Best Stain for an Ipe or Mahogany Deck with Armstrong Clark Hardwood Finish.
Not many exotic hardwoods offer the color or stunning grain pattern of mahogany. A mahogany deck makes a simple outdoor living space an object of interest and beauty. Even though mahogany is naturally resistant to rot, it still requires a water repellent finish to ward off the harmful effects of Mother Nature.
A mahogany deck does seem to hold stain more evenly than other exotics. However, the key is to use the best stain for a mahogany deck, otherwise, you risk jeopardizing the wood’s appearance. Stay away from stains that form a film on the surface. These film-forming stains fail to protect dense hardwood. They are prone to wearing and peeling.
Armstrong Clark IPE Deck Stain
The best stain for a mahogany deck is one that deeply penetrates the wood’s surface. A stain like Armstrong Clark is specifically designed for exotic hardwoods like mahogany. It is formulated to soak into the wood’s dense pores to help condition and shield against weathering. The heavily bodied oils natural resist moisture and block out harmful UV rays. Armstrong deck stain holds color longer on exotic woods than any other stain on the market.
In addition to excellent water repellency and protection, Armstrong oil based stain comes in a semi-transparent mahogany color. This wonderfully enhances the natural look of mahogany making it a thing of beauty. Armstrong mahogany color deck stain will enrich your deck’s appearance and provide long-lasting protection. There is no other way to better protect the investment of a mahogany deck.
Your best bang for your buck when it comes to weather guarding your mahogany deck is applying Armstrong stain in their new mahogany color. It conditions the wood, locks out moisture, and ensures your mahogany deck will give you years of enjoyment and added value.
where do you buy it
You can buy directly from our website and have it shipped.
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
We stained our mahogany deck two years ago with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat, a Tung oil and petroleum distillates based semi translucent stain. How do we prepare the surface before applying Armstrong do you recommend cleaning and/or sanding?
You will need to strip and brighten for prep: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
The wood is smooth, is sanding recommended or just strip and brighten
Only sand if you cannot fully strip off the BM. Do you have a picture?
Here’s how it looks before any prep
Probably strip and brighten for prep is only needed with sanding.
What is the best way to apply the Armstrong stain?
Stain pad or brush. https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/armstrong-clark-staining-instructions
I have a 10 year old mahogany floor on an enclose d screened in porch. I believe it was originally sealed with some type of polyurethane finish since it originally had a shine to it. I sanded the entire floor with 80 grit sand paper and got all the old stains and finish off. It came up beautifully after sanding. I then hand brushed the AC deck stain for hardwoods(mahogany color) on the floor, board by board. The floor is 170 square feet. I used a fraction of the gallon can. Applied it sparingly and let dry for 24 hours. There were a few wet spots after the 24 hours. Wiped all of the wet spots and the entire floor. Waited another 12 hours to dry. I am still getting stain color on the rag even though the floor looks dry. Now what do I do?
Try wiping the excess stain off with mineral spirits and rags. Saturate any oil rags in water and lay flat to dry outside.
Applied mineral spirits and wiped off with rags per your instructions. Needed to do this twice but it solved the problem. The floor (14 ft by 12 ft) is inside a screened porch, mostly covered by an 8ft by 10ft indoor/outdoor carpet from June through September. The remainder of the year the floor is bare through the winter (Philadelphia area). What do you recommend each spring for cleaning and maintenance going forward to avoid sanding? Thank you!
Warm water with some dish soap to clean off dirt.
Why soak the rags and then lay out to dry? Is this so they are safe to wash? Thanks.
So there is not a chance of spontaneous combustion and a fire.
Oh, geez. Good thing I did that. Thanks!
I have a 20 year old Mahogany deck power washed and sanded (11×35), and a new adjacent Mahogany deck (22×16), pictures attached. How would you recommend matching the color of the 2. In looking at the pictures and discussions here, Amber is a frequently recommended color. How much stain would you recommend purchasing, assuming 1 coat? The pictures are: new deck, old deck, and a picture where they are next to each other.
See here about new wood: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
After waiting a few months, clean and brighten all wood. one 5-gallon pail should cover all wood for the one coated needed.
Thank you for the link. What color would you recommend to match the older deck with the newer one? Would you recommend sealing the wood with some type of varnish after staining? What product do you have for that?
Thank you!
You cannot match new and old wood exactly, the older wood will be darker. Try Amber. You can never top coat over the AC, it will peel.
I have a new mahogany (never been sealed) porch and I would like to simply enrich and prolong the natural color which product should I use? Thank you
Try Amber.
Is this available in retail stores? Haven’t been able to locate via Google. Thanks!
Online only.
How long does it take to ship to MA and at what cost for a gallon?
Cost is here: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
shipping varies based on timing.
Hello!
We have a Mahogany deck that is about a year old. It Hasn’t yet been treated with anything. I am planning to purchase your deck stain and restore kit for prep. My question is….the deck currently is horrible with splinters! You can’t sit on a step without slivers ending up in your pants never mind walking across it! Is this normal for mahogany? Does staining help to fix this or should the deck be sanded down?
Sand it first and then prep.
We have sanded the deck started with 80 and finished with 100 grit. I’m hoping this was right or did I “over sand”? Do I need to now wait 3-4 weeks for the pores to reopen to do the staining as well as the “prep kit”? (I saw this as an answer to someone else’s question.) Thank you!!
You did over sand, wait, and prep. 2-4 weeks.
I have a mahogany front door that I have stripped, sanded and have it prepared to stain. I would like to stay away from any type of finish that builds up a coating on the surface of the wood. Stripping and removing the original finish was quite the chore that I do not ever want to have to do again. Would your stain be suitable for using on my door? If so, what would I need to do in order to “refresh” the finish after a couple of years when it starts to show some wear? Thanks!
Sorry but no, the AC is not designed for doors.
I have a large mahogany deck. 2/3 of the deck is brand new and the last section is existing. I’d like to use the amber color, do you think both sides will blend or will there be a drastic difference in appearance?
See here about new wood: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
It will not blend perfectly the first time staining. It should in a year or two when you redo.
what does IPE mean. Steve w
IPE is a type of wood.
I have 2 mahogany decks that are 20 years old. I’ve power washed and need to restrain both decks. I’m not sanding down to the bare wood so I’d like a nice stain that will bring back the light FW of the mahogany. What should I get?
Try the Amber color.
transparent or semi for this older previously stained mahogany deck
Thanks! I ordered a couple of samples, waiting for them to ship.
I have just finished building a deck with new mahogany 1 x 4’s. I would like to have the weathered gray look eventually but also protect the mahogany from staining and cracking. Do you make a protective finish that will allow the UV in so it weathers?
Sorry but no.
No, all our stains have color in them and will prevent UV graying.
Outstanding results using the Amber stain on my mahogany deck. Easy to use and beautiful results. Before and After pics
Looks great!
Hello, I have quite a bit of leftover AC stain from my redwood deck. It is Natural Oak, semi transparent. I was hoping to use it on my IPE wood dock. I am at high altitude (7500 ft) in VERY dry New Mexico. I have already cleaned and brightened with RAD products. What will be the problem with using the Oak stain over the specialized IPE stain you list. I am a bit frustrated as on your site says “no new orders” I am worried about waiting too long to stain the dock.
Thanks!!
Natural Oak is not designed for IPE. While it will work. It will fade a little faster than the 3 IPE stain colors.
Hi – just doing the math. Our deck is approximately 575 sq feet. (including steps). It’s two tiers top – 12’4″ x 18’4″ bottom – 14’2″ x 23’5″. Your description reads the hardwood stain covers 300+ sq feet per gallon, so 2 gallons should be plenty. But, when we put the numbers in the calculator on your site it’s saying we need 12 gallons! I feel like that can’t be right. Can you please clarify? Thanks!
You have to add in all the ratings and stairs, not just the floor sq footage. What is the total sq footage with all added?
Railings are PVC and I included the stairs in the overall 575 sq ft. There are 3 that are 7’9″x2′ and 3 more that are 1’x3′. Definitely not nearly enough to put us up to 12 gallons! I just want to make sure I buy enough without overbuying. Thanks.
Your floors alone added up to 565 for me. Add in the stairs and you are at 600ish. Do you have outside edges of the floors that are wood? If so you have to add that as well.
What type of wood is this? The coverage of 300 per gallon is for a hardwood deck only and 1 coat. If you do not have a hardwood deck then you will need much more and you will need two coats.
Hardwood, mahogany. We have PVC around edges as well. So what would you recommend? 3 – 5 gallons?
Yes, somewhere between 3-5 should work.
I should add I really like a reddish hue. You can see a small spot on the left that still holds some of the color from the last time it was finished.
Hi – We have a large mahogany deck that we pressure washed last week. We’re waiting for a good stretch of weather to apply the stain. I am between the amber and mahogany colors. I saw someone posted pics of a finished deck in the amber stain below and it looks great. Do you have any pics of the mahogany color that you can post? This is our deck now, just power washed, waiting on decision for stain! Thank you.
Look at our photo album: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/armstrong-clark-photo-album
Thank you, that’s exactly what I am looking for.
Hi
i have a brand new mahogany deck. Do you recommend using this product right away? I would like a stain/treatment that preserves the original beauty of the wood.
Diane
See this for new wood. https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
I recently power washed and applied AUS Timber Oil. Come to discover the current formulation is water based. The surface scuffs up easily (scooting in a chair to the table marks the surface).
How can AC help my situation? Thank you.
You will need to remove the ATO first. Once removed, the AC can be applied. It is a true penetrating oil-based stain. See here for the colors and pricing: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
I have a new deck ipe coated on all 4 sides with linseed oil. when can I apply your ipe mahogany stain?
In about a year and you will need to strip off the linseed oil first with this: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
I just stripped, pressure washed and applied Pennofin on my IPE deck. A friend of mine with an IPE deck started using Armstrong Clark this year and I really like the results. I was going to apply another coat of Pennofin but was curious if I could add a coat of Armstrong Clark over the 2 week old Pennofin, or would I have to strip and start over if I wanted to use this product?
You cannot apply the AC over the Penofin. Strip and start over. The Penofin will only last about 6 months so might just want to wait until it fails. Also, you cannot apply 2 coats of stain to IPE, it will not soak in.
I am looking for the best way to refinish a mahogany deck. It was originally coated with Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Sealer. One corner section has been sanded and refinished with Messmer’s UV Plus. Would I have to sand to remove everything and get an even baseline, or would the chemical stripper/brightener be sufficient? Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Strip and pressure wash. Then brighten should work.
I’m commenting and sharing because when I was researching a new oil/stain product for my deck/labor of love, I really couldn’t find enough photos on the internet of what the stains would look like on seasoned Ipe. Good luck to all.
I spoke with Jake Clark on the phone several times prior to purchasing and he was very helpful and answered all my questions. I basically changed my mind a few days before beginning the staining. I didn’t strip/brighten as recommended on this website because I had already pressure-washed about 3 weeks before. I would have stained sooner but the weather here in Samammish, Washington, suprised us with a spell of rain. I built this ipe deck eleven years ago and we have always used Penofin Transparent Rosewood oil. We wanted a lighter color to allow the natural grain of the ipe to show. This time we used the Armstrong Clark Hardwood stain in Amber and I couldn’t be more pleased. The Penofin oil left the top & bottom baluster rails splotchy. The Armstrong Clark Amber stain gave the entire railing system a much smoother look. If I had stripped and brightened, the color may have been more yellow, but all in all I couldn’t be happier with the results. We hand-brushed the whole thing, (because I like to get stain deep into the spacing between the boards), and used the same product on the cedar fascia. It’s very easy to apply, My wife, who shared the job with me, says it has never looked better. I agree. Thank you for your great product, Jake!
is it any variety of armstrong clark stain or is there a specific one for exotic hardwoods? i have a mahogany porch. Thanks
AC has three colors for exotic hardwoods: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
Thank you. I will load a picture this weekend once the porch dries out, rain yesterday.
Thank you for all your help. Yesterday the mahogany porch was finished with one coat of Amber and it looks great. However, there are sections that look like they could use a second coat (mainly ones that had the most sun exposure and foot traffic), while others have absorbed as much stain as they can, and some excess was resting on top. I have wiped this excess off. What do you recommend for the wood that looks like it needs more stain? Is a second coat ok in this situation? If so, can I wait a week to apply? We have some bad weather coming…..
You have to be very careful of not over applying. Send a picture of the lighter spots.
Thank you, will do. The wood will need to dry for a few days after brightening & rinsing. What’s the longest can we wait to stain? Is a week too long if it rains, for example?
Stain within 14 days of prep.
one more try
Light sand is fine to remove the rest. Brightener and rinse after.
hmm tried twice, not working – one more time
Nothing. It does work so either your file size is too large or possibly a timeout with your internet connection.
pic attached
Please try pic again. Make sure file size is less than 3mb.
Here is a pic of the results from the RAD stripper/brightener with the additives you recommended. It worked pretty well.
Contractor stripped, brightened, and dried for 2.5 days – had asked him to strip, sand THEN brighten as you had recommended below on 6/11.
Contractor wants to sand with 80 grit random orbital sander to remove remaining material and smooth. He recommends not brightening again so water does not come into contact with porch after sanding. Rather, stain immediately after sanding to prevent raised grain, warping and possible discoloration.
Would you agree with his process? Or would you brighten after sanding again, dry, then stain as previously recommended?
Water will not harm wood after sanding and actually helps to “swell” the wood pores so the AC can soak in better. Use the brightener and rinse well if he sands.
Thank you. Last one, can they both be mixed into the stripper at the same time, or two different applications?
Same time.
Thank you. I trust there are directions for each on the bottle, but do I need both, and can they be used at the same time, and in the same mixure with the RAD stripper? Can you confirm from the picture that this is a water based poly or something else? Is there any type of test that can be done to be sure?
You will need both for this removal. It is a clear poly of some sort. Not sure if oil or water based. The good news it is not too thick.
Attached pictures
Use the RAD stripper with these additives: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper/restore-a-deck-stripper-additives
Let dwell on wood for 60 minutes and then pressure wash off. It should remove most of it. Brightener after.
Thank you for the previous response. I am being told that the original finish may be a water based polyurethane, as it’s flaking off. On your website, it states that the RAD stripper will not remove polyurethane. How can I be sure? And what is the procedure to remove this type of finish if the RAD stripper will not work?
Can you reply with a picture of the current coating?
I have a covered mahogany porch (approx. 400 sq ft) that was protected 15 years ago but has not been treated since. It’s in pretty good shape considering but some sections have lost the stain and are grey from sun exposure. Additionally, a few large scratches need to be sanded out. I understand that sanding is not recommended as it can clog the pores in the wood and reduce absorption of the stain.
If sanding is mandatory given the circumstances, should I sand the entire surface for consistency or just
the sections that need it? What grit would you recommend?
What is the proper order prep for mahogany if sanding is required? Power wash, strip, sand, brighten, stain? Do I power wash between each step?
The original treatment was transparent and shows the natural wood. Confirming Amber is the closest match given the three choices for hardwoods?
Will 1 gallon of AC cover 400 square feet with one coat?
Can the RAD package https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper be purchased in less than 5 gallon quantities?
Thank you in advance…
Do not spot sand. 60-80 grit. Strip and brighten for prep. No need for cleaner. Sand after the stripping if needed before the brightener. Amber is the lighted tint. 2 gallons will likely be needed. RAD prep products only come in one size.
I purchased a home with a mahogany deck that is 15 years old. Prior owners never treated the deck or stained it. I like the grayed out color however, it is looking very dry and surface is cracking. Located facing west in Denver, so intense sun hits it most of the day. Will using restore a deck cleaner prior to transparent staining be sufficient? Color is not as important as preserving the wood.
Yes, that is correct for the prep before applying the stain.
Background and Question,
I have a very large wrap around mahogany deck under a covered porch roof. In addition i have 4 front 10 ft wide steps that gets continuous sun and snow. And lastly I have 150 ft of rails with 144 individual spindles.
It was last cleaned and stained three years ago. It was stained with Australian timbre oil.
I plan to use your mahogany stain after cleaning and brightening with a power washer. I plan to use restore a deck.
1. will your stain be harmonious with the old timbre oil if i clean down to the bare wood? Apply with a brush or pad?
2. How do I clean and stain the 144 spindles which over the last three years have turned almost black due to the weather?. This will be a laborious task and I don’t want to do it again in two years
Thank you.
DB
1, You should strip and brighten so all of the Cabot is removed, then you are good to use the AC.
2. Strip and brighten the spindles. Apply and pressure wash off. It is not that hard.
Hi i bought the rad kit the stain i bought is the mahogany
which stain that you sell be be better apply for massaranduba decking
Any of the hardwood colors will work: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
ok but i use the mahogany stain but its like yellow reddish do you ve a natural color? so my wood will keep its own color?
Natural with no color/tint will not give any UV protection from graying. It must be tinted for UV protection and that will enhance or change the appearance of the wood based on the color you choose.
ok. so the darker the tinted the more UV protection?
Yes, that is correct.
What stain works best on pine?
Any of our AC colors will work for pine.
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains
I need one gallon of rustic brown stain but can’t seam to order
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/armstrong-clark-stain-1-gallon
I’m looking forward to receiving my 5 gallons of your semi-transparent stain tomorrow for my mahogany rear deck (which gets full sun exposure late morning to evening and was quite gray and moldy in spots) and my front covered porch (which is mostly protected from the sun and in better condition). They were last stained about 3 years ago, maybe more, using Penofin. It was no longer available at my local store so I picked up Benjamin Moore Restore and Brighten to get started on researching on stain and I was happy to find your website. The Restore and Brighten worked reasonably well on my back deck using a brush and hose spray, though I did find I needed to hand scrub a few boards/small sections to remove “film” or some green mold. I found the front porch much more difficult. I finished the first section last night after starting late afternoon and was disappointed to see the dried results this morning – quite patchy. I worked on the second section earlier this afternoon and found that I needed 3 steps while working on Restore – hard brushing to agitate as per instructions, a hand scrub to remove more film, and then a spot hand scrubbing again! Any thoughts? The instructions weren’t clear as to when to apply Brighten but I did apply when finished rinsing all the Restore each day; I did so while the deck was still wet – sprayed, brushed and then rinsed. Was a second application of Restore a better (and less physical) alternative to all that hand scrubbing. If so, presumably before applying Brighten. I do know that I have to wait and let the deck/porch dry before I stain. Your advice will be most appreciated. Thanks, Michael
Send a picture please.
Of course. Too dark last night but these should help illustrate my problem.
Looks like the old stain has been removed but the wood is splotchy internally. Best to brighten all and leave in for at least 20 minutes. Hopefully, that will even it out.
Thank you. Since this surface is on my front porch with less sun exposure, any chance that it is old Penofin stain. I still have one more section of the porch to do.
It does not look like it but it is possible. Old penofin looks more like this.
Penofin darkened in color to black
I am going to sand my mahogany deck prior to staining as the deck stripper didn’t get all of the film type sealer off. do you recommend anything after sanding besides blowing off prior to oil application?
Lightly clean and brighten the wood after sanding to help the AC stain soak in deeper.
I have a large IPE deck 14 months old. It has been treated twice with Pen-o-fin Hardwood stain. What surface preparation is required prior to applying Armstrong-Clark Hardwood stain?
Prep with this kit: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
Thanks
I have used other stains that darken my mahogany deck from a nice natural tone to a dark brown after recoating. To prevent this I tend want to lighter color. Will the lighter/natural color fade more or look more worn than if I go with the mahogany color? Based on past experience I want the stain not to darken with recoating.
The tint is you UV protection so it has to “darken” or enhance the wood grain. See our hardwood colors here: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/wood-and-decking-stains/hardwood-and-ipe-stain
Thank-you for that quick response, now how long should I expect that application to last before I have to do it AGAIN!! I live in New England where we experience the four seasons…thanks/steve
Exotic hardwoods like Mahogany require a recoat every 1-2 years. Nothing will last longer.
good morning, just received my Mahogany hardwood & softwood containers and after reading applications, I have a question. I thought I was told that I could or should apply a second coat wet on wet on my mahogany wood deck. But after reading the instructions for Hardwood application, it reads; Only apply Mahogany and Amber colors. Hardwoods have a limited ability to absorb wood stain. Sparingly apply single thin coat with brush , pad or roller or sponge mop……..HOW EXACTLY SHOULD I PROCEED and how long will a single coat protect my deck before I have to apply the next coat?? I had plan on using a roller to apply the stain, is that acceptable?? thanks, in advance/Steve
Just one coat for exotic hardwoods. Use an exterior stain pad over a roller. Much easier.
I figured it out, Armstrong Clark!!! thanks