Our Armstrong Clark experience

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

This week we used Armstrong Clark, and we have to say we were impressed. This product gets two discriminating thumbs up - WAY up for several reasons....

• product support - great company to work with
  
• easy of use and application....don't have to finesse it into looking even
  
• colors to choose from
  

I'm going to attach a couple of photos of a restoration job we just finished. The AC is on the deck floor. (the house had another product installed) The deck and home are both 3 years old and constructed of white cedar. The finish that had to be removed was Menwood.

I could get very, VERY used to this product. Durability will be the next thing we look closely at. I'm sure Rod will chime in also.

Beth

Edited September 8, 2008 by Beth n Rod
forgot a photo

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Rick, not trying to hijack, but you say the lapping "was mostly corrected by a second application of stain on the deck floor".

First, How to avoid lapping in this situation?

Second, when lapping occurs what steps can be taken to lessen or correct?

Thanks, Ron (extreme wood novice).

NEVER start a board without finishing it. If you do, do not leave a drastic stop start mark, feather it out from well coated to barely coated, and then in lighter areas where you wiped off, apply less to even it up. BUT...it's better to never start a board without finishing it.

Beth

[RPetry 564]

Rick, not trying to hijack, but you say the lapping "was mostly corrected by a second application of stain on the deck floor".

First, How to avoid lapping in this situation?

Second, when lapping occurs what steps can be taken to lessen or correct?

Thanks, Ron (extreme wood novice).

Ron,

What Beth said. We are not linseed stain users, so my helper applied the A-C in our usual manner. This created the lapping.

The "fix" was to apply a 2nd coat of A-C on the deck floor. As can be seen from the attached pic, the lap marks were much less noticeable.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Rick, not trying to hijack, but you say the lapping "was mostly corrected by a second application of stain on the deck floor".

First, How to avoid lapping in this situation?

Second, when lapping occurs what steps can be taken to lessen or correct?

Thanks, Ron (extreme wood novice).

Hi Ron, I was one of the first to review and promote the Armstrong product here on TGS back in May in the 2008 Sealer Poll thread: http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/wood-cleaning-restoration-decks-fences-etc/12698-2008-sealer-poll-2.html and so have been in tune to the handfull of threads that discuss AC. Make sure to use the search function if you wish to read up more on the product as some thread have guys that are familiar with using it prior to this season. They may be able to offer advice directly.

Few of us discussed Rick's lap issue here:

http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/wood-cleaning-restoration-decks-fences-etc/13336-armstrong-clark.html

[MudDuck 20]

My impression was opposite. We used the Rustic Brown color in the semi-trans line and I thought there was a whole lot of pigment. The stain kind of masked some of the cedar grain without becoming opaque, much more so than Ready Seal or ESI's Timber Oil. Also appeared to have some clay pigments as opposed to straight iron oxides. If so, that might explain part of the heavy pigment impression.

All of the decks I've done with AC ( all PTYP Super Cedar 1 and Simi Cedar x3) seemed to me to have a lot of pigment and turned out darker than I expected at job end, but didn't cover the grain too much. The Simi Cedar had a very warm rich look to it in full sun. Almost glowed (not shiny) it was so rich. And that was three days later as well. In the shade it was a little darker than I was looking for but still wonderfull up close. Just lost grain and a little too brown at a distance. Waiting to see how much it might lighten up over a few months.

I've also done some baluster boards with the sample kit AC sent me and those seem to be darker than the brochure pics as well. Guessing it's the clay pigments instead of iron if thats what it is. The Simi Cedar and the Cedar Toner were pretty close in color on the baluster boards. Closer than the pics but might not have been shaken good prior to being dipped into the little sample cans thus less pigs. But no complaints, just have to learn color scheems and mixing tech's. I'm thinking the toners will be good for maint on match colors.

[ShineBrite LLC 14]

I've got decks going on 2 yrs with AC. The oldest has Oxford Brn - (yes, the color called stinky in another thread). My largest qtys have been rustic brn and mtn cedar with woodland brn running 3rd. Rustic will lap if you cut in on full sun days probably more than others for some reason. I'm with Beth on the whole board at a time deal usually. On days that are not hot/full sun or on covered wood however, I can cut in 4 or 5 boards easily with most AC. Especially the semi-solids. That's one reason I choose AC to begin with, time to work it and make it look great.

[Celeste 341]

Nice pics in the ad in Cleaner Times there Alan :) Those projects are beautiful!

Celeste

[Scott Paul 164]

Nice pics in the ad in Cleaner Times there Alan :) Those projects are beautiful!

Celeste

I agree!

[ShineBrite LLC 14]

Thanks friends!

[RPetry 564]

I received the following info yesterday from a long time contractor located in the Western US. Email quoted is verbatim.

________________________________________

These are some Armstrong-Clark sample color boards we made up on 1X4 cedar (tied together with light rope). The guys really abused them for about 6 months (throwing them in trucks, trailers, etc.) In a nutshell, they were beat to hell.

I replaced them with new ones and placed these beat up ones in the weatherometer for a simulated period of approximately 2 1/2 years in the Arizona mountain climate. As you can see, they faded quite a bit.

The before left to right: Sierra Redwood Semi-Transparent; Redwood Tone; Cedar Tone; Cedar Semi-Transparent and Rustic Brown.

They were then recoated with their respective toners (1 coat). Cedartone on Cedar Semi-Transparent, etc.

The after left to right: Redwood Tone; Cedar Tone; Redwood Semi-Transparent; Cedar Semi-Transparent and Rustic Brown.

In retrospect, we should have recoated the Rustic Brown with a blend of the Rustic Brown and Natural since there is no toner in that shade.

This should lend some insight into the maintenance aspect of the Armstrong-Clark Stains.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Looks to me like the relying on mantenance customers would be out the window.

Ah well..such was the case for buggy whips too.

[Celeste 341]

Is there a weatherometer that simulates damp mildew ridden conditions for several months in a year accompanied by humid full sun?

Love the comparison but can't see how those conditions would apply to decks in the soggy south or ice covered north?

BUT - if you are simply showing the maintenance capability for applying a toner over a semi, COOL :)

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Could be just as likely that the machines ability doesn't fully allow for stretches of mild weather or areas that hardly even experience the seasons.

btw, one board is out of order and it tricked me for a second... I see a tad more fade than my first glance. That said, has anyone noted the fade of some other products such as woodrich or readyseal takes on in just 6 mon. in a semi weather protected situation. If that first pic is after 6 mon of sales use as well as the weather simulator I am thoroughly impressed.

[John Orr 206]

Which picture is the before and which is the after? Seriously, 6 rough months + 2 1/2 years in ANY environment I would expect much more fade. Are we really seeing before and after pics?

[ShineBrite LLC 14]

I need to get by my oldest deck and take some pics. It's over two years. It's Oxford Brn semi solid. I will post pics when I get them.

[RPetry 564]

Is there a weatherometer that simulates damp mildew ridden conditions for several months in a year accompanied by humid full sun?

Love the comparison but can't see how those conditions would apply to decks in the soggy south or ice covered north?

BUT - if you are simply showing the maintenance capability for applying a toner over a semi, COOL :)

Celeste,

I know nothing about weatherometers, I am just passing along information that I received.

The point is stated in the last sentence,

This should lend some insight into the maintenance aspect of the Armstrong-Clark Stains.

This simulated "maintenance" was done with the toners, not the original, full bodied stain.

Jon,

The first (left) picture is before application of the respective toners, the right picture, after.

[bigchaz 157]

sure looks good to me after 2.5 years