Armstrong-Clark’s deck and siding wood stain makes use of conditioning oils that part from the drying oils in the formula. The nondrying oils penetrate into the wood and take the place of the wood’s diminishing natural oils. This process revives and restores wood.
The drying oils stay on the wood surface and lock in the conditioning oils to produce a barrier that is dry to the touch. Armstrong’s deck and siding wood stain contain vegetable oils in addition to transparent pigments, solvents, mildewcides and water repellents.
- Application can be done in direct sunlight and on hot days. If the first coat of stain penetrates within 30 minutes an additional coat may be applied for extra protection.
- Applies easily by roller, brush, or airless sprayer. During spraying – going back over with a brush or roller will help give a more even appearance. After 24 hours any remaining puddles or glossy spots can be removed using a dry rag.
- Older wood is reconditioned by deep penetrating nondrying oils.
- Drying oils lock in the conditioning oils while pigments and water repellents lock out moisture and UV damage.
- Armstrong wood stain is compliant with all environmental standards.
- Does not contain any offensive odors.
Coverage Area
Armstrong-Clark Deck and Siding Stain applies at 150-200 sq ft per gallon. Depending on wood porosity, actual coverage will vary.
Important
*We do not guarantee stain colors as they will vary widely depending on the wood type, age of wood, prepping of wood, and application. Small samples are available at top.
Available Colors
Transparent Cedar Tone, Transparent Natural Tone, Transparent Redwood Tone, Amber, Mahogany, Semi-Trans Black Walnut, Semi-Trans Cedar, Semi-Trans Chestnut, Semi-Trans Driftwood Gray, Semi-Trans Natural Oak, Semi-Trans Rustic Brown, Semi-Trans Sierra Redwood, Semi-Solid Espresso, Semi-Solid Mtn. Cedar, Semi-Solid Oxford, Semi-Solid Sequoia, Semi-Solid Woodland Brown
Can another color be added to the driftwood gray to darken it up some?
Yes, you can mix colors of the AC.
Why do you have to wait a year before staining? I have a shed with T1-11 I want to stain with Semi-Solid cedar and from what I read many complain a single rain storm on T1-11 will cause it to delaminate unless protected. What will happen if I use your stain on the T1-11 as soon as I put it up?
It will not properly soak in and dry unless you wait and prep: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
I am building a western red-cedar planter (“window box”) to be placed on corbels in front of my sons house. Thus, it’s new wood. My son found this stain as being recommended for new wood, he would like the cedar color. I have a few questions. (1) Should I treat the inside of the planter? I am planning to cover it with a heavy duty plastic liner (poly-ethylene), so I would think that plants would be protected from the oil of the stain. I am planning to add drain holes so there should be no standing water. (2) What final grit sandpaper should I use for this project? I read that too fine a grit may impede absorption of the stain. (3) Note, that I have used wood filler to fill the nail holes. Will this stain “cover” the wood filler so it does not stand out too much when done? (4) How many coats should I apply? Thanks, Adriaan
See here about new wood: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
You cannot stain it right away.
1. No need.
2. Do not sand for prep. See link.
3. Wood filler does not work for stains outside. It will not blend or “stain” to match.
4. See the link above.
Thanks
Would this be good to protect a reclaimed cedar garden arbor from the strong Colorado sun? It was just sanded when it was built and I am looking for lasting protection. I was looking at transparent neutral or a semi trans for better protection.
Yes, it would work well. The semi-transparent colors will give better UV protection.
Could I use the semi-transparent stain on pine as well as cedar? Thanks.
Yes.
I have an all Azek deck but with a 5 inch mahogany wood top rail. Water stain from 2 years ago (when built) is flaking off. Was planning to use Stripper and Brightener instead of sanding before stain. 3 questions:
1) assume stripping is better than sanding?
2) Do I need to use the Hardwood stain, or can I go with regular semi-transparent?
3) I am looking for deep dark brown with a little red for a stain on the mahogany wood. Is that the Chestnut stain? Assume “Mahogany” might be too red. Thanks
1. Yes.
2. Use one of the three hardwood colors. You cannot use the other colors.
3. Try Black Walnut
I applied the black walnut to my old, untreated, redwood stairs. I put on a pretty good amount in the afternoon and It seemed to absorb pretty well, then it rained that night.
The wood now feels a bit soft now that it’s been a few days later (rained again the next day). Should the stairs dry out and harden and should I apply another coat? Not sure why the surface has a spongy feeling
thank you.
It will be fine, just let it dry out. You do not need more stain.
Hi
My cedar deck was installed 2 years ago, with the wood being prepped and stained last summer with your semi transparent cedar stain. The vertical surface behind my BBQ looks great, but the horizontal aspect of the deck, which would have been covered with a fair amount of winter snow, is losing colour and peeling significantly. In order to restain the horizontal surfaces, do I need to sand my deck, or just clean/prep and restain?
Prep with this and restain: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
How many square feet in 9000 linear feet?
That depends on the width.
How many gallons of Transparent Natural Tone is needed for 9,000 liner feet? TIA
New or old wood? Previous coating?
It’s two years old and has a factory single coat of the transparent natural tone. It is starting to show signs of wear from the direct sun that hits it.
Just do one coat. About 200 sq feet per gallon.
Our house and deck are cypress, cedar and pressure treated decking. It has never been painted or stained (or treated with anything) and is grayed with some mildew. The problem is that we live in a lake community with shared wells and it is against association rules to use the amount of water required for the cleaner and brightener. If the house were pressure washed and lightly sanded, if necessary, could we still use Armstrong Clark semi solid stains?
As long as it is clean and the gray has been removed.
I have used Armstrong Sequoia stain on our pressure-treated decks twice in the last 6 years or so. Would we still get a noticeable gray coloration if we switched to the driftwood, or would the final color really look odd?
You would have to fully strip it off if you want to go to the gray.
These pictures are of the deck after staining, +24 hrs old. And we did get a freak rain storm about 4 hrs after we’d finished applying. The deck was cleaned and prepped before applying the stain. It’s +20 yrs old and wasn’t ever cared for properly. We’re not looking for miracles…just looking a little more polished and protected.
The calculator said we’d need 4 gallons and I bought 5. Used all of it. The stain did pool and then absorb within about 30 mins.
I’m trying to figure out if it’s ok to do a 2nd coat, probably a couple weeks later, after I get more stain delivered. Would I just use the garden hose to make sure it’s cleaned off? I’m also trying to figure out quantity…do I want to let it pool again or just apply a thin coat?
Thanks!!
Apply one light coat with a stain pad or brush. Probably 3-4 gallons.
We have cedar tongue and groove cedar siding on half of the front of the house. 40 year old wood that hadn’t been maintained. Last year, we stripped the old finish, sanded down to fresh wood, and applied penofin red to it. It looks good, but we’re away getting some small mildew spots already. Can I go over the penofin with Armstrong after a light scrubbing with dish soap as penofin recommends for recoating, or would I need to do more intense cleaning? And will the mildewcide in the Armstrong take care of the small spots we have now? Thank you!
No, you will have to remove the Penofin with this: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
I’m getting ready to re-stain my decks and have 5 gallons of redwood tone left over from my original application. I’d like to tone down the orange appearance this time around and am thinking of cutting the 5 gallons with a gallon of one of your other colors. Looking for a more reddish brown color. Suggestion?
You can add a gallon of Rustic Brown info it.
What happens when you add equal amounts of AC Transparent Natural Tone with AC Semi Transparent Cedar? Will it lighten the Cedar and lower the UV protection? Any adverse outcome could come from the mixing? I just want to tone down the Cedar a bit.
Yes it will lighten the color some and the UV protection as well.
If the first 2.5 gallons of AC Semi Transparent Cedar used was not evenly stirred, should the remaining 2.5 gallons be left alone or needs additional transparency to lighten the pigmentation? If the latter, which would be better AC Transparent Natural Tone or AC Transparent Cedar? Much appreciated! – no photo
Add the Transparent Natural into it.
Is there a retailer to purchase from in WIsconsin?
I power washed are very old and never sealed deck. Do I need to also use a cleaner or brightener? Worried about mold/mildew
No dealers in WI. Prep with this: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I just purchased semi-transparent stain. I was going to add a mold/mildew preventative to the stain since the deck is often in a damp environment. Is that ok mlm. If so, what brand do you recommend?
You can do this. Any is fine as long as can be mixed with oil based stains.
Thank you so much for the help! I am about halfway done with my deck and I notice that the stain almost immediately soaks into the wood. There is absolutely no puddling of the stain and I really cannot spread it out the wood is so thirsty. Would you suggest a second coat? This wood has been neglected for about 15 years.
And if you do suggest a second coat, will the stain get darker? If so how do I avoid it getting darker? Thank you!
You can do two coats if the wood needs it. It will only even out the color, not get darker.
Does it sound like the wood needs it? If it soaks in so fast?
It might but make sure the second coat soaks in as well. Maybe do a test spot and see how it dries in a few hours or so.
So the second coat soaked in within 2 hours. It definitely repels water better.
I plan on recoating next summer too. How long will a can of stain last once opened?
About 12 months.
I just applied the semi transparent stain on a deck and it looks very good. Is it recommended to use a sealer now to help with the areas that remain rough and prone to splintering? Or is there another product I should look into for that purpose?
You cannot apply a sealer over the AC stain.
Can this be use to stain exterior front door?
It is not suggested.
Are there any retailers in Connecticut?
There are not. We are shipping to CT from our website directly to you.
Want to use the amber color. My deck is 5 yrs old approximately. Just bought house last year. It had no stain and was sealed with a cheap clear sealer several yrs back. Was quite Damaged . Used a cleaning and restoration product late last fall. Pressured sprayed to get gray dead later off of would. When wet it looked like new wood again. Will need to sand to smooth up the finish so should I first sand and thenn use a Cleaner since mildew may have started again and have trees close by. Also can I use 2 coats of the amber color product on all surfaces esp the flatt surfaces that are most damaged. Putting on pressure treated pine. How far apart to apply the coats. Will it show scuffing Mark’s or peal. Thanks so much.
Do not sand more than 60-80 grit, clean and brightener after. Two coats applied wet on wet or 20-60 minutes after the first coat. It does not peel.
Is any dealer in Austin Texas?
No, there are not.
Is there a dealer in Regina Saskatchewan
canada
No dealers in Canada.
Can you get color samples/chips of a couple of the semi-transparent stains?
Thank you
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/samples
where in Niagara can you buy the product restore a deck stain
Sorry, but it is not sold anywhere there.
Remove previous stain is what I meant to say
What do I use if I just want to put another coat of the same stain a year later?
Prep and reapply: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I don’t know what you mean by prep. When I prepped the naked wood the solution was powerful and similar to a bleach. I just want to enhance the color that’s already there. I don’t want to start over.
You always have to prep when reapplying.
What kind of prep? Does “prep” remind be previous stain? Please explain it like I am 5
The link we sent in the first reply is the correct prep product.
Does it only clean? Does it remove previous stain?
Maybe a little but that is fine and the correct way to prep prior to reapplying. Basically the wood has to be clean before recoating.
Do I have to pressure wash my fence first.? I don’t have a lot of water pressure
You always have to prep before staining wood. Use this kit and light pressure washing or rinse: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
How much stain is needed for a second story deck. 10 x 12. 18 steps to the ground. Pressure treated pine wood.
Please use the calculator that is to the right of this page on desktop or at the bottom on mobile.
I have a “new” fence, pressure treated pine which was installed Sept 2018, never stained. If I powerwash then apply the semi-transparent stain, will that be sufficient? Also, I have approx 1700 st ft to stain (6ft tall, 142 ft in length, both sides). I calculate that I need around 18 gallons, does that sound right?
Use a deck cleaner while pressure washing and then a wood brightener. Using a semi-transparent stain is the way to go after. Square footage varies on the color you choose but about 15-20 gallons would be normal for two coats and 1700 sq feet.
I had a professional painter apply my Armstrong-Clark semi-transparent stain . He applied the 2nd coat to the vertical boards underneath the deck on Friday ( finished about 12:30) and it rained Friday night. It was sunny and warm that afternoon. While it looks fine now, I am concerned about possible problems in several months. Thanks
You will be fine. It can take a rain withing 4-6 hours of applying.
More info: I do not know what kind of wood it is, or when it was refinished last but it appears to have been a very long time. Should it be conditioned first? Thanks again.
Would this be a good product for staining the exterior side of a front door? I live in Arizona but the door is under the eaves, behind a security door and only receives speckled light due to trees. If not, what would you recommend? I would Like a bit of color in the stain but not a solid color. Thank you.
We had a new fence installed about 18 months ago by our contractor. It was kiln-dried Western Red Cedar. He was the one who recommended Armstrong Clark. We picked Sierra Redwood. Stain went on the day after the fence was built. Now that I’m familiar with AC and the instructions, I know that he didn’t follow the procedure of waiting and cleaning with RAD before staining.
The staining was definitely splotchy. I’m ready to give it another stain, now that some time has passed. What are the steps to follow when re-staining to get best results? Thank you.
To get this to stain evenly it would be best to strip it down and to the bare wood and start over with all the current stain removed: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
BTW, it looks like you used wood filler? Wood filler does not work with exterior stains and outside wood. That is why you have whitish spots in the nail holes.
Thanks for the reply. OK, I will use RAD stripper. I know it says “eco-safe” on the packaging. I will cover the shrubs near the fence but will it be okay if the plants get in the groundwater?
Yes, that is wood filler that my contractor used. I was aghast when I got home and saw all those white spots. I tried light hand sanding but they did not come off. After I use RAD stripper, if I sand with a power tool, do you think they will go away after re-staining?
The stripper will not kill to root system of the plants. I doubt you will be able to remove the putty by sanding. You would have to dig it out somehow.
Hi, I have a new pine deck with cedar railings here in Wyoming a mile high in semi-arid climate where the wind sucks the moisture out of everything. The deck is located on the roof of a walk out level of out A frame type home. It’s been sitting about year and probably could have been stained months ago due to the extremes it’s been exposed to but I decided to wait until fall when the temperatures have dropped at finishes dry here extraordinarily quick. My concern is the clowns that replaced the roof under the deck and then built the deck did not apply the extra white rubber deck coating originally and had to take the deck apart to do so as we had requested . They of course got the the rubber on the pine surface. They made slight attempt to wipe it off but you can still see traces of the rubber on the pine, especially when wet. My wife suggested I sand it off but that’s too much work for me to sand the entire deck for uniformity as I’m disabled and I’m guessing just sanding the damaged areas will stick out like a sore thumb. I would like to use the Armstrong semi solid stain to show some of the grain and was hoping multiple coasts in the damaged area to subdue any visual effect of the rubber. I believe the stain should penetrate these areas ok due to the extreme dryness of the wood but you don’t know until you try. Any best temperature recommendation for this climate would help and a guess if my strategy has merit would be appreciated. thanks for your input in advance. John
You cannot add more than 1-2 coats of the semi-solid as then it will not be able to soak in. I also doubt it will hide the rubber. Best to remove that first otherwise it will not look good.
Hello,
Yesterday I stained our approx 5 yr old cedar deck with the transparent natural tone stain. I followed the directions carefully. The end result seems uneven and blotchy. I have attached two photos. I am thinking maybe I should try a second coat?
It may be the wood is somewhat damaged as it has been kind of beat up. The deck has been stripped, lightly sanded, pressure washed and cleaned several times with various products in its relatively short life span due to us trying various stain and sealers on the the market only to find a year later the deck needs to be washed and stained again.
We live in the pacific northwest and get sun beating down on the deck in summer causing it to grey and rain and some snow fall through spring.
Any suggestions?
Yes, apply another light coat. Might want to go a little richer in color as well. Try Amber.
My husband corrected me: we have never used an actual stripper product. We have used deck washing products, clorox with water, brighteners and oxalic acid formulations. And it has been pressure washed with a heavy hand (hubby). I think either it needs a second coat or the wood isn’t truly absorbing all the stain as it really needed to be completely stripped to remove other failed stain/sealer products instead of just cleaned. What do you think? Try a second coat this year and completely strip it next year and apply the armstrong clark product?
I should mention we also washed and stained our cedar fence with your same product and it looks great.
Thank you
Anna
Oregon
We would suggest adding another coat this year.
Thank youyou for your help
Sincerely,
Anna
Was wondering if you would know what semi solid or semi transparent stain would be close to Home Depots Behr California Rustic. I have this on the railing which is fine. I have sanded and removed this paint/stain from the floor as it was peeling. and would like to place the Armstrong Clark on the floor and steps of the Deck.
Sorry but no idea. We do have samples for testing: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/samples
Where in Indiana can I buy Armstrong wood.stain
AC is not sold in any stores in Indiana. Shipping form our sites takes a couple of days on average.
I just stripped and brightened my pressure-treated deck with RAD products. Got rid of many-year-old semi-solid stain. Lots of elbow grease, but came out nice!
I’m trying to decide how much semi-transparent oil based stain (rustic brown) to buy for ~175 sq ft. floor, with rails and a few steps. 2 gallons? 3?
I’d go for a 5-gallon bucket if the shelf life is long enough so I could use leftover next time. What is the shelf life and proper storage method?
2-3 gallons is correct. Closer to two but hard to say for sure. The shelf life of an opened pail will last about 12 months.
Can this stain be used on a deck that was previously stained with a non-oil based product?
Only if you remove the previous coating first.
where can I buy this stain in Alberta, Canada
You cannot but we can ship to you from this website.
It seems all your articles are about decks and I have questions about my new (1 month old) rough sawn western red cedar pergola. (1) Can you help me calculate how many gallons Semi-Trans Cedar I will need for a 12’x12′ pergola with 11- 2″x10″ rafters, 14-2″x4″ purlins and boxed pilars (Pictured attached). (2) only 1 coat is required but you talk about wet on wet for a 2nd coat. What is the extra protection gained with a 2nd coat and does the 2nd oat make the stain darker? (3) Since it is brand new pergola, do I still need to prep the wood with a cleaner and a brightener or can I just power wash & let dry before applying stain?
Hello, for the amount of stain needed, please send total sq footage of wood to be stained. Only one coat for new wood. No need to prep if rough sawn wood.
I have a new deck using sienna treated wood. Looking to go darker and hide the knots. Can I use a semi-solid ?
not yet. See this about new wood. https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
The posts and rails seemed to have come out better than deck. As it dried it appears I could use a 2nd coat on the deck floor. How long should I wait, and what prep will be needed? I thoroughly cleaned and stripped deck using the stripper and brightener and hand sanded as the pressure washer raised the grain.
You should be able to do a light coat now. Make sure to not over apply.
Unfortunately I ran out of stain, so I wouldn’t be doing a 2nd coat until I get some more
I have just a few post caps to do and ran out of stain, Will a sample be exact same as the gallons I had? I have mahogany wood and used your mahogany stain.
A sample will not cover much sq footage.
Would this be the best product for redoing Trex?
No, not for Trex.
I have a 15 year old Pau Lupe deck. Full sun in souther California. What do you recommend as a stain?
Use one of the hardwood colors: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
Is the semi transparent stain ok to use on outdoor cedar furniture? It has never been stained before.
Yes as long as you prep first.
Hi,
I built a deck with rough sawn cedar and used Thompson Water Sealant Cedar on it and it pulled REALLY orange. I plan to strip it and use something different. The color I would like to match is Miniwax Red Oak, but that’s pulling black on the rough sawn wood. Which of your products do you recommend?
Colors will vary based on wood type and age and we are not familiar with interior Minwax stain colors. Best try some samples for testing: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/samples
I have a cedar deck….. can I use the “natural tone “ transparent or “natural oak” semi-transparent stains or should I stay with a “cedar” stain?
Also, do the semi-transparent stains need to be removed before re-coating?
Thanks!
You can use any color that you like. The semi-transparent will last longer from UV protection. All AC colors can be cleaned and recoated as needed.