Armstrong Clark Prepping Instructions

[quote name=”RogerGEwing”]Can I use a borate solution (BoraCare) on my deck prior to staining with AC semi-transparent stain in order to control algae/mildew growth? Thanks[/quote]
The PDS says it creates a barrier for termites. This could also stop the stain from soaking into the wood grain. We would highly suggest a test area to make sure the AC is able to penetrated into the wood grain.

[quote name=”Sandy”]New #1 western cedar deck installed 3 weeks ago. Contractor said cedar has been kept indoors and can be stained now. Do I need to prep or can I just stain? Just ordered 5 gal. of Rustic Brown.[/quote]
You cannot stain it right away. See this article about new wood:

http://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain

[quote name=”Donaldl.jennings”]I am installing new hardwood deck, supposedly Ipe but appears more like Garapa, hardwood but less dense. 1. Would sanding with 80 or 100 grit be advisable, or should I just clean it. 2. Do all four sides need to be sealed or just the top surface. 3. Would you advise waiting 2-3 months to seal or do at time of install?[/quote]
Install and let sit for a few months. Prep with our Deck Cleaner, no need to sand. Stain the exposed wood only.

Yes, it does help to clean and brighten after sanding. We suggest not using a finer grit then 80. 60 is better as the stain will soak in deeper.

[quote name=”Elaine Fischer”]Hello. I wanted to slap some AC on the worn spots on my cedar deck, which was stripped and treated with AC four years ago and touched up once since then. Is it too late now that we are into shorter days, damp nights? I’m not sure it’s 100% dry.[/quote]
As long as the wood is dry when you apply and the temps are above 55, you should be okay.

[quote name=”Dotsy29732″]I plan to use the RAD Cleaner & Brightner before staining my new KDAT deck floor. Can the prepping be done at one time, or does wood need to dry between the clean & brighten steps?
I read that only 1 coat of AC stain is recommended for KDAT wood, but read in AC Staining Instructions that if stain “penetrates within 30 minutes, another coat can be applied for added protection”. Should I use 1 or 2 coats on new KDAT wood, in a full sun area?[/quote]
Best to do the Brightener right after you are done with the Cleaner. Just 1 coat for new KDAT wood.

See this about new decking:

http://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain

[quote name=”LeEllen Phares”]We stripped and brightened our ipe deck with RAD 5 days ago. Stained with AC mahogany stain 3 days ago (no precip between). There wasn’t any pooling but the area exposed to sun is still slightly oily and the area that is covered still has a thick oily residue. We didn’t wipe because it didn’t pool but it’s still wet. Took one step onto covered deck and left shoe print so we wiped that area with a dry cloth and left a (barely) noticable lighter area. There will be 100 people on this deck in 7 days for a wedding. What do you suggest? Wipe with oil soaked rags? Thanks for any help[/quote]
Try rising off the excess oil that did not penetrate with water. It should remove most. If you use rags as well, make sure to saturate any oil rags with water and lay flat to dry outdoors.

[quote name=”Rose”]Hi, about those white and fuzzy patches after using the RAD kit- I’m wondering if sanding those spots down would be helpful before staining? I don’t want to wet the wood as we want to stain tomorrow. What do you think?
Thanks! -Rose[/quote]
You cannot spot sand just those areas. If you sand the entire deck, then you would show rinse the deck down with water after to remove sand dust.

[quote name=”Rose”]I just used the RAD cleaner and brightener last night on our (new but 4 months seasoned) red cedar deck. Now in the bright sunlight I see patches that appear white and other areas that are fuzzy. Are these normal or did I do something wrong. We hope to stain in another 36 hrs while we have a run of dry sunny weather. Thanks![/quote]
Fuzzies are related directly related to the oxidation of the wood cells. When the exposed wood oxidizes, the wood will start to turn white or gray. When you prep, you have to remove this layer of oxidized wood cells. This can lead to the fuzzy look you are referring to. Typically washing with higher pressure will reduce this. Many times you will not see this when stained as the stain colors will enhance the wood grain.

No. Install the wood, let weather for 2-3 months and prep with a deck cleaner first. Just one coat of the Armstrong Clark and do not back wipe to remove any excess. The AC needs to soak into the wood and cure properly.

[quote name=”Christine J.”]Hello. We have a new deck which was installed 4 months ago. I have never sealed a deck before so doing my homework prior to prepping and staining. A couple of questions below – your response is appreciated.

1. Do you recommend sanding first, then applying the RAD wood cleaner? If so, how long do we wait after sanding until we can apply the wood cleaner? Note that we have a lot of “splinters” sticking out.

2. Do I only need 1 wood cleaner kit? I am assuming it depends on the size of the deck, but I have not seen specification on your website. Not sure if a kit will work on our 14×16 deck with stairs and railing.

Thanks!![/quote]
If you have splinters it would be best to use the Step 1 first, let dry and lightly buff the surface to remove the splinters with a sanding pad. Apply the Step 2 Brightener after and rinse well.

One kit covers about 750 sq feet or more for new wood.

[quote name=”Doug Halley”]The interior of the contemporary house is entirely clear heart redwood. Built in 1980 it appears to have never finished with any products. The wood has faded in many areas and has become very dry everywhere but overall has retained very good color and has never grayed. It has been stained lightly in some areas from general household effects. We would like to apply transparent finish. What prep steps and product do you suggest? We will be tinting the floor to ceiling windows so I am not concerned about UV protection level of the stain, I really want to retain the natural aged redwood color.[/quote]
Armstrong is an exterior stain that comes in tinted colors to protect with UV. The Natural is the lightest tint and will darken the grain some. Take inconsideration that this is an oil based stain meant to be applied outdoors. It can be used indoors, but you will need ventilation for the oil smell to dissapate.

[quote name=”Brenda”]Are the instructions for prepping new deck wood also applicable to a new (fully exposed on one side) Glulam?
I have a Glulam beam, and two beam ends exposed to weather – is your transparent stain enough to protect them over the long term (repeated applications are expected over time)?[/quote]
Yes you have to treat this as new wood. The semi-trans will give better UV protection over the transparents.

[quote name=”ddichting”]We are re-staining our deck that I stained last August in transparent grey. Have addend new boards 6 months ago and want to have all blend in. Plan on using the clean kit before applying stain. How dry does the deck need to be before re-staining as rain in the afternoon is common in Atlanta this time of year.[/quote]
48 hours after prep and rain for the wood to dry.

[quote name=”Oscar White”]I live in CA. I have a new redwood deck (1 month old). I lightly sanded the deck today to remove several paint stains left behind by careless painters. I am interested in your transparent redwood stain product. How long do you recommend that I wait (minimum wait time and optimum wait time) before prepping and staining the deck? Thank you[/quote]
Please see this about new wood:

http://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain

[quote name=”Eric Normand”]I see different recommendation for the waiting period before applying the stain on new red cedar. Some say to apply it right away, other recommend 2-3 months before doing anything, other one year. Was is the good waiting period for a cedar deck in full sun with AC stains?

Thanks

Eric[/quote]
See here:

http://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain

[quote name=”Doug McCabe”]I used your product to stain my PT pine deck in 2010. I am going to stain again using your product in 2016. Question is: do I strip or simply clean as indicated above? I live in New England and my PT deck sees all types of weather. Thus, I am not sure if there is a lot of stain remaining on the surface. Any suggestions are appreciated. Also,many downsides to using one of your darker hardwood stains on my PT deck? My wife likes the colors. My original stain from 2010 was semitransparent. Thanks![/quote]
It would be best to prep with the RAD Stripper/Brightener kit for this. As do the colors, the Hardwood colors are on IPE wood. They will not look like that on PTP. We do have samples for you test test on our site.

[quote name=”Judd Sires”]I just finished staining my deck with Mountain Cedar semi solid with very good results. I should have gotten a color sample however because it just isn’t what I was going for. Could I use a different color semi solid such as Oxford Brown as a “maintenance coat” in a year or two without a huge color variance?[/quote]
You would have to remove and start over so it will show the proper color. Use the stain stripper we sell and pressure washing.

[quote name=”Mike Andrews”]I have a 10 year old pine boat dock deck. It was treated with Thompson’s Sealer about 5 years ago but it has almost completely worn off. What products do I need to re-store and re-finish this deck.[/quote]
The Restore A Deck Stripper Kit for this. Stain with the AC after removal.

[quote name=”Tim”]I see several answers where you say new decking (SPF or cedar) needs to season for 3-4 months, and also be cleaned with RAD Cleaner.

Is this because you are assuming the new wood is >15% moisture content, or are there other reasons the new wood should be seasoned before staining?
In other words, if my new lumber is kiln dried and has moisture content below 15%, and then I “clean” it, am I good to go, or do I still need to let it sit for several months before staining?[/quote]
Wait 4-6 weeks for kiln dried wood and prep to remove the mill glaze with the RAD Kits. Just 1 coat for this.

[quote name=”David kraft”]First we planed than we sanded with sand paper. The new 2x6s came out great. The new 4×4 posts turned black. The existing 2×12 was planed and then sanded. Looked like new, but it turned black or just real dark. Could it be that by the time we got to the 4x4s and 2x12s we were using the bottom of the stain can?[/quote]
There is no black colorant in the stain so that is not possible. it is most likely one of these things:

1. Rust stains is black in wood. Was any steel wool used?
2. Tanin stains from the wood itself.
3. You over sand/planed the wood to the point that it “burned” the wood.

[quote name=”David kraft”]Just applied Armstrong oil base natural stain on new redwood and the color turned black. Same was true with newly sanded redwood. But, some came out just fine. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong.?

David kraft[/quote]
The AC does not turn back so it has to be something else that is causing this. How did you prep and sand? What did you sand with?

[quote name=”Richard Koenig”]I have cedar trim and garage doors on my home in Colorado. They were originally stained with a semi-transparent stain when the house was built 4 yrs.ago. The garage doors and areas facing south or west had to be redone 2 yrs. ago and need to be again. I am thinking of using your semi-transparent stain. What kind of prep will it need and how will it hold up to the elements here.

Thank you[/quote]
Prep by using the Restore Deck Stain Stripper. apply and pressure wash off. Apply the Restore Wood Brightener. You should get a few years on vertical wood in your area.

[quote name=”Susan”]I have a very old 20+ year deck. the contractor came by and wants to sand it all down, and then use Sherwin Williams SuperDeck with a primer, which I am not at all interested in. Based on the reviews, and the fact that I will need a semi solid, Yours is the best choice.

My question is: is sanding an acceptable way to prep the deck with your product? It is old and in bad shape. if so, are there any additional steps prior to staining?

Thanks-
Susan[/quote]
Over sanding can reduce the stain’s ability to penetrate into the wood grain. If you sand, use 60-80 grit paper. After the sanding, use the Restore A Deck Kits for final prep. This will remove any sand dust and allow the stain to penetrate better.