AC vs. Woodtux

[plainpainter]

Seems like all the buzz has been about Armstrong Clark these days - without much resistance. Remember all the woodtux posts of yesteryears? Does anyone use woodtux anymore? It's all I have been using since I don't feel like experimenting anymore for the latest and greatest. Is anyone passionate about the stain they are using this year?

[Beth n Rod]

We use Wood Tux, but we are exploring other products. Too many things have changed in longevity since the VOC changes that effected the east coast for us not to try and consider other things.

Beth

p.s. I like your new avatar!! (hehehe)

[plainpainter]

Who's responsible for that silly avatar? I don't want to educate, motivate, and integrate! I'm more of a beavis and butthead kind of guy.

Any hopefuls, Beth? I did a deck a year ago with a California product - haven't been back to look. I have no clue what works anymore -- seems like some guys are holding onto an aging TWP formula, but where are they going to be when that one is pulled? This industry is so frustrating.

[bigchaz]

WoodTux/Rich on 95 percent of decks this year. Will be adding AC to the lineup next year and the mix will probably go to 50/50. Still love the look of woodtux on newer wood, but the AC will be my product of choice for rougher/drier decks

[plainpainter]

Charlie - what is it about AC that makes it superior to Woodtux for older drier decks?

[Beth n Rod]

Originally Posted by plainpainter

Who's responsible for that silly avatar? I don't want to educate, motivate, and integrate! I'm more of a beavis and butthead kind of guy.

Any hopefuls, Beth? I did a deck a year ago with a California product - haven't been back to look. I have no clue what works anymore -- seems like some guys are holding onto an aging TWP formula, but where are they going to be when that one is pulled? This industry is so frustrating.

Silly avatar? It was my idea to have a default avatar. Fits the forums. If you would like to have a custom one, knock yourself out.

Beth

[bigchaz]

I get horrendous coverage ratio with woodtux on dry wood. The ideal would be doing a coat of timberoil with topcoat of woodtux but I also would prefer not to have that 2 step staining process. So Id rather not put 350 dollars of expensive tux on a 1000 dollar deck job. AC has more penetrating oil in the formula and acts more like a timberoil on drier decks. However, theres also drying oils in the stain that stay closer to the surface and lock in the moisturizing oils and hold your color better. Sometimes with a timberoil you put the first coat down and wonder where the heck it went it soaked in so deep. You dont get that as much with the AC. Some applications still require two coats, but it sprays easily and in most cases one heavy coat seems like it will work.

Check out my other armstrong thread for the review I wrote. The stain is a bit more opaque (in the semi solid) which also helps with a more even color. On older wood with Woodtux i get a huge color shift from application to fully cured. Sometimes it goes on dark, sometimes light, and I never know for certain how its going to dry out. Not a problem with AC. What you see is what you get when it dries

[Scott Paul]

Originally Posted by plainpainter

Does anyone use woodtux anymore?

Our sales with Wood Tux are up this year compared to last year. Also we haven't had any issues with performance.

[plainpainter]

Well this was a make or break year for Russell, I think. Perhaps he has finally made it? With no more issues on these websites. I will refrain from the AC - as I can't juggle so many different brands without losing my mind. And I just haven't had coverage issues with woodtux even on older decks. And I don't understand the different subtleties when it comes to higher percentages of parafinnic oil for re-conditioning older decks? I know Jim explained it once - but to me even a linseed oil based product that dives deep inside the wood, doesn't 'through' cure like wtw - why isn't that considered conditioning?

[James]

A great comparison is AC vs WooDrIch. Why? They are both have similar features drying and nondrying oils. Just like RS should be compared to Timbor oil because they are similar non drying oils.

Understanding the function of a product and how it works down the road with regards to maintenance is more important. How it breaks down from the sun and weather. Is it going to be easier or more difficult than the first time you did the job?Who has done a maintenance you can talk too? How many people have actually use a product multi times on the same deck?

I have used AC on some small projects with good results and no opinion formed yet. I do understand how I will use the product and what woods I will trial!I have many projects with a sort of WoodRich because I was blending my own before it came out. The earlier WT version was much better. It produced a harder shell and feared better with regards to weathering. The newer stuff comes off like butter but I still use it.

[Stain Shop]

We are in year #2 with using Armstrong Stains. The product is holding up extremely well on Homes/Decks in the field. We have sample decks at the office to demonstrate colors and cleaning procedures and although we can't speed up time(somebody's working on that right?) it strips and cleans easily as we have gone over these decks multiple times. So far we are seeing better longevity and better coverage. Having the differant finishes for differant applications is a huge benefit!

[Scott Paul]

Originally Posted by Stain Shop

We are in year #2 with using Armstrong Stains. The product is holding up extremely well on Homes/Decks in the field. We have sample decks at the office to demonstrate colors and cleaning procedures and although we can't speed up time(somebody's working on that right?) it strips and cleans easily as we have gone over these decks multiple times. So far we are seeing better longevity and better coverage. Having the differant finishes for differant applications is a huge benefit!

Steve is that better in longevity compared to Ready Seal? I do believe that is what you used prior to switching to AC.

[Beth n Rod]

Dan,
You might also call Tom & Barbara of ACR Products, they carry the AC line now too, and also have a product called Wood Sentry which we are trying. We are trying both of these products.
Beth

[James]

I have some Wood Sentry also using Monday( inventor of WT).When you compare products you have to compare like product. Apples to Apples. Comparing RS to AC is like comparing Apples to Oranges unless you add some Linseed to RS. I have fooled around with adding Linseed to RS for a while because I have issues with cedar up to 3 years old ( cedar is a pain is the **%# first application). The problem is keeping color on the surface which linseed will do by holding it there. Then the issue becomes maintenance of the surface. RS might look like crap after two years but it's still working. In conclusion AC looks like a solution for my cedar issue but adding Boiled linseed to RS does work and I'm still playing with At the lower New England Wood laboratory .
.

[CarolinaProWash]

We're still using WT but are open to AC and testing it this year as well. Also going to give the Wood Sentry a shot.

Celeste