Mahogany is a popular choice for decking because of its tight grain pattern and knot free appearance. It also does not tend to splinter as easily as other wood types. Although mahogany is naturally resistant to decay, it must occasionally be refinished to help protect and maintain the deck’s beauty.
Many deck stains are too heavily pigmented to penetrate into mahogany, leaving it vulnerable and risking stain failure. It is best to use a penetrating oil stain that will soak into the wood pores to give a mahogany deck the best protection possible.
There may be several good stain choices but the best stain for a mahogany deck is one that serves two purposes. One, to protect the deck from weather damage and secondly, to replace the wood’s natural oils. Replacing the wood’s own diminishing natural oils revitalizes and conditions the wood.
A penetrating oil based deck stain like Armstrong Clark the best stain for a mahogany deck that we have found. For reasons mentioned above, this stain is ideal for mahogany. The stain’s non-drying oils separate from the drying side of the stain. These conditioning oils replace the mahogany’s natural oils while the stain’s drying oils remain on the surface to lock in the conditioning oils and to lock out moisture.
This formula is also ideal for a mahogany deck because it comes in a mahogany color that really enhances the deck’s natural beauty. The semi-transparent formula still allows the wood grains to show through but adds just enough tone to the deck for a gorgeous finish. With conditioning oils and a durable barrier of protection, this truly is the best stain for a mahogany deck.
This user-friendly mahogany deck stain is the only oil based stain that can be applied in direct sunlight. Other stains may flash dry and cause and inconsistent finish. It is also a one or two coat finish depending on the absorption rate of the mahogany. If needed, a second coat can be applied wet on wet or wet on dry. It is a very versatile, easy to use stain that most any homeowner can apply over a weekend.
Hi! Can you please tell me what process and products you would recommend we do for our front porch. We just had it built last year and the painter we hired really didn’t know what to use on mahogany and I want to make sure it’s done properly and sealed. Also, what is the process for maintenance?
Thanks so much!
Prep with this kit:
https://www.opwdecks.com/rad-300.htm
Stain with Armstrong Clark in Amber or Mahogany:
https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-1-gallon.htm
Repeat as needed down the road.
Thank you! What would recommend applying the stain with?
Stain pads and or flooring brush:
https://www.opwdecks.com/brushes-stain-pads.htm
Is there a “stain” that either leaves the natural color of the wood shown or is there a stain color that matches it as shown in the picture best?
No, and it is not possible to maintain natural color. It has to be tinted, which means it will enhance the natural grain color based on the tint you choose.
Also, what option would leave the most even look of color and what do you suggest applying each step with?
So after the stain is applied, and 24 hours has passed (to be sure enough time elapsed), the stain has obviously been absorbed. how do u know if you need a second coat?
It will noticebly be thin or slightly uneven.
In the ABOVE, where it says
“ it is also a one or two coat finish depending on the absorption rate of the mahogany” ….
🤔 🤔 how do we know what the absorption rate is? Clearly no clue
There is no way to know until you apply it but for most scenarios, 1 coat is sufficent for mahogany wood.
If you put a semi-solid stain on 20-year-old mahagony decking under a covered porch which has different sun exposure will it have the effect of making the colors of the board more consistent? Can I make a mahagony deck darker?
You cannot use a semi-solid on a mahogany deck. You need a stain like the Armstrong Clark in one of their 3 hardwood colors. For a dark color, look at Black Walnut.
My Mohegan deck is 25 years old and nothing has ever been put on it. It has been power washed 2 times in its life and i an about to do it now. It is 4500 square feet and I’ve only replaced 8 10 ft boards to this point. I would like a more Mohegan color finish but I’m worried that it might trap moisture and cause decay . What is your advice?
Mahogany? Deck stains that we sell are breathable and do not trap moisture. You need a hardwood stain. Look at the Armstrong Clark stains. They are excellent: https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-5-gallon.htm
Every 2-3 years I clean, prep/scuff sand with 60 grit and then stain my mahogany deck with 2 coats of Olympic Elite semi transparent kona brown oil stain. It has stood up ok, but I do get some fading and graying after about 16 months, especially in traffic areas, as my deck gets about 6-8 hours of New Jersey sun a day in the summer. First is this a good choice of stain? And second, if AC is better, is there a similar color that will allow me to use it without stripping all the way to bare wood? I have been able to get away without stripping by sticking with the same brand/color, but if there is something more durable, I’m all in.
AC is much better than Olympic stains and if you want to switch, you will have to remove the current stain first.
My Mahogany porch and steps were painted mahogany semi solid stain. It has alot of orange in it and does not look like new. Is there a stain that provides more of a sheen, to give it life?
No, never add a shine to a deck, it would peel.
My mahogany deck was stained with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat. When I put things on the deck, and later move them, marks occur. What sort of stain is needed to avoid ugly marks from furniture rugs, etc.?
You will need to remove the Arborcoat and then use a penetrating stain. Send pics for prep help.
We just installed a mahogany deck at our beach house in NJ. Is there a certain amount of time we should wait before sealing? Is there anything we need to do prior to treating/sealing? Recommendations on a product would be great. Thanks.
See here about new wood: https://www.opwdecks.com/when-to-stain-a-new-deck.htm
Use this stain after the wait and prep: https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-1-gallon.htm
We have a mahogany deck that has been painted over several times (from previous owners). We have stripped the paint off. We plan to sand it to try to get any residual paint in the grain etc. Do we need to use a cleaner and brightener before applying a stain?
Yes.
What would be a recommended cleaner and brightner?
https://www.opwdecks.com/rad-300.htm
Is Thomson’s water seal good to apply to a mahogany deck
Thompsons is useless. You need a semi-transparent stain for hardwoods such as the AC: https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-1-gallon.htm
I have an 18 year old mahogany deck. Should I use transparent or semi transparent stain to bring back beauty of wood deck?
You need a semi-transparent stain for hardwoods such as the AC: https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-1-gallon.htm
I should have stated that he used oil based Varathane Polyurethane.
Specifically Varathane Ultimate Spar Urethane
Hello.I recently had a Batu (type of Mahogany) front porch floor installed on the north side of my house. The contractor used oil based Varathane. Was this a good choice? Will it need to be reapplied eventually? Thank you
No, very bad idea. It will peel and attract mildew. You will have to sand it off to fix this.
So, what should I have used on bare mahogany?And after I sand the Varathane off, what should I coat it with?How long do you think it’ll take to peel off?And Finally, what is Varathane Ultimate Spar Urethane supposed to be used for?
Use Defy Hardwood stain: https://www.opwdecks.com/defyhardwood.htm
It will peel within a year. Never to be used on decks or porches, it will peel.
Does it come in clear? I don’t want to change the color. The first coat of the Varathane completely sunk into the wood. How deep do I have to sand?
Clear coatings will not provide UV protection from graying. They must be tinted to do this.
It’s a covered north facing porch that never gets sun.
It will still gray unless 100% enclosed on all sides.
I don’t care about greying that much. But what causes the spar urethane to peel off the wood?
A year later and it looks great. A little of the shine has worn off but no peeling or mildew.
I need to seal mahogany decking that’s in an Interior 4 season sunroom. Not looking for a stain as I want to keep the natural mahogany look. Need a sealer that will not be slippery as I made that mistake once before at a different house.
Use this for a clear coating: https://www.opwdecks.com/defy-extreme-clear.htm
Just what I’m looking for. Can you just confirm there is nothing in the formula that would make the surface slippery for interior surface. Thanks for your advice and recommendation
It is a penetrating sealer, it is not slippery.
I have an exterior mahogany deck I will be sanding down to bare wood. The client wants a semi gloss look. It is mostly covered by a porch, but some areas do get hit with rain. What would be my best choice for a finish that will look nice and give a long lasting finish?
Sorry, but we do not sell coatings that leave a gloss shine as that will lead to severe peeling and mildew on an exterior deck or porch.
What is drying time for A C oil based stain on mahogany? In New England.
2-8 hours for most scenarios.
I have approximately 30 Mahogany functional shutters with heavy duty hardware…what can I use to clean shutters thoroughly of dust,mold,and lightweight paintlike-stain applied 3 years ago that will not ruin hardware my hardware, but properly prep wood for Armstrong Clark semi-transparent stain…so much hardware to remove , I was hoping to get around it with the right cleaner…
Send pictures.
I recently had my 15 year old mahogany deck stained and had 9 1 inch thick boards replaced. The new wood was given a black spot treatment. The entire deck was then stained with two coats. 5 of the new boards blended in nicely. Four of them did not and have a reddish cast to them. Could I apply a 3rd coat of stain to the four boards to get them to blend in better?
No, it will not work.
I have a mahogany deck (~15 years old). about 5 yrs ago I sanded and stained deck, most of deck has greyed except a couple areas where rugs/mats were covering so there’s still some stain showing. in other areas there’s some black stain/mold that were shaded & didn’t get much sun. I intend to sand the deck, should I also use RAD prep afterwards? if so, should I use stripper with brightener or cleaner with brightener? I plan to use AC mahogany as the stain.
Post some pictures.
Pics of diff areas of the deck
Strip and brighten for prep.
So should I follow these steps?
1) Power wash & let dry for a couple days
2) Sand
3) Strip & brighten & let dry for a couple days
4) Apply stain & let dry for a couple days
Yes, that would work.
Hi – I’ve restained the deck and it looks great. I’ll probably go with the darker Mahogany color next time. It recently rained (a week after applying), how much should I expect water to bead up, if at all?
Sheds water, not beads water.
Our current house came w/ a mahogany deck (20+/- yrs old) that was not well cared for. I’ve cleaned it w/ Dawn & Oxy-Clean; it’s now mostly a salmon color, lustrous dark red when wet. I’ve tested several penetrating oils, but the wood will not take them up; they stay on the surface sticky and shiny. A previous owner likely applied a garden variety (i.e., non-penetrating) stain (there is “resiny” residue on the sides of the boards) which is preventing absorption; Note: the bottoms of the boards readily absorb the oil. Is there a product that will break down this incorrect stain and allow the wood to take up the penetrating oil? Thanks
Post pictures.
I have a mahogany deck that has been repaired over the years. I believe the last time it was Penofin was in 2007 Western Red Cedar. It’s greyed out, but just testing with a power washer some of the boards came back to a beautiful brown. Will have it all power washed to see how consistent the brown is. Do you recommend sealing with a clear or stained penofin or can we let it just continue au naturel with occasional power washing?
You must have a stain for UV protection but do not use Penofin, it turns black in color after a few months. Try the Armstrong Clark: https://www.opwdecks.com/armstrong-clark-stain.htm
We have an attached porch at our lake house and the floor is mahogany. It appears it has never been treated. We want to just bring out the natural tone of the wood. What do you recommend?
Yes this in Amber https://www.opwdecks.com/armstrong-clark-stain.htm
The day after I applied Armstrong Clark Mahogany Stain to mahogany boards I am using to build a platform in front of a door, we had a light rain and the drops beaded up. Would that indicate that a second coat is not needed? Can a second coat do any harm?
No, only one coat for mahogany wood.
I stained my mahogany deck last year with AC mahogany oil and absolutely loved it! So easy to work with, I don’t mind doing it again to achieve those results!
I want to maintain that beauty so what do I need to use to prepare for another year in Connecticut? Clean and brighten before I put another coat on? Or just clean?
Really appreciate this site!!! Thank you!
Clean and brighten.
We just sanded our mahogany down to its original. I want to keep it as natural as possible. Clear oil? Clear stain? Thank you. We do live on the salt water
It has to be tinted for UV protection from graying. Try the Amber color: https://www.opwdecks.com/armstrong-clark-stain.htm
I inherited a mahogany deck that is on the second story, underneath it is an office. Anyway when the deck was built it was not designed correctly to allow proper drainage. I treated the deck the first year I bought the house, but have noticed due to drainage issue some of the mahogany boards are rotting from the underside. What is the best way to salvage the mahogany? Should I pull all the boards up and put a sealer on the underside?
A sealer will not stop the rotting from the bottom up. There is not a way to prevent this.
Would this be ok for out door mohogany furniture? Or will it bleed off onto clothes?
If applied and prepped correctly it will fully cure and not bleed.
My mahogany deck was covered with Penofin oil about 3 years ago. It was washed with Jomax last week. Can it be stained with Armstrong Clark now or do I need to use the Restore a Deck Kit?
thank you, Joan
You will need to strip and brighten the wood if any Penofin remains. If not, you should be okay to stain as long as it is clean.
I have a mahogany deck that hasn’t been stained in roughly 8 to 9 years and is 14 years old in total. We are currently building a garage and are putting driftwood color doors. Could I clean and treat the deck with a driftwood stain? If so what do you recommend? Also, it’s getting chilly in Connecticut, what is the lowest temperature where I could still stain it?
Sorry, but we do not have any hardwood stains that come in a gray color. The temps for applying are 55 and above for most stain brands.
Just installed Cambara Hardwood Decking on a front porch in early June (2018). The customer loves the grain and just wants to go with the AC clear. What’s my prep to get this done? Can I do it now or should I wait a bit? Thanks!
AC does not come in a clear and it must be a tinted stain if you want UV protection. The lightest tint is the AC in Amber for their hardwood colors. Wait another month or two and prep with the Restore A Deck Cleaner Kits.
Well what did I just purchase then – the Armstrong Clark Natural/Transparent? Can’t use?! Where are the colors/products that are suitable? Thank you.
https://www.opwdecks.com/ipe-stain-1-gallon.htm
My mahogany floor in the screened sunroom has grayed in spots where water repeatedly rained in on. In other spots, the penofin held. What’s the best cleaner to get it all back to bare, and then the Armstrong Clark to protect it all? Gutters have been installed to stop water issues. Thank you
You will need the RAD Stripper/Brightener kit:
https://www.opwdecks.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.htm
Good news is that Penofin is very easy to remove.
I have several mahogany railings around balconies and decks at my house. So far I’ve treated them with different brands of oils (AS, ATO, TWP, Penofin etc). I was wondering if it’s possible to achieve longer protection by also applying a sealer and or varnish on top of the oil, e.g. Schellack and marine varnish. Is it worth while to go through that work or is it just cumbersome?
No. It would not last longer and would peel.
Thank you for a clear and prompt reply!
[quote name=”Bill Schumann”]I have a mahogany deck that is 13 years old and has never been stained or sealed. I would like to preserve the decking as long as possible. Would Armstrong Clark be a good choice? If not, what would you recommend?
Thank you.[/quote]
Use the Armstrong Clark in Mahogany color or the Defy Hardwood Stain in Light Walnut.
Would you recommend AS for a 13 year old mahogany deck that has never been stained or sealed?
I have a mahogany deck that is 13 years old and has never been stained or sealed. I would like to preserve the decking as long as possible. Would Armstrong Clark be a good choice? If not, what would you recommend?
Thank you.
[quote name=”steveee”]how does it perform on ipe?[/quote]
Armstrong Clark works very well on IPE.
how does it perform on ipe?
Clear sealers will gray naturally. Prep first with Restore A Deck Kit and use the TWP 100 Clear or the 1500 Clear for sealing.
I added a 400′ mahogany deck (partially covered)to our hom,e about 4 months ago. It has started graying and we like that! Im looking for a cleaner and then sealer to protect the deck. I like the graying so maybe a clear sealer or one that will not turn it a rich red or anything.
Which product(s) do you recommend?
Thank you,
Daryl
dhersch@verizopn.net