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
Hello – I have a Ipe deck that has grayed that we like. It is really dirty and I am scrubbing the deck clean. I want to put a product on it that gives it the darker gray color with sheen when it gets wet. Is your transparent clear stain the way to go?? Thank you.
You cannot add a sheen to a deck. It will peel and blister if you do. AC does not come in a clear untinted sealer.
I’m not sure why you say you can’t add sheen to a deck? I refinish boats and use some boat varnish over stain and have no issues.. just curious why this isn’t applicable to your stain..
No varnish or poly should ever be used on a deck or over a deck stain. It will blister, peel, attract mildew, and create a nightmare for removal when it does all this.
I would look at their restore kit before cleaning/scrubbing and use their gray color semi transparent stain for your wood type. I am trying a boat varnish on top of my Armstrong Clark stained deck this year by total boat both products have tung oil penetrating oils. I’m costing over the Armstrong Clark rustic brown stain single coat. I have to refinish my cedar deck (500 ft2) each year to get it to the homogeneous color, remove the dirt and weathering from tough winters and direct sun. This year I had to sand the deck boards (back breaking and very time consuming) because they were so damaged from 5 years of refinishing using power washing even using the restore kit each year.. so do not over scrub your deck and consider using a 36-40 grit with a belt sander followed by an 80-100 grit before staining.. this is tough but will remove the weathering and damage you may be causing by scrubbing.. ?♀️
Do not apply a varnish or any coating over the AC stains. It will peel if you do.
Used your semi transparent cedar last year. Darkened over the winter & could another coat. Do I just need to clean or what process should I follow to re-coat this season? Thanks
Use the kit for prep: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
10-4. Thanks
I have a new deck in pressure treated wood that was done last summer. I plan on using the restore deck kit before applying one coat of the AC semi transparent cedar stain. To maintain it, do I need to apply a second coat next year and if so, do I need to do another prep before applying the stain again?
Typically it is every 2 years going forward. You always have to prep when recoating.
I have a deck made of 5/4 deck boards. Never been treated but I am not sure of what they were originally treated with. I pressure wash every year (last 3), can I pressure wash to remove winter weather residue and then use your stains?
Use this kit while pressure washing: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I have a mahogany deck that was stained with sikkens Cetol SRD water-based translucent wood finish many years ago. It seems that it should have been stained with an oil-based stain, so I’m planning on getting the Armstrong Clark hardwood/IPE stain. After power washing, do I need to sand the deck and then do the RAD stripper/brightener to remove the old stain prior to re-staining or can I skip the sanding? Also, can I use the black walnut color on mahogany wood? That’s the color that most closely matches what we currently have. Thanks!
You will have to remove the old stain fully. Please post some pictures in the comments so we can help with the best approach to this.
This is what it looks like after pressure washing.
The planter box and rail is the old stain, which we plan on leaving. Just the decking will be refinished.
Okay but you still need to strip the floors.
You will need to redo the prep using this kit while pressure washing: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
You can use the Black Walnut if you like.
Thanks. Is sanding necessary as well, and if so before or after the stripping?
You should not have to sand but if you do, do it after stripping and before the brightener.
How much time can there be between cleaning/brightening and restaining?
Thanks
48 hours and up to two weeks.
Our deck was stained today and it’s supposed to rain starting at 2 a.m. tonight. Is this going to be a problem?
It will be fine.
Hi there, i applied AC semi transparent cedar stain a few years ago on a cedar deck and its starting to fade….ill make sure the deck is free of dirt and debris but is there any other prep required if i apply the exact same product?
You must prep with this kit.
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I am looking for this stain. All the ones I can find say Transparent but this one in the picture does not. I am trying match exactly to what was used. Do you have this or where I can get it?
Redwood Tone is the same as Transparent Redwood Tone in the color options.
Do you have a preservative product for ipe decking?
We have 3 colors that can be used on IPE: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
I have a deck that was treated with Flood water based stain 5 years ago. The product is completely garbage and after pressure washing the Stain is gone. Can I use you oil based product??
Yes, as long as the Flood has been removed fully.
Thank you, I think the Men who applied it watered it down. The Texas sun cooked it.
Hello- I live on N coast of Oregon. We get sun, rain, etc. This year I want to completely strip my cedar deck and go darker. I am considering your semi transparent rustic brown or semi solid espresso (samples already on order). My question is: I want to test both samples on my cedar to decide which color I prefer. I want to test on cedar that has been weathered (my deck is six years old now) to get the best idea of how the final outcome will look before purchasing a five gallon bucket of product. How do you suggest a person best test your samples? Thank you for a reply ??
Just apply it to your wood to test after prep.
How long will it last on cedar siding in the Pacific Northwest? It’s
4-7 years.
Did you use this brand? I am in WA and ready to do my cedar home…pics?
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/armstrong-clark-photo-album
Can I use semi-transparent rustic brown on Ipe?
No. Use the Amber, Black Walnut, or Mahogany for IPE.
Can I mix colors to get a custom color?
Yes
I just had a fence built with hog panel and a lot of new wood. You mention with the espresso that it is not good on new wood under a year old. Why is that, and how long should I wait to stain it?
See here about new wood, it will answer your questions: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
We built a wooden table for outside dining under a roof. The table is made from treated pine, but is sanded and stressed to look like old wood. I am wondering if your stains/penetrating oil would work on this.
In our last home, we had an IPE deck, and I really enjoyed using your product. Our deck in our new home is TREX. The table is heavy treated pine. Which of your products if any, would work?
The AC stains cannot be applied over another stain I am assuming that is the case with your table as that would be needed to mimic the distressed look.
that did not really answer the question, and you could offer an option.
Sure it did. If you have a distressed look that is currently stained, then no, you cannot use the AC stain on it.
Should a sealant be applied first, on a brand new redwood deck in full sun.
No, you cannot apply a sealer before or after using the AC stains. See this about new wood:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
Awesome, thank you so much.
Hi there! We have some new redwood front steps installed at our home. They are shaded much of the day and remain a bit damp from the morning mist. Would you recommend any pre-stain prep beyond sanding with something around 150-200 grit? I’m planning to stain once the steps have seen a few drier days so as not to lock in any moisture.
You cannot stain this new wood yet and sanding is not the proper way to prep as it closes the wood pores. See here for new wood: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
Thank you for the link and the guidance! This is very helpful
I plan to apply amber semi-trans to an exterior hardwood door after sanding it. Should I use clear varnish after staining for additional protection?
No. You cannot add a coating over the AC stains.
Hello. Am planning on using semi-solid Armstrong-Clark on siding, but need to caulk around some of the windows. Is Big Stretch caulk compatible with this stain? I assume that I need to caulk first, correct? Thanks
It should be fine. Caulk first.
Does the temperature need to stay above 50 the entire 8-24 hour dry time? Or just during application?
For at least 4-8 hours and cannot drop below 40 the first night while curing.
How long does it need to not rain for after application? Same amount of time?
Yes.
Hello, we have a very slow siding replacement project that uses rough cut cedar boards for window and door trim, as well as for porch posts and trim. The 20 year old cedar siding that we just tore off was stained black and badly sun damaged from the Oklahoma heat. Our new cedar wood trim is now a variety of ages (1-8 months), colors, and textures because the work has been so slow.
I can’t figure out what stain to apply. The painter plans to pressure wash the older, grayed boards then stain but stain newer boards with no prep. Painter likes oil based stains but is willing to apply water based. My main consideration is longevity, because I can’t reach the second floor windows myself and I don’t want to hire someone to maintain the trim more often than necessary. We would like to maintain a rustic, lighter/natural toned cedar look if possible. How often would we need to reapply this stain, and what kind of future prep work would need to be done around these 2nd floor windows?
On wood siding, the AC stains can last about 3-5 years but this will depend on UV exposure. Whenever you apply again, you have to use a cleaner system and light pressure washing prior to applying the AC stains.
Hello, I have gone through 4 samples trying to find a reddish brown on new yellow pine decking based on your website COLOR CHART. I tried chestnut( too yellow ) then chestnut mixed with mahogany and then mixed with Sierra Redwood. None worked. I am ready to give up and try an alternative brand unless you have another suggestion. Sequoia?
Colors will vary based on your wood type and age. Try Rustic with Sierra Redwood or Black Walnut with Sierra Redwood. See this for new wood as well: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
I am a single woman whose never cared for a house so I don’t know much.I had a small deck built in April. I bought your stain but I never stained it. I’m hoping to do it now before winter. The weather where I live is in the 60s and 50s. 1. Can I still stain it?2. Do I have to sand it down and clean it etc because it’s been 5 months? If so what do I use?3. If it rained how many days do I have to wait before I stain it?Thank you so much. I did a lot of research on stains and yours came out as the best. I want to do this correctly. ?
1. Yes.2. You have to clean and brighten for prep:https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
3. 48 hours.
Not prepped correctly and or over applied are the main reasons. Also if back wiped too soon as that can remove the curing oils.
Will this work on eucalyptus wood? I have a retaining wall that is eucalyptus on the sides and the top is redwood. Can I use the products the same for both? I understand the color might be different…
Yes.
I would like to apply amber semi-trans to this exterior door. Can I use Rad Stain stripper/brightner to prep?
You will have sand this off. Cannot strip a varnish type coating like this.
Can you apply stain in fall temperatures? What is the coldest temp you can apply stain? Thanks!
50 is the lowest temp.
I don’t understand your WEB site, i want to order the Semi-transparent Mahogany and the semi-transparent Black Walnut, ARE THEY SEMI-TRANSPARENT STAINS OR ARE THEY SEMI-SOLID STAINS???Steve V driveusa101@gmail.com
Both are semi transparent and it does state this in the color choice options when you choose.
Can I mix the transparent redwood tone with the semi-transparent sierra redwood? We have a redwood deck that is 10 years old. We stripped, brightened and sanded the deck and then extended the size of the deck and have new redwood as well. I want the UV protection of a semi-transparent but want it a little less red than the sierra redwood.
You can but you will reduce the UV protection if you do this.
So naturally we weren’t able to meet the deadline within 15 days to stain. The client is asking what would happen to the finish if we stained without recleaning & brightening. It will have been 27-ish days by the time we stain if we didn’t do the reclean/brightening step.
It could prematurely fail and not look as intended.
I powerwashed a cedar deck floor, removed the old finish twice, then brightened and rinsed. It rained heavily yesterday and last night. It should be good weather for the next several days. How long is it okay to leave it to dry before finishing. The homeowner is ordering samples first so it may take a while before we can order and get the stain on. We’re in MA.
Stain within 15 days of prep.
Just in case we miss the 15 day window, would you recommend leaving it unstained til April or May? If not, what is the process if we go over the 15 days?
Reclean and brighen the deck.
Do you have to sand the deck after prep? We had a parafin oil transparent stain from other mfg. and let it go too long. We powerwashed, stripped, and brightened.
No need to sand.
We applied semi-transparent Rustic Brown over a year ago. We have made our fence twice as high and would love to now stain with Semi-Solid Expresso. Do you think with two coats of Semi-Solid Expresso it will cover the lighter Semi-Transparent Rustic Brown?
You need to prep by removing the RB. Strip and brighen all those areas and then clean and brighten the new wood. Stain with one coat of the Espresso.
Do you sell a stripper? My husband’s solution is to put a coat of Rustic Brown on the new wood and then apply a coat of Espresso. Is that easier than stripping?
You have to remove it all down to the bare wood. Do not add more than try to cover over it as it will have drying issues. Stripper: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
We did what you said and wanted to let you know it worked. Thank you!
We are thinking of staining with Espresso semi-solid. We would prefer the same color in a semi-transparent but you don’t sell anything comparable to that darker color. Our fence is huge we used what they called Corral Board light wood. Will the Espresso lighter over time?
Slightly. It is a very nice color and will last longer as a semi-solid.
No reason to choose a different stain. All stains will perform the same way compared to shaded and unshaded areas.
We have previously used your Expresso semi-solid product on our deck outside our home. Question, after applying your product can i apply a clear water sealer coat on top of your product ?
No, you cannot do this. Thanks
This may be a repeat if I didn’t post the original properly.Can I apply AC transparent natural tone on a hardwood table previously treated with 2 coats of the same product over a month ago? Given your description of the way your products work, I’m concerned that the penetrating oil component would not be able to penetrate, thus preventing complete curing. Is this so?Along these lines, do you think a coat of Tung or Livos brand oil, to achieve a satin sheen, would work?Thank you.
Hello,
No, you cannot overapply and you cannot add a coat on top of the AC of another product as that will lead to peeling issues.
what is the shelf life of the stains
Opened 12 months or less. Unopened about 3 years. Cannot freeze.
Thanks!
Hi, I just built a new deck with treated wood. How long do you think i should wait before staining it?Thanks
See here: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
I just finished staining our 3 year old Cedar deck — while it looks good it did soak up the the brushed-in semi trans natural oak very quickly (within 30 min). In the next week, I would love to do a second coat on the horizontals for longevity. I don’t want to over-apply and plan to brush again. Do I just watch to make sure it continues to soak in? The deck has seen rain and I just plan to sweep it off in preparation.
Very light coat and make sure it soaks in fully.
Thank you — I was worried I might have waited too long, but sounds like if I’m within a week or so of the first coat and with the rain keeping it clean I should be good. Hoping for my second weather window in next couple of days!
We are going to be building a pergola using reclaimed oak beams. Not sure of their age, 40-50 yrs most likely. They will be getting cut down to desired size & length. Their new “home” is on the same property as their old “home” so it is the same climate. However, as far as we can determine, they did not previously experience direct exposure to the weather. Two questions: 1) Since they are not new wood, can they be stained right away or will they need to be exposed to the weather for the specified time after install? and 2) Can we use any of the Armstrong Stains on oak or would we be limited to the Hardwood colors?Thank You!
1. Probably should weather and be prepped.2. Hardwood colors would work best.
What is the temperature range that this can be applied at?
50-90 degrees.
Is paraffin oil in the product?
There is some paraffin oil in the stain but also full curing oils as well.
I need my cedar (redwood color) soffit and fascia stained, I would like to have my painter use a semi transparent stain. What stain would you recommend for my cedar.
If you want a redwood color try the Sierra Redwood.
Two questions:
(1) Your website says a second coat of semi-trans can be applied if the first coat penetrates within 30 minutes. At that point can I walk on it to apply the second coat? What if the first coat doesn’t penetrate within 30 minutes: when can a second coat be applied in that case? My deck will take a few hours to put a first coat on – can I just apply a second coat when I finish the first coat? Can a second coat be applied the next day?
(2) I have an unopened gallon of rustic brown semi-trans that’s one year old. Can I use it with the same stain I’m going to order this year, or is there a chance the color will be too different?
Thanks,
GregForest Hill, MD
1. You can walk on the stain 30 minutes after the second coat to apply you wet on wet coat or you can wait until the next day to apply another coat.2. Mix them together so there is not any issues.
I’m sorry – I don’t understand what you mean when you say I can walk on the deck 30 minutes after the SECOND coat – did you mean 30 minutes after the FIRST coat?
What’s the time limit for applying a second coat on the same day as the first coat – 30 minutes?
If I wait until the next day to apply a second coat, do I need to wait a full 24 hours after the first coat?
Thank you!
Yes, 30 minutes after the first coat. Apply the second coat 30-60 minutes after the first coat. 24 hours later for a second coat would be okay.
can I use this product on new cedar railing over “Woodlife”
As long as you clean and brighten the wood first.
My new pressure treated deck is 12 months old & ready for stain. Do I use Hardwoods & Softwoods or Semi-transparent stain?
You can use any of the colors you want for pressure-treated pine.
I applied the stain and then it rained shortly after and splattered some of the stain on the vinyl siding of the house. Will mineral spirits help clean it all off once the deck is dry enough to walk on? I’m guessing the stain will be dry by time I can clean it off the siding
Try a graffti remover cleaner like goof off but test spot first to make sure there is not any reaction with the vinyl.
Thanks for the recommendation. I tried dawn spray soap first. And it works amazingly well! It’s dawn heavy duty professional strength degreaser. Keep in mind for anyone else who ever needs to clean off vinyl siding or powder coated aluminum railings.
Chair
?
Would you recommend a mildewcide brand as an additive as we’re worried that we need extra protection. Also, can you tell me how much to add on a per gallon basis? Thanks!
No need. Already has one in it.