood and then prep with this kit:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
Hi, I’m so glad to find this discussion and your stain. We are just finishing with the install of 33×13 KDAT Clear PT deck. I’ve had the lumber stacked in our pole barn since March. It’s the end of October here in Indiana. I had hopes of getting the stain on yet this season but I’m now I’m wondering? What do you recommend?
You have to install it, then weather it, and then prep it. Wait 1-2 months for KDAT wood and then prep with this kit:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
Thank you! What are the temperature restrictions for the stain?
50-90 F.
Is that just during application? What about night time temps?
Hello. Cedar deck about 4 years old. I did Cleaner and brightener but unfortunately I was not able to apply stain, it’s been over a week. Do I need to re-do any of these steps before I stain?
No, just make sure that blow or sweep off any debris.
thank you. Still ok if it turns into 2 weeks?
If longer than 2 weeks do a light cleaning and redo of the brightener.
Just had a brand new deck built top boards are premium southern pine. I will need to lightly sand some areas to get the stamps off. I assume sand 80-100 grit, brighten and then stain. I plan on using your cedar semi-transparent. I know I must wait at least a month but is there anything else I am missing?
You sand stamps now with 60-80 grit and then weather for 3 or more months. Clean and brighten for prep before staining.
If I choose the natural colour transparent stain and have that for a couple years on our pressure treated deck, can I paint over that with your semi-transparent rustic brown colour? What prep work would be involved to switch from a transparent light colour to a semi-transparent dark colour? My deck faces faces south and gets full sun the whole day. Should I start with a transparent to showcase the wood or start with semi-transparent to give it decent UV protection right from the start on the new wood?
If you switch colors, you would strip and brighten. This is very easy and no harder than cleaning—just a deeper clean down to the bare wood. We would suggest starting with semi-transparent colors.
Does new cedar fence need to cure before applying (amber preferably) stain. We may hit winter if so and will have to wait 6-8 mos.
Yes, if smooth wood. No, if rough sawn.
I have a new cedar pergola, assembly just finished today. I see, per your article, the recommendation is to wait 3 months, then clean and brighten before stain. The pergola has a metal roof. Are there any concerns I should have for the metal roof with the clean and brighten products since they are sprayed on? Thank you.
There is no 100% correct way to answer if a reaction will happen or not as there are many varaibles in play. Best to always test an area first.
I have a deck built a few years ago. An exotic hardwood “mahogany” deck that started off naturally red toned but after 4 months of sitting untreated it became more brown. I then used AC hardwood mahogany stain, and it brought back out some of the red but definitely more brown. I’ve done soap/bleach wash/scrub and reapplied for past 3 years and looks good overall (not complaining about that) and the wood is not graying (?) but stays same brown. Overall I’m happy just wished the color was more red. Any suggestions for future to bring back the red? I understand that the natural color fades with UV and exposure.
Now I also have some new steps built with same wood. Just installed and currently has that new reddish color especially obvious when wet. Anything I can do to keep that red color? Can I lightly sand and/or use Restore a Deck right away and then apply stain without waiting? Do I use the mahogany color or something else? (I’m willing to reapply sooner than 1 year – very small area!) Thank you!!
For the new wood, you have to wait and prep. For the older wood, you may want to remove the current stain to help restore the original color with our Stripper Kit and pressure washing:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
Some of the darkening/more brown over time may be due to dirt and UV.
Then stain all with the AC Mahogany color. You cannot make it any more “red” than that.
After staining with a semi transparent stain and then applying a second coat, the wood still looks dry like it needs another coat of stain. What can be done so the wood doen’t look dried out and show the best coloring of the stain.
We would not suggest adding more than 2 coats. AC stains are not supposed to be shiny as they are penetrating. Over applying will lead to curing issues.
If I select a colored transparent stain for the new deck, can I use a semi-transparent next year for the re-coat with the same prep (clean & brighten) if needed for additional UV protection?
When changing colors you should strip and brighten for prep. Very easy to do and just as easy as cleaning.
I have a new southern yellow pine PT deck that I finished up a few weeks ago and am researching stains etc. My mill stamps say KD-HT which is kiln dried- heat treated per the mill. Does that make a difference in your 3-4 month wait on a new smooth deck surface?
Will the prep product remove the mill stamps and chalk lines or should I sand first (60-80 grit) Thank you
1-2 months and then the prep. You should sand off the mill stamps now.
Thank you for your speedy reply and advice.
I just completed tearing out and replacing a badly rotted deck with new P/T SYP -southern yellow pine, that is mill stamped KD- HT which means Kiln Dried Heat Treated. My research shows the waiting period is between 1-2 months here on your forum to a year before prepping and staining. I am leaning towards using the AC stain as I see the benefits of oil base over latex but if you would please comment on the waiting time. Thank you for your assist.
For KDAT, 1-2 months and then clean and brighten for prep. One coat of stain.
I had a 12×12 Cedar deck installed in September,2022, in PNW. I put one coat of ReadySeal stain on when deck was new, after prepping with bleach. (As instructed by manufacturer). Restained, after bleaching (per manufacturer advice) again with one coat of ReadySeal early summer, 2023.Restained again with one coat of ReadySeal in May,2024, after prepping with Restore a deck stripper and brightener. Deck is now 1yr and 8 months old. Is it bad that my deck never cured when new?Can I reverse that? I want to switch in summer of 2025 to AC stain. The ReadySeal stain will only last to summer of 2025, because of the one coat. Should I let my deck weather for a couple of years before switching to AC stain ?
Just strip and brighten next year and you can switch the the AC stains.
I have a deck with only 4 years of AC semi-transparent. Looks pretty bad. Green mildew builds up yearly, not much direct sun. (see photos)
I want to re-coat with AC semi-solid. Can I light pressure wash as prep?
A few boards need replacing – I will reapply semi-solid on those boards after a year of oxidizing. Any reason not to?
You will need to strip and brighten to switch to the semi-solid. Very easy to do:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
So I’m getting a quote for $3000 to sand and strip off the Armstrong stain that I’ve put on the last couple of years and then put a PENOFIN on the wood. Do I need to do this or is power washing the mahagony deck (which is perfectly smooth) Nd then two coats of your stain ok??? Please help!!
Penofin is an inferior stain and will turn your mahogany deck black in color. For prep, use the RAD Cleaner and brightener kit and then the AC stain in one of the hardwood colors.
What is RAD? Do you sell it? Do you need a pressure washer? Sorry I am not very handy. I already have your stain but it has been sitting in the shed unopened. Can I just stir it up?
RAD Kit: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
Apply and pressure wash off. Brightener is last. Make sure to stir the stain well.
Have on covered porch AC mixture of 3 parts transparent to 1 part semi-transparent. Cleaned w TSP, oxiclean, water mixture. Do I have to brighten before using AC again? Also, why did the boards more exposed to the sun get so dark looking? Only did 1 coat. Boards are 11 years old and all was sanded before applying AC. Too old? The vertical posts did not and lasted 3 years. Much thanks.
You have to clean and brighen when recoating. Brightener alone does not prep for recoating. Sanding is not the best way to prep as it limits stain penetration. I would guess that the exposed wood got “dirty” as your stain may have not been able to soak in fully due to the sanding.
Is the 12 month semi solid rule that black and white? Installed some pressure treated stair treads mid October of 2023. Looking to add stain mid/end of June 2024 with Oxford brown. 8 months good enough?
Yes, 12 months for the semi-solid colors. 3 months for the transparent and semi-transparent colors.
I have a just-installed KDAT wood deck. The boards have a reddish- cedar tone color. Before waiting several months before using the single coat of AC stain, do I have to remove whatever the coloring is, or can I just apply the stain over it?
If it is a surface stain, you need to strip and brighten to remove it. If it is internal and part of the KDAT processing, then clean and brighten.
BTW, with KDAT, you only need to weather for 1-2 months and then the prep. Just one coat of the AC stain.
My pine treated deck was built 7 years ago and was weathered 7 months before I put a semi transparent stain on. A few years later I put on a semi solid stain which peeled badly after 18 months. Both stains are Behr from Home Depot. I just stripped the deck, and sanded it but there are a few areas where the solid stain isn’t 100 % removed but close to 90%. I would like to use Armstrong-Clark semi solid after I clean and brighten. Question I have is do I need to wait 12 months to weather since it was sanded down or can I apply new semi sold. I don’t know how to post a pic.
You will need to remove 100% of the Behr stain first before using the AC Stains. If you power sanded, you can stain now as long as you did not sand finer than 80 grit. Make sure to clean and brighten for final prep. Just 1 coat of the AC stain.
Thank you and thanks for the quick reply.
My house redwood shingles were pressure washed but not stripped of previous stain. Stained with sierra redwood not brightened and look great. I then put old new looking never stained redwood shingles on a section and pressure washed and brightened and sierra redwood stained. At the same time i stripped the cedar deck and brightened and applied sierra redwood stain. All were wet on wet. The original unstripped shingles look great. The redwood stained cedar deck looks great. The new section of shingles are very light colored and no where a match for the unstripped shingles and the cedar deck. Yikes. I just want to get the red into the new section of shingles.
It is not possible to get new wood to match older wood. The new wood will always stain lighter since it is less absorbent. Adding more stain will proabbly not make it blend better.
I purchased semi-transparent wood stain to apply to new Tigerwood top railing of deck. Needed to sand off mill marks last week. Was going to next apply stain. Discussion here has me reconsidering. What are your recommendations and timing? Thanks!
You will need to follow the directions for new wood as explained in this article.
Hi I live in Chicago. I had a new cedar deck built, started in mid July, and finished in August. Can I stain it using semi transparent stain at end of October? Im nervous about weathering wood over wet and snowy winter. Could mold and fungus be a problem by spring? Thank you
Best to wait until spring. It will be fine.
Hi, I live in Mississauga, Ontario. I installed new deck with thermowood raillings. Can I use AC translusant with tint oil on thermawood?
Thank you in advance.
Sergey.
After weathering and prep, yes. One coat only.
Would like to do wet on wet or must i wait one year for second coat?
For new wood, only 1 coat.
My cedar deck is stained with TWP cedartone. Before i applied the stain i overpower washed in several areas. I now want to sand the deck but TWP after seeing pictures says to strip, brighten and stain. I want to switch to Armstrong Clark Sierra Redwood to match my house or possibly Cedar after a test. How best to proceed?
Strip to remove the TWP, sand after if needed with 60-80 grit paper. Brighten last. Only 1 ocat for sanded wood.
Hi,
I installed a new Redwood fence in June in Central Valley in California.
Its really hot and dry here. Do I need to wait 3-4 months still before staining typical high temps are around 100
I have also cleaned and brighten the fence already using the RAD product.
I saw on another site it said that I could stain in 2 months from install
Thanks
Jeff
Yes, 3 or more months and then clean and brigthen then, not now.
I stripped and prepared my deck floor removing another stain product, to be stained using AC (used RAD to strip/clean as per directions). We have not yet stained due to the amount of rainy days this year. We now realize we have 7 boards to replace as they warped and will soon be blocking the door’s ability to open. My plan is to stain the rest of the deck and leave the other boards till next spring (3-4 months from now will be too cold to stain). Am I ok to do that leaving the new boards to over winter (I am in Ontario, Canada so that means lots of snow and ice on it without any protection). I don’t want to end up with warped boards again. Is there anything we could /should do to protect it over winter? The other option is to remove and flip the boards but they are starting to split and we are not confident that they will last if we just flip them. thanks.
Yes, you can leave them and no, you cannot protect them over the Winter. They need to weather.
Would I be better to just leave the entire deck till spring? It is 6 years old. I just stripped it Sunday (which was when I realized how warped those boards were) Thank you
You can. For prep, clean and brigthen in the Spring.
Leaning towards AC stain. I had a new pressure-treated pine wood deck built about 1 and a half months ago (upstate SC and it’s July right now). Wood moisture meter is giving reading of around 12% or lower now.
Questions:
your tips page for new decks says to wait 3-4 months, but the Internet and the deck builder indicate I can probably go ahead and stain given moisture’s reading low enough. Seems to be conflicting info, so is it safe to stain already or no?
If safe, do I need to prep the PT wood with the Restore-a-Dec cleaner and brightener kit since it’s only been 1 1/2 months? Wasn’t sure if the kit is recommended due to the insinuation it wouldn’t be applied until 3-4 months as your guide says.
Any need to pressure wash it at all in addition, or in lieu, of using the RAD kit?
How long will an opened 5 gallon stain container last for? How long will a non-opened gallon container last for? (will help me decide whether to get 5 gal container or buy single gallons)
Your new deck guide page says 1 coat, but somewhere else on the site says 1 coat but then 2 if it penetrates within 30 minutes; so for a new deck I can do 2 if it penetrates within 30 min? Your stain amount calculator also defaults to assuming 2 coats…
It’s a 14′ by 20′ low deck with partial wrap-around 2 steps…I don’t want to purchase too little stain, but don’t want to purchase too much if it won’t last at least a year to do another coat after the first year.
Thanks, I really appreciate your time to respond to my questions!
Yes, you must wait 3-4 months. Any other advice is incorrect. It is not about moisture % but porosity.
Yes, you have to prep with the kit and pressure washing.
Opened lasts 12 months, unopened about 2-3 years.
Only one coat for new smooth wood.
I tested driftwood grey on green treated lumber for my new deck floor. To get a closer color match to the composite I used on top of the deck rails took two coats. Is it ok to apply two coats and if so, should the 2nd coat be applied wet or after the first dries? Or should I wait another year for the 2nd coat?
Only one coat is suggested for new wood. Over applying and it may not be able to fully soak into the wood grain and that could result in curing issues.
New deck last year, waited 3 months to weather, prepped and stained, but missed the inside of spindles. It’s been almost a year and it gets a ton of direct sun. I already have the stain and should I reapply now? Its already starting to lighten up and I’m think it’s ready. What is the prep process for the 2nd coat?
See here for prep products for recoating: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I have a Thermory Ash porch floor installed 7 years ago. It was previously stained with Superdeck semi-transparent. If I remove the old stain by sanding, do I need to take any other steps before using your semi-transparent stain?
Much easier to strip and brighten for prep compared to sanding: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
If it was a deck, I would – but this porch has a solid stucco half wall on 3 sides: there’s no drainage for large amounts of water for rinsing. So is Armstrong Clark not a good product for my application?
Yes, it works great but prepping by stripping is easier than sanding.
We just installed new fence – one side is smooth (our side) and the other side is rough. I see that I have to wait 3-4 months for the smooth side to weather to stain it. However the rough is dry and can be stained anytime. Do you recommend to stain the rough side first and can i do it without cleaning and brightening? Or would it be better to stain both sides at same time e.g. so color doesn’t leak through or wood is protected at same time or maybe some other reason? There is a 1/8″ gap between the fench panels. I’m planning to use transparent or semi transparent
No, prep and stain all at once in 3-4 months. It will bleed through so you cannot do one side at a time.
Does both sides need to be prep and stained if done later?
No, just the exposed side.
Both sides are exposed.
If it is exposed then prep and stain.
We have glulam stairs for our concrete deck. They are east facing so only get morning to mid morning sun. We are in Eastern Washington State, so have all four seasons. Do we need to wait to stain them?
Yes.
Hello,
I’m getting a new cedar GARAGE DOOR . The owner of the garage door company and my contractor both said to stain it first BEFORE it is installed. The owner of the garage door company also recommended staining, sanding, and re-staining multiple times.
However, I plan on staining it an Armstrong Clark semi-transparent stain.
Where I live, the Summers will be in the 50s and it’s very foggy.
Should I follow the instructions above, have it installed, wait 3-4 months, clean & brighten, and then stain?
Or can I stain it now? If I stain it now, do I need to also clean and brighten it? (I know all the comments say to do this for decks, but not sure if garage doors are different)
I’d like the wood to look at nice as possible, but it also doesn’t need to be perfect. This is part of a much larger project and I just need this to be done.
A picture of 1 of the 4 panels is attached.
Thank you,
Bill
Yes, follow the directions here fo new wood, not what your builder states.
Thank you for the prompt reply! Some follow up questions / comments:
The wood needs to weather outside fully exposed and then prepped.
Thanks for the prompt reply! This site in amazing.
I ran this buy the dealer and builder. The dealer hit me with: “I’ve been doing this 25 years and everyone stains them before they are installed. It’s difficult to get into all the crevices once they are installed”.
Follow up questions:
OR
Thank you,
Bill
Just leave outside and prep and stain when ready,
Hi my mahogany flooring on my porch with a roof was just installed back in March. It already has some water stains, but I intended to let it weather for 12 months. Will the Deck Cleaner and Brightener Kit remove these water stains? I’m planning to use the Hardwood/Ipe Stain in either Amber or Mahogany.
You probably will need to sand all the wood to get those stains are deep in the wood grain. Prep with the Cleaner and Brightener after.
Hello, you’ve helped me this past month and answered a couple of my questions, and I really thank you for getting back to me so quickly. After using the deck cleaner, we got a week straight of rain. Its finally been dry out for 6 days and im ready to stain using your mohagany deck stain. Today suddenly says 24% chance of light showers in the afternoon. Would it be a bad idea to do it, even though it’s 12 amd gorgeous?
Also, wondering what would be the best way to make the plugs, for the holes in my IPE decking, match the wood it’s going into a little more? It’s important to my client, and i’m just not confident whether or not the mohagany stain will blend that or not? Thank you for your time
Hard to say with the weather. As for the plugs, never use wood filler on a deck as the stain will not tint the wood filler so it blends.
Can I apply your stain if the temps are 55 during the day but drop down to low 40’s at night? or should I wait until the low is above 50?
Yes, that is okay.
I am working with RAD, preparing to strip my pine deck of Behr semi-transparent crap. I am planning on using their Paint and Stain remover, per their recommendation. Part of my deck is steps I flipped last fall, so that I could stain the bottoms, that had never been stained. Additionally, I have replaced 8-10 deck boards with treated lumber, all installed last fall. Lastly, I am totally replacing the railings with pressure treated pine and aluminum balusters. I am drying the PT pine in a DIY kiln to remove moisture.
So, given all of that, is it possible for me to use your semi-solid stains? Or, can I use the hardwood stains?? Please advise. Oh, also, RAD says that I do not need a cleaner/brightener after using their paint/stain stripper……
Thanks
To be able to use the Semi-solid colors, new wood needs to season for 1 year. The hardwood colors are designed for hardwoods but can be used on all other wood types. The RAD Paint Strip does not need to be neutralized with a Brightener. The new wood and flipped wood do need to be cleaned and brightened. We would suggest to Strip first and then use the Cleaner and Brightener Kit on all wood to ensure an even porosity of the wood when done.
do the hardwood colors also require a year for the new wood??????
3-4 months as the article explains above.
We installed new IPE decking last Fall. The contractor stained it shortly thereafter with disregard to directions. It’s now Spring and I’ve fully sanded the deck so that it looks the way it did after install. I took a mild dish soap a lightly scrubbed the deck before spraying it all off. I let it dry for well over 24 hours. Can I now go ahead and stain it without any additional prep work?
No, you should use the RAD cleaner to open the pores of wood so the stain can soak in correctly. Sanding closes the wood pores:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-wood-cleaner
Thank you, I went ahead and used deck cleaner on the IPE decking with a spray pump yesterday. I want to double check if I can go ahead and stain now without using a brightner, and roughly how long should you wait for the deck to dry after cleaning it? Thank you
You should be good to stain. Wait 48 hours.
Hello. I am in Iowa. We installed a 14×12 pressure treated wood deck (not sure what kind of wood it is) 1 year 8 months ago (August 2021) . I have done nothing to it since it was installed. Do I need to sand the deck? then do the Restore a Deck cleaner + Brightener Kit. Thank You!
Clean and brighten the wood. No need to sand it.
I am in Massachusetts. I installed a new(12×32) cedar deck last(2022) fall. From what I have read here I can now stain as soon as it stays above 50 at night. I would use the Restore-a-deck cleaner/brightener. We would choose a semi-transparent cedar stain, either ArmstrongClark or Restore-a-deck. I am most interested in durability, ease of application and maintenance of the stain.
Which stain would be best for our climate?
Best method of application for the cleaner and stain?
Best guess for quantity of stain?
Would I need to use the cleaner/brightener for the maintenance coat?
Thanks.
Both stains are excellent and will last the same. Use a sprayer to apply prep. Pressure wash off. Stain pads or brushes for prep. All directions are on site for more info for each product.
Hello again. You helped me out about a year ago with a new cedar deck that had spent almost nine months in the raw; we stained it with Armstrong semi-transparent cedar stain. Prepped it with Restore-a-Deck cleaner and brightener before applying the stain.Attached are photos of what it looks like after a Chicago winter. When the weather is right, what process should we follow before applying a fresh coat of stain? Thank you!
Prep with the cleaner and brighener and recoat.
Thank you. Do you think the stain will last longer this year? The first coat didn’t even make it a full year.
It is normal for new decks to need a recoat after the first year. Going forward, you should get 2 or more years.
So for recoating after the first yr with a new deck, I would still need to need to wash and brighten, correct?
Correct.