What stain for new PT deck- AC or RS- having trouble deciding on colors..

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Ok, so the new PT deck is almost complete (about 16'x19' + stairs), and it seems like staining it before winter is a good idea. I'm located in Virginia, so temperature gets very hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and we get a good amount of rain. Can anyone recommend a good sealer for this temperate climate? I am strongly considering Armstrong Clark and also Ready Seal. I'm looking at a semi-transparent stain, and a not very dark stain since the deck will get direct sunlight, and don't want it to be too hot/hard on the wood. I was considering the "Pecan" stain or maybe even the "Amber" stain in Armstrong Clark, but am having a hard time finding samples of the stain, especially on PT wood. I'd prefer the stain to not be too reddish. To be honest I like the natural color, but I'm trying to strike a balance between something that will look good and last. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Edited September 18, 2012 by HomeDIYGuy

[seymore 90]

I would say you might let that deck cure till Spring.Its going to be hard to get any oil base stain to soak in till the deck cures. You will get better life out of the stain if you wait a few more months.

I don't use AC or RS only the Gray Away but I'm sure someone will chime in on colors.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Armstrong Clark.

Beth

[bigchaz 157]

Here is a picture of Armstrong Amber on new Pressure Treated

[steven 37]

I just did a deck with A/Clark pecan. it really was a nice color. cant go wrong with the armstrong clark. much darker than the amber in Charlies picture.

Edited September 18, 2012 by steven

[bigchaz 157]

I dont think Armstrong has a color called Pecan??

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[steven 37]

what , what what, oh thats right i used ready seal on that one, lol oops, I know it was pecan.

[bigchaz 157]

You may want to start keeping records on color and stain in the event the customer has you come redo the deck. It also lets you know which stain is performing better over time. Ready Seal brochure I have doesn't show Pecan either so I dont know where this mystery color is coming from

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[seymore 90]

. Ready Seal brochure I have doesn't show Pecan either so I dont know where this mystery color is coming from

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Ready Seal® Wood Stains :: Ready Seal® 5-Gallon - Deck Stain | Wood Stain | Outdoor Wood & Fence Stain | Ready Seal

Pecan is the color in the middle....

I get a pecan looking color when i mix gold and brown together..

Edited September 19, 2012 by seymore

[steven 37]

thanks for the save Shane, thought i was loosing my mind.

Right on Charlie I do need to keep records of that stuff. good thing I can remember LOL. going to go through and put that together now. Thanks for the tip. i did do a 3 to 1 ( 3 )oxford brown and( 1 ) redwood, that would be the mystery color

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I dont think Armstrong has a color called Pecan??

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Pecan is in the TWP line of colors.

Beth

[James 624]

Pecan use to be medium brown. Better off with oak for a lighter color ( read seal ).

[steven 37]

Ready seal went and changed up the color names a little while ago. ready seals lightest semi is golden pine.

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Great thanks for the responses guys! That deck looks really nice bigchaz, I might just go with Amber for AC as well then. Just to double check but that is a semi-transparent right chaz? Also, any tips on how long to wait before stain/sealing it? Is the general consesus that I should wait till spring? I was thinking of trying to maybe stain it late October if a warm day comes along because I was worried about a cold winter damaging/causing warping/splitting, but maybe it'll be fine for this one winter? Thanks again for the help!

-Mike

[NAPWO 21]

Ready Seals new color chart....Click on it it should get bigger so you can read the names better.

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Thanks NAPWO. I've seen the color charts, but my concern was how certain woods look after the stain, or are they generally pretty close regardless of the wood? My other question was regarding AC, they don't have a picture of Amber on their website for the semi-transparent, although it seems like some retailers have it (it's a new color). My first choice would be a transparent stain but I know it doesn't offer good protection so semi-transparent is my first choice, preferably something on the lighter side. Thanks!

[bigchaz 157]

Hi HomeDIYGuy, it is kind of confusing but by formulation the Armstrong Amber is considered a Semi-Transparent. However...and this is where it can be confusing, the Amber is designed to look like a transparent stain. So the benefit is that you get the appearance of a transparent that shows the wood grain very well but you get the protection of a semi transparent stain which holds up longer. This is because it uses a special pigment that does not mask the wood. Most semi transparents are more opaque and will mask some of the wood's character but the Amber as you can see in the photo does a good job showing the wood color. However even though it looks like a transparent is has 3 times the pigment and is similar in formulation to a Semi-Solid!

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Chaz thanks again for the info! The Amber semi-transparent is definitely at the front of the pack for me now in terms of what stain to use. Is there a certain period of time you'd recommend waiting before staining/sealing w/ an AC semi-transparent? Most of the deck has been finished for about a month and I'm seeing some black spots (mildew?) already on it, so I'm going to need to give it a light cleaning before staining (plus I got some mud here and there). I was hoping by the end of next month I could stain/seal it. Any advice is really appreciated!

[steven 37]

Hi HomeDIYGuy, it is kind of confusing but by formulation the Armstrong Amber is considered a Semi-Transparent. However...and this is where it can be confusing, the Amber is designed to look like a transparent stain. So the benefit is that you get the appearance of a transparent that shows the wood grain very well but you get the protection of a semi transparent stain which holds up longer. This is because it uses a special pigment that does not mask the wood. Most semi transparents are more opaque and will mask some of the wood's character but the Amber as you can see in the photo does a good job showing the wood color. However even though it looks like a transparent is has 3 times the pigment and is similar in formulation to a Semi-Solid!

Oh man, Thats good stuff to know Charlie.

[Jake Clark 17]

Hi HomeDIYGuy, it is kind of confusing but by formulation the Armstrong Amber is considered a Semi-Transparent. However...and this is where it can be confusing, the Amber is designed to look like a transparent stain. So the benefit is that you get the appearance of a transparent that shows the wood grain very well but you get the protection of a semi transparent stain which holds up longer. This is because it uses a special pigment that does not mask the wood. Most semi transparents are more opaque and will mask some of the wood's character but the Amber as you can see in the photo does a good job showing the wood color. However even though it looks like a transparent is has 3 times the pigment and is similar in formulation to a Semi-Solid!

Charlie nailed it!!!!!!!!

Jake

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Amber is my favorite in the A/C line, followed by Mahogany.

Beth

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Ok, so is the general consensus to wait till spring to stain if the deck was built in late summer? I'm a little concerned about leaving the wood as-is through the winter, but perhaps I'm just overworrying?

[Adrian 155]

You'll be good til Spring.

[bigchaz 157]

It wont make a big difference now or Springtime...either way you still have to clean it. Are you somewhere that has a really harsh winter?

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[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Thanks guys, I'll def wait till spring then. I'm in nothern va, winters here aren't really bad usually. Usually only a few snowfalls a yr if that.

[HomeDIYGuy 14]

Ok, I'm bringing this back from the dead because weather is getting better and I'm going to be ordering some stain. Looks like I have it narrowed down to Armstrong Clark in Cedar Semi Transparent or Amber Semi-Transparent. Is Amber a more brown color? I was looking at sample pictures and it seems like the two are very similar..? Is Cedar a more yellowish color?

Also, any tips on how much stain I should order? The deck is approx 16'x19' + stairs. That's 304sqft. Of course I need to do railings and 6x6 posts since it's a second story deck. According to some distributors 1 gallon is good for approximately 200 sq ft. So would a total of 4 gallons suffice? I have a lot of railing (~90') and the stairs and rim/outter joists as well.. I'm not opposed to just ordering 5 and having some left over, but just want to make sure I have enough. Also, this is PT wood that's dried out from last fall and hasn't been stained. Is one coat plenty or should I consider 2, and does 2 coats help protect the wood more? I'm open to all suggestions and tips. Thanks!

Edited April 5, 2013 by HomeDIYGuy