Armstrong Clark

[bigchaz 157]

**Edit (July 2010)**

For those of you stumbling upon this post through Google Search, I wanted to report an update that Apex DeckSavers (providing deck cleaning, deck restoration, and deck staining services in the Apex, Cary, Raleigh, Chapel Hill North Carolina) has been using Armstrong Clark stain for over two years now with amazing results. Coverage is great, oil penetrates deep on the older woods, and the color tone is fantastic. No color shift from the decks I've been tracking either. Scotts been carrying it at the www.thesealerstore.com so all you East Coast folks can get it from there. We primarily restore Pressure Treated Pine and use the Armstrong Clark Semi-Transparent stains for most applications.

Anyone with questions is welcome to email me at charlie(at)apexdecksavers(dot)com

The thread below is several years old and has some great information on the stain before it became well known around the country. Thanks to all that contributed to the thread and the exposure this post has generated for Armstrong Clark.

*****

I'm looking for anyone who has used Armstrong Clark stains or has experimented with them for some time now.

Theres some info in the 2008 sealer poll but I'm looking for people who has used it on a job to give their impressions

What kind of coverage did you get?

Where to purchase it?

Whats the viscosity of the oil?

And finally does anyone have photos of the stain on a deck? Pressure treated pine would be nice. Cedar and Rustic colors in particular

Thanks

Edited July 22, 2010 by bigchaz
Update on post

[bigchaz 157]

In a pinch? Boil some crap for your stain?

If im in a pinch I sure as heck am not about to get some chemical on my kitchen stove, boil it up, let it cool, and add it to a stain container

You must be breathing way too many chemicals kevin

[RPetry 564]

Jake Clark, via email, stated:

Since paraffinic oil is lighter than water and can lift with the rain, we fortify the oil with additives that return the paraffin and increase the weight. These nondrying oils completely separate from the drying oils and soak deep into the wood to restore lost natural oils and to dramatically increase the useful life of the wood.

Now this is interesting for those that are crazy stupid about exterior wood. Not that we make our products, but interesting none the less. Sounds good and the source is credible. Jake, can you tell us more?

YVPW,

I think you may be mistaken. Copper was and has been used for many years as a fungicide and/or mildewcide. To this day, many roofs in Maine have copper strips near the peaks to kill spores.

Again, never heard of copper in or used for pigment.

[James 625]

I veha a ecdk I ixmde eeyrv alfh oncaitnre ni ym ragage. RS, Wt new & old ,ABR, Cabots , Penifin, Flood samples. Deck looks great! The ABR stuff was White thick stuff and about 8 years old. I used it as the base of my Brew........

[RPetry 564]

Diamond Jim,

Hah! I'm friggin' crying here. A classic. Hall of fame post.

[YVPW 20]

Rick, Baker's & TWP use some type of copper pigment, check out Jon Fife's post on PT State. You're right copper is a great fungicide. Woodguard a penetrating stain for log homes has a copper additive that is toxic to wood destroying insects, it sure stinks though.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Kevin,

You stated:

And further added:

WTF? Abalone is for eating, best shellfish in the world. What the frick is Alboline? And Dad and Thompson's with linseed is about WWII tech.

Rick, alboline is synonym for mineral oil. There are lots of them...

The product/brand name Alboline however is a bare bones type of makeup remover found at Longs Drugs most usually. Also makes for a great lube in some circumstances :)...(much better than sticky vaseline or alcohol based stuff that dries things out)

Difference between it and straight oil is that it has body to it being it has both the paraffinic oil and paraffinic wax.

Edited June 26, 2008 by MMI Enterprises

[RPetry 564]

Rick, alboline is synonym for mineral oil. There are lots of them...

The product/brand name Alboline however is a bare bones type of makeup remover found at Longs Drugs most usually. Also makes for a great lube in some circumstances :)...(much better than sticky vaseline or alcohol based stuff that dries things out)

Difference between it and straight oil is that it has body to it being it has both the paraffinic oil and paraffinic wax.

Kevin,

Thanks for the info. BTW, can you still get abalone in Ca.?

Think I will just stick with Ready Seal.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

geez if I know. I live a tad too far from ocean to be in tune with such. I like chowder, shrimp, or high mountain rainbows..

[Mathew Johnson 123]

I spoke with these folks today as well. I am very impressed with their technical knowledge and some of the marketing material that they are providing for contractors.

They are sending me their driftwood gray to promo on a deck that the customer is requesting a gray stain on. They also have a cedar tint they want me to look at as well.

The technical data, recoat information, moisture content requirement and price may be a good fit for what we are doing on some of our wood products.

I am a bit intrigued to see how this product applies and looks when done.

The proof lies with the final product.

[Mathew Johnson 123]

Rick, alboline is synonym for mineral oil. There are lots of them...

The product/brand name Alboline however is a bare bones type of makeup remover found at Longs Drugs most usually. Also makes for a great lube in some circumstances :)...(much better than sticky vaseline or alcohol based stuff that dries things out)

Difference between it and straight oil is that it has body to it being it has both the paraffinic oil and paraffinic wax.

Dam,

I thought alboline was a brand of sandwich meat... So much for the sandwich.

[gt2003 18]

Here are some pics of two latest jobs with AC

One is Woodland BRN semi-solid and the other is Mtn. Cedar Semi Solid.

These are hand brushed 100%. I sprayed a smaller deck Friday that I may post pics of after I go back to reset the furniture.

Shinebrite, Did you take pics of the smaller, sprayed deck? If so, could you post them, tell us wood type, stain color etc? This looks like the perfect stuff for my pressure treated deck. Thanks, Greg

[Celeste 341]

I just got a whole shipment of goodies! Guess I know what we're doing this weekend :)

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We have gotten samples and are waiting for product now. Can't wait to try it out! :)

Beth

[bigchaz 157]

10 gallons of cedartone in the garage

[RPetry 564]

Geeze. Wow. Have not seen such enthusiasm for a "new" stain since ... well it has been a while.

Caveat and history. Stain manufactures have come and gone, put products on the market that have been less than useful. Big names have tried various formulations. Many have been pulled, with good reason.

No disparage on Jake or Mark of Armstrong-Clark. Up front, forthcoming, smart, and more than knowledgeable on the coatings industry. And with one test deck here, looks good. Well, aside from the linseed oil!

Let's all give it a try, see how it pans out. Stain lifetime, or even more important for our customers, maintenance, is the real test.

[Celeste 341]

So who (besides us) is going to put it to the hardwood test??? It's going on Ipe, Purple Heart & Cambara here.

[James 625]

I am usually some what silent but way ahead of the game. This is until I have good concrete results ......!

[RPetry 564]

I am usually some what silent but way ahead of the game. This is until I have good concrete results ......!

Like an old hand, good woody should.

Celeste,

May get around to trying A-C rustic brown on my own ipe' deck. If I can fit it in the schedule...

[Scott Paul 164]

I have looked into carrying this stain and Jake has informed me that he gave exclusiveness to another company. Hopefully that will change sometime in the future as I also believe this is a product with potential!

[MMI Enterprises 289]

I have looked into carrying this stain and Jake has informed me that he gave exclusiveness to another company. Hopefully that will change sometime in the future as I also believe this is a product with potential!

Now taking orders..lol..j/k :)

Ya sure the exclusivity wasn't the AC company itself?..Actualy maybe its Sherwin that has them tied up and maybe they want to put it everywhere. Is the stuff rumours are made of , haha..

Kelly Moore told me they had carried it but since Sherwin carries they jumped out. Caveat on the paint stores carrying it is that if they don't keep up on the quantity buying they may not have enough on hand for bigger jobs. Sherwin guy said to the effect that a group of stores have to order at least 2k of product that they split.

[bigchaz 157]

Naw when I mentioned to Jake how good Scott was, he(jake) said they have some contract for a distributor that handles a four state area or something. It means that person is the only allowed distributor of the product

[RPetry 564]

Kevin,

Sherwin guy said to the effect that a group of stores have to order at least 2k of product that they split.

Is that 2K of product units or $2K of product? If it is the latter, Windsor WoodCare is a larger stain purchaser than Sherwin Williams!

[Greg R 82]

Its distributed through www.thestainshop.com . Appearantly they own Great Lakes Pressure Cleaning and have stepped into the distribution side of things early this spring. Pretty much the nature of how most pressurewashing and supply distributors were born :)

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Rick, Was just relaying what salesman have said to me and that hardly ever means anything as we all know people say anything when they don't know something or are put on the spot.

Have talked to Jake on these things today and the facts are such:

Kelly Moore continues as their largest buyer but Kelly Moore is not nationwide.

The Kelly Moore guy telling me to the effect that they got out of AC due to Sherwin is apparently untrue and is a local thing. The store or stores local to me not carrying may relate more to their markups putting them in a non competative position with Sherwin.

The Sherwin guys info about their buying in quantity could be true internally far as they go but Jake affirmed to me that they would sell any quantity but the shipping becomes free after I think he said 35 gal.

The reason they are not in Sherwin back east is that the AC stain is their low VOC offering for 15 states. The 250 VOC has been in use for 8 years since 2000 so product considered as new or untested might not be fair.

Exclusive supplier that covers 5 states is www.thestainshop.com or The Stain Shop :: Deck Stains, Cleaners, Restoring, & Many More Tools

[bigchaz 157]

Ah bummer there's no contractor club

ha

Edited June 29, 2008 by bigchaz