Choosing Armstrong Clark Oil Based Wood Stains will ensure lasting beauty and protection for all your exterior wood surfaces. Backed by five generations of experience in oil-based coatings and cutting edge technology, Armstrong Clark Wood Stains will not only meet your wood protection needs but far exceed them.
Determine the square footage area of the surface you plan to stain. On decks be sure not only to measure the floor but also railings, spindles, steps and all areas that you are planning to stain. Armstrong-Clark Deck and Siding Stains will cover approximately 150-200 sq. ft. per gallon depending on age and wood porosity.
The Armstrong Clark Staining Instructions
Armstrong Clark Deck and Siding Stains come in many different colors and tones. Keep in mind that the actual color results can vary depending on the type, age, condition, and porosity of the wood. Color samples are available if needed.
Prior to using any of the Armstrong Clark Wood Stains it is important to prepare the wood surface properly so the stain will perform as expected. See the RAD Wood Cleaner or Stain Stripper products for properly cleaning the wood surface prior to staining.
Allow the wood surface to dry 1-2 days after it has been cleaned and prepped. Be sure no rain is expected on the day of staining and for 3-4 hours after application so the stain can cure properly.
To apply Armstrong Clark Deck Stain you can use a roller, brush, stain pad, or airless sprayer. Mix the stain thoroughly prior to use. Unlike other stains, Armstrong Deck Stain can be applied in direct sunlight and on hot days. If the first application of stain penetrates within 30 minutes another coat can be applied for added protection.
If applying by sprayer, use a roller or brush to go over the sprayed areas for a more even appearance. After 24 hours use a dry rag to remove any remaining puddles or glossy areas.
Armstrong Clark Wood Stain is environmentally friendly and does not contain an offensive odor. It is easy to apply and very user-friendly. Enhancing the appearance of your deck and giving it lasting protection is the best investment you can make and Armstrong Clark Oil Based Wood Stains makes it easy.
Need Help with Materials Needed? Ask Below with your sq footage.
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 150-250 square feet per gallon for the first coat. Second will apply at 200-300 per gallon. This averages to about 100-125 sq. feet per gallon for 2 coats wet on wet. 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.
Planning to stain a 30 year old cedar shingled house. Cedar shakes are in good shape and have been cleaned. Hoping to use transparent cedar tone stain. Is that okay and can it be sprayed on the large areas with little to no trim.?
You can spray with an airless sprayer. Also, using the semi-transparent color will give better UV protection.
Hello.
Just finished staining our 2-tier deck with Semi-solid Woodland. It took about 3 weekends from proper prep to staining. Very pleased with the result. It has been drying now for 3 days thanks to some warm weather and sunshine. We are supposed to get some heavy rain for the next 2 days and I am nervous about the effect on the new stain. Should I cover the deck where I can or do you think the stain will be OK? Like I said, it has had a solid 72 hours to dry so I believe the stain has had time to cure properly. Just don’t want to ruin all the hard work. Thanks! Tom
The rain will nor harm it and actually will help it. Leave it as is.
Awesome! Thank you!
Greetings,
We recently had a new pergola built using Rough Redwood Cedar. Do, I still need to use a wood clean product before staining? Also, is it necessary I sand or removed any loose wood particles?
Thanks
If rough sawn you can stain now as long as the wood is Cory and dry. No need to sand.
Would I still need to use a wood cleaner? The pergola is just a month old.
They just finished 1 coat (that’s all I paid for!) but I’m thinking it could take another? I’ll need to buy more so 2nd coat won’t be immediate. PT deck with no stain for 7yrs. Back deck exposed to strong sun, front deck covered. pics attached. Do we do one more light coat or wait til spring or so?
Do it in the Spring.
It also looks to me like they didn’t prep it well enough.. the coverage is uneven..I’m thinking I’ll need to redo full prep in spring? Should I plan to strip rather than clean, and brighten then? thanks.. love it anyway..
That would help to even it out.
Using semi- trans natural oak on new cedar garage door panels. I finished applying with a brush about 5-6 hours before some heavy fog rolled in the middle of the night and left some moisture. First time all summer! Does this look like it cured in time? Water is beeding. I’m noticing some areas where I can see the direction I applied the stain with the brush, will that fade with time?
The stain should be fine from the water but the reason for the brush strokes is it seems you did not treat this as new and weather and prep the wood? https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
It will fade in time.
30 yr old redwood, cleaned sanded bare. Tested colors on scrap redwood. chose chestnut, one coat, 2 days ago. it is a very dark purplish color. Any suggestions to lighten other then sanding & starting over? I thought about lightly coating with semi transparent cedar. Any ideas will GREATLY be appreciated….thanks!
It is not possible to lighten the color. You would have to remove and start over.
i am using Semi transparent Amber and Semi transparent Black walnut. after i apply on 3 year old deck one or two coats? It was previously oil stained but no stain visible stain is the surface cleaner and brightener all I need to do after a presser wash? Do I wait 24 hours to wipe down with rags? after the 24 hours with the second coat i can walk on it to wipe it off correct otherwise how do i wipe off the far sections?
2 light coats wet on wet application. You can wipe down any excess stain after 24 hours. Saturate oil gas in water and lay flat to dry when done outside. Prep with this: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
I have an IPE deck and railing that is partially covered with a roof and partially exposed to direct sun from 11:00 am till sunset. Previously stained with AC for Hardwoods 5 years ago. Have prepped with RAD Step 1 and 2. Finally a forecast with no rain but temps reaching mid-upper 90’s. Using AC Stain for Hardwoods in Amber, is it OK to apply in the morning and are there any recommendations considering the high temps? Thanks
You can apply in the am when cooler but we do not suggest applying when 90+.
CAn i use mineral spirits to clean my mahogany porch (after sanding) to prep for staining?
No. You need a proper deck cleaner and wood brightener: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
Used semi-trans cedar on 10 year old pressure treated deck. Just power washed – no cleaner brightener or sanding .Had to postpone treatment several times due to weather. Worth the wait – came out really nice. About 2000sf 9 gallons used – roller and rag on railing & balusters. Photos of work in progress
Enter the contest: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/articles/186-armstrong-clark-2020-contest-win-stain-and-cash
follow up picture from R. Neal 7-14
Hi
I have a 9 month old new deck that I just stained with the semi transparent cedar.
I followed suggestions here cleaned the deck with RAD cleaner and brightener. The stain looked fantastic but unfortunately weather forecasting was inaccurate and it rained cats and dogs about 2hours after application and all the stain could not cure so have a few patchy spots. Can I apply a second coat to get a more even tone its 2 days now since applying Thanks
Post a picture or two.
Pics posted
It looks pretty good and applying too much stain to a new deck could create issues. Best to leave as is until the Spring of next year. Clean and apply a coat then.
The wood (unknown type) on my front porch (6×24) is 30+ yr. old. I sanded off all of the layers of paint & scrubbed w/ a brightener/neutralizer. I applied (w/brush) the 1st coat of semi-transparent (chestnut) stain yesterday & was intending on applying a 2nd coat today. I have read that in some cases you recommend one coat for older wood & in other situations wet on wet. Can I apply the 2nd coat after 24 hrs.? Do I need to apply a 2nd coat as it gets very little traffic except for the front door area? Thanks — Rick
No reason to over apply. Post a picture of the first coat.
here is the pic you asked for
Do you think a 2nd application is needed?
No need.
i have a 1200sqft cedar deck that was previously coated with a water based product. i stripped it all off, then applied a brightener/ neutralizer that i scrubbed on then rinsed. I then coated the deck with rustic brown, the end result is that it came out super blotchy and the homeowner isn’t happy. Is there a specific reason this happened? should i apply a second light coat?
hard to say as it could be due to the prep or application. Post a picture.
Here’s one they sent me
It looks like the stain did not take as the old coating was not fully removed. You would have to remove all and start over making sure that all old stain is removed fully.
Hi, I am working on a 2 year old deck. After letting the cedar boards weather for nearly a year, husband put down three (!) coats of stain….which failed and started peeling pretty quickly. I have stripped, power washed, and sanded down the deck with 80 grit sand paper. There is no stain left on the boards. I have a few questions:
1) Do I need to use a brightener?
2) If I use a brightener, do I have to sand it again?
3) I’ve tested on a scrap of the same wood although I used 120grit to sand that. It’s been about 18 hours and there is still oil coming off on my finger when I touch it (using transparent cedar). Could this be because of the sandpaper?
3) I have to wait until next week to apply the stain in order to get a few dry days. How long before I can lay down an outdoor carpet and put furniture on it?
Thank you
1. Clean and brighten would be best.
2. No.
3. Because you over sanded.
4. A few days or until dry.
Just one coat of stain.
I’m not very happy with how blotchy it turned out. It seems like some parts really soaked up the stain a lot more than other parts. Would it be ok to put another light coat on? It’s pretty dry.
In the picture, it looks correct. Adding more stain is not always a good idea as if too much, it can have issues curing and drying.
is it also ok to apply light 2nd coat where it appears thin?
You cannot spot apply. You would have to lightly coat all.
at what point is it ok to wipe off any excess stain that hasn’t fully penetrated that I have applied on a mahogany deck. It’s been 12 hours .
You can do this not. Make sure to saturate any oily rags in water and lay flat to dry outside.
Older PT decking, sanded to remove existing grey stain. One coat of driftwood grey applied . Color has a green tone. Any advice?
The stain is highlighting the natural tones of your wood. A couple of things, it does not look like you fully sanded off the prior coating as it showing through. Also, after sanding you should walls clean and brighten the wood for final prep. That should help with the final color as well.
Applied a second coat and the color is much better
Our deck is at least 25 years old and has never been stained, but I cleaned it 6 years ago. I’ve just oxy-cleaned twice (see photos) power washing after each application and plan to apply deck and fence brightener via sprayer today (then power wash) followed by waiting 48 hours and then applying Armstrong Cedar tone stain. I bought a 5 gallon pail and 3 one gallon cans of Cedar tone 6 years ago, but never got around to doing until this year (yes, now know 8 gallons is way excess for 375 ft2 deck).
I had the 5 gallon unopened pail shaken at a paint store 3 days ago and was was planning to use, but concerned by reading the article that it is no longer good (it was unopened and stored in garage in MI for 6 years). Is it still good to use as the metal 5 gallon pail has been sealed for the 6 years and sounds like it is still full and nothing evaporated? Secondly, the deck wood is so old I expect it to absorb easily and was planning to apply 2 coats, but on reading this article it sounds like I should only apply 1. Can I apply 2 coats or should I only apply one? If I can apply two coats, how should I do (wait how long between coats?) I have bought a “deck boss” brush to apply the Cedar tone stain. Is this an acceptable brush to use to apply Armstrong stain?
Thank you in advance for your guidance.
The only way to know if the stain is still good as to open it and make sure it is not clumping or skinning. If it mixed 100% smooth, then you should be okay. Apply 2 coats wet on wet. The second goes on 30 minutes after the first. The brush should be fine.
I opened the new sealed 5 gallon can of cedar tone (approx 6 years old in storage) and it was filled to within 1/2″ of top of can and there was no clumping observed when stirred. It stirred and flowed well so went ahead and applied one coat of stain to two small areas (see photos). Stained seemed to go on well and after 2 hours seemed to have mostly soaked in. 24 hours after application, there is a slight oily film to the touch on the surface and still a fairly strong oily smell. Is the slight oily film and strong odor normal or was the stain bad because of the long storage time? How long does it take for there to be no residue to touch/rubbing on the surface and for the oil smell to disappear? I’m reluctant to stain the rest of our deck given the fairly strong oily odor and whether this is due to bad stain (but it has only been 24 hours since application and temperature is 90 F with fairly high humidity in Michigan).
That is normal and because it has not fully cured and dried yet. It will go away with time.
Typo in my previous post. Should have read I DO plan to follow prep steps….
I meant I DO plan to follow the prep steps religiously
I am considering using the Armstrong Clark semi solid stain on a very old deck because of better color. Does this stain have a tendency to peel off after a few years? I don’t plan to follow the prep steps religiously. Any tips on avoiding a peeling disaster?
No, it does not peel as it is a penetrating stain. Just one coat.
Thank you
Hi – In many of the Q&A responses you mention “do not back brush”. Can you please explain what that is?
Do not back “wipe” off excess stain right away. You can after 4-8 hours if needed.
Ok but its ok while applying to go back over some wet spots or streaking with the brush?
To ensure an even application, yes.
BTW – 10 yr old deck has been power washed only 3 weeks ago – did a very good job – wood smooth and not damaged at all. Will use semi-trans
Its 5pm here – pouring rain thundershower on my pine pressure-treated deck (2000sf). Can I stain tomorrow or must I wait a full 24 hours?
48 hours after rain.
What is the clean up process for rollers and brushes? Paint thinner? Thanks.
Yes.
Was wondering if you would recommend doing one or two coats of semi transparent stain. Put one coat down already. Wood soaked it up really well. Some areas look lighter than others despite being evenly applied.
Post a picture.
Some areas appear lighter than others..
New wood or older wood?
Old wood. Had not been treated many years before I bought the house.
Do one very light coat then.
Thank you for the info.
So for the light second coat you recommended for Heather G and Joe P – is that after the first coat is completely dry, or while it’s still wet? How long after first coat?
Wet on wet. 20-60 minutes after first coat.
I assume 20-60 minutes is not long enough after staining an area to walk on it, so if you’re doing wet on wet – you have to do an area small enough to reach without walking on it after the first coat. Is that correct?
You can walk on the first coat, just do not step in the second coat.
Is that one more very light coat on old wood? I have the same question as I have a mix of old and new. Also, one of my oldest boards ended up bleeding out pine sap which I can’t believe as it is so old. Did I put on too much stain?
Yes, one more light coat. Sap can happen even if on old wood.
So…a Saharan dust storm is making its way to NC this weekend. Health advisories are being posted. I can wear a mask. BUT…will dust settle on my deck?? To stain or not to stain, that is the question!
Not in a dust storm.
Your instructions say to apply the stain on a day that no rain is expected and for 3-4 hours after application. I find that information to be a bit confusing, so I ask how much dry time do I need after applying the semi-transparent stain before rain will not affect the application?
3-4 hours after applying is correct.
What does IPE mean? “IPE needs to be redone annually”
IPE is a wood type. A hardwood from Brazil.
I’m planning on using your semi-trans stain, and I see that it can be applied on hot days in direct sunlight. Does humidity matter? I live in the mid-Atlantic region (Maryland) where it can get humid in the summer months.
I assume it’s better to stain later in the day, after any morning dew has “burned off”?
Humidity does not matter. Wood cannot be damp from dew.
Hi, I have a PT pine deck that’s 20+ years old. One year ago I sanded the entire deck because many boards were splintered, and I replaced several boards too. After waiting a full year for the new boards to season, I’m ready to stain but because of my job I have to hire someone to prep so I can stain by a certain date. A couple of companies I’ve contacted use a cleaning solution that contains sodium hypochlorite. Questions:
(1) I realize sodium hypochlorite may not be the best thing to use on wood on a repeated basis, but I assume it will be ok to use just this one time (since that’s what I’m finding local companies use), as long as it’s followed with RAD brightener. Would you agree?
(2) Even though most of the boards are old, I sanded them down so I assume just one coat for now (after prep), followed by a maintenance coat in 12-18 months or so. I’m using Armstrong-Clark semi-trans.
Thanks.
1. It should be fine.
2. Just one coat.
Hello. I believe I have a mahogany deck and I used the rad stripper and brightener and then tested the hardwood amber stain sample I received. I love it. I only had enough sample to do 2 stairs and since this was a sample I had to wait awhile to get my 5 gallon bucket. Now the remainder of the deck is stripped, brightened and sanded, (RAD didn’t quite bust through the old stains). I want to stain tomorrow as I’ve waited 48 hours since prep. Looking back to my original 2 steps the color has drastically faded. Is this because my deck is super dry and is thirsty? How many coats would you recommend?
Yes, the wood is dried out but this color is normal as it cures. Just one coat this year and another next year. Clean first before recoating.
Great, thanks for the reply. The deck hasn’t been stained in maybe 3 years as I was trying to bleed out an old semi transparent stain. This is it stripped, brightened and sanded. I’ll give it 1 coat today.
Thank you
Also, how long can you keep a can of stain? I like getting the 5 gallon bucket however, I won’t need that much, just wanted to see how long it will last in a cool dry basement.
Opened, about 12 months. A few years if unopened.
I have the 5 gallon bucket of stain, how often does it need to be stirred? I have noticed a couple of clumps when pouring it out.
Every 30 minutes or so.
Hi, A few days ago I coated my mahogany back stairs with Hardwood/IPE Amber stain. Prior to staining, I did the 2-step stripping (to remove old stain) and brightening process and let it dry a couple days. I waited 24 hours before wiping away a few glossy areas and initially the results looked great. A few hours later it rained pretty hard and now the stairs have a mottled look that hasn’t gone away. As I said, I wiped the excess product off the stairs but after the storm I noticed beads of water with oil floating on top. The mottling appeared after everything dried up. What are my options for evening out the stain? Can I just reapply a light coat on the stairs?
Try a light coat to just one step and see how it looks after it dries before recoating all of them.
Thanks. I tried a thin coat on one of the stair treads and it darkened the board but you can still see the mottling. Why would this happen after a 24 hour cure? The instructions say it can handle rain after 3 – 4 hours after application.
In any case, what are my options? Should I try sanding to even things out then re-staining?
Not sure, maybe wood was wet there and had trouble curing? Best to try and sand and reapply.
My redwood deck is one year old and we used clear Armstrong last year on the new deck. It hasn’t had that much wear/use. Do you still recommend the RAD cleaning prior to the Armstrong coat? Thank you!
Yes, you always have to prep before staining.
I have a Wagner Spraytech 0518080 Control Spray Max HVLP Paint or Stain Sprayer. It is not airless. I am preparing to seal my deck with Armstrong Clark Semi transparent sealer. Can I use my sprayer or would I be better off not using it? Thank you.
If it sprays fine then no issues. Never tested this sprayer to know for sure if it will work.
Applying your stain for hardwoods to 15 year old ipe deck.. last stained 5 years ago. Stripped and cleaned. 1 coat or 2?
One coat for IPE.
Hi, I followed the instructions and coated my mahogany porch with Hardwood/IPE stain yesterday. The results look good and the oils have almost all been completely absorbed so there will be minimal cleanup. This was new (weathered for 6 months) mahogany. Prior to coating I did the 2-step prep cleaner and brightener. In hindsight, I should have sanded prior to staining as the surface is rough in places with many small splinters and is not barefoot friendly. What are my options at this point? I don’t want to go through the entire process again. Can I wait a few days and lightly sand to remove splinters? If not, what are my options. Thanks!
Yes try that but very light as you do not want to remove the stain.
can i stain deck if temperature in is the 50’s?
Yes.
Hi, I purchased the RAD cleaner brightener and your semi transparent stain. Just a couple of questions before I begin: 1) Do I need to clean and brighten the spindles and railing/posts? 2) Do I begin with the railings and spindles before proceeding to the actual deck. This is my first deck staining attempt.
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
Hi, I have my mahogany deck all prepped and will be staining with Hardwood/IPE stain when dry. I used to use Cabot and would generally roll it on and brush it in a section at a time. When done with each section I would wipe excess stain off with a rag to get an even finish. Your instructions above say to wait 24 hours before wiping excess. My concern is this may create darker spots or be difficult to mop up in sunny spots if it’s cured. I just want to confirm this is best practice before I get started. Thanks!
Yes, that is correct. Do not back wipe right away as you may remove the curing oils before it has a chance to dry.
I finished my deck yesterday and I have 2 issues this morning .
1 I noticed that in some areas I over applyed the stain and
2 sime boards do ot to seem to have enough stain.
What can I do at this point to to blend it in ?
Thanks
Joe
Let it cure for a few days or week, it should help to even out.
Please see the attached photos
Unfortunately, you cannot spot remove some and then spot apply some and have it all blend. Applying an entire coat at this point would even it out but you will have over application areas that may have issues curing correctly. The really only way to fix is to remove all and start over and I am not sure if you want to do this?
Hi there
I’m about to start a deck staining project on a deck that is about 4 years old that has never had any stain applied. The floor section is mahogany and the walls/benches are cedar. We live in Toronto, Ontario so winters are long and can get very cold. Was thinking of using the Hardwood product for both mahogany and cedar. Pictures below show the wood both dry and wet (which highlights the difference). Have already power washed and intend to sand the cedar as power washing appears to have been too hard on cedar. Some questions which I was hoping to get your informed views on: 1) is it ok to use the Hardwood product on both wood surfaces? 2) will the end result be as distinct as the attached photos when the bare wood is wet or will it appear as same colour? 3) given no stain has been applied before, do I need to apply the clean and brighten steps? 4) to calculate the amount of stain I need should I measure all surfaces as being the same as deck in your calculator as there are no railings. Thanks in advance
1. Yes.
2. You cannot get cedar to match Mahogany so yes, they will be different colors no matter what.
3. Yes.
4. Yes, but round up since your sides are all solid wood.
Thanks for the quick response. I have added it all up and including all the external facing wall sections it is around 1000 square feet. So 7 gallons should be about right for the single coat I figure.
Yes.
Clear redwood deck 16 yrs old, sanded, stained w/ Armstrong Redwood Tone when new redone every 4 years. Just finished sanding/staining. Applied second coat of Armstrong by roller and back brush. Wiped up any puddles
but still getting some wet spots appearing when sun shines on deck even a week later. Will this eventually
go away. Deck looks fabulous, couldn’t be happier w/ Armstrong!!
Yes, it will go away but you can wipe down the deck with mineral spirits to speed it along. Saturate all oil rags in water when done and lay flat to dry outside.
A thunderstorm arrived about 1 1/2 hours after application. The deck is old. It was prepared properly and dry before application. The past 2 days have dry and sunny. Question: did The rain compromise the process? If so, how can I evaluate ad and what can I do?
If it looks good then it is fine. You would be able to visually see if there was a problem.
A lot of color washed away in storm. How much time should we wait to reapply? Is there any other step we need to take before re-applying? It’s an old cedar deck and we are using black walnut
Post a picture.
Photos
You can reapply now. Just one light coat. Make sure the wood is dry and clean.
We have a Mahogany covered porch/deck. It was originally varnished 4ish years ago and was peeling. I have prepped with a belt sander (first with 80 grit, then finished with 120 grit). I bought AC hardwood semi-transparent samples to choose color (Amber vs Mahogany). We have settled on Mahogany but the curing experience has me concerned. After my research, I applied what I believe was a light coat (amber and mahogany side by side to compare color) with one of those 1″ foam $.69 brushes from big box. I did not wipe at time of application. 24 hours later it was noticeably wet and stain transferred to my finger on a light touch to check. Since it was 24 hours later, and based on advice I’ve seen in these 17 pages of Q&A, I wiped it. I came back another 12 hours later (overnight) and it appeared dry with no transfer when touching it (it looked great). Because I was testing and wanted to find out what I’m in for, I took towel and gave a more aggressive wipe. With a more aggressive wipe, I noticed some stain transfer to the towel.
I searched each of the pages of comments for ‘wipe’ and read the various scenarios. There is a lot of consistency in the advice given, but it’s not perfect. All say ‘do not wipe right away’, a lot say ‘wipe after 24 hours’, some say ‘do not wipe at all (ever)’.
The weather was 80ish, no rain, but humid. I don’t want to wipe away ingredients that help prolong the value I’m putting into my deck.
Possible thoughts:
1) It was humid, I should have waited more than 24 hours to wipe.
2) The more aggressive wiping I did 36 hours after application is considered to be “working as designed, it doesn’t get any better than this”
3) I read a comment about 120gr sanding won’t allow for proper absorption. This is only one comment and doesn’t seem to be substantiated by other comments.
4) It appears as if the chemical applications (stripper, cleaner, brightener) are not necessary if it was a few year old peeled varnished that was sanded down to fresh wood. A lot of the deck/porch wasn’t peeling and no signs of rot or degradation. Brightener is, among a few other things, to PH balance after stripper and stripper/cleaner doesn’t seem necessary when I did the prepping I did.
5) I’m really not in support of a bunch of fixing procedures after I’m done (spraying/washing with mineral spirits, new/additional coats, reapplication, etc.).
Questions:
A) What can I do to get more comfort to place the full order and finish the project?
B) Is it ok to wipe after 24 hours and just live with whatever transfer may happen after? Will transfer diminish as it has more time to cure in this scenario?
C) Am I shortening the life of the project by wiping after 24 hours?
D) does even the slightest indication transfer indicate that, since there’s some form of oil still present, it will collect and show dust, pollen, dirt and fade darker more quickly?
Your issue is because of the sanding. It cannot fully absorb in.
a. let the wood sit for unstained afore 3-4 weeks and then clean and brighten for prep. This will open up the wood grain.
b. Yes.
c. No.
d. No.
Much appreciated. If I re-sand with 80 grit do I need to wait 3-4 weeks and apply the chemicals? I have never seen a ‘wait 3-4 weeks’ when it’s being sanded back to wood.
Yes, that would help to “swell” or open up the wood pores. Sanding with 120 grit is over sanding and closes the wood pores.
Hi, I just finished a restain job on my redwood deck using your semi-transparent stain. Per the instructions on the website, I used a 1/4 inch nap roller. Now I started reading some of the FAQs and seeing where there are comments to not use a roller. What gives here? My deck looks really good, but am I going to run into issues? Shouldn’t the staining instructions be updated if rolling is no longer recommended?
You will be fine it is just easier to use a pad or brush.
Thank you for your reply. Had me worried for a bit. Because of a messed up knee, I found using a roller on a pole to be my only option.