When to stain / seal new maple mantle for outdoor fireplace?

This is different than a deck and if it was me, I would go ahead and stain all now but will the expectation that it will need to be redone annually or sooner. Look at the Armstrong Clark brand.

Thanks,I really appreciate the reply. Would one coat of Armstrong Clark stain act as a full sealant as well, or would you apply a coat of poly urethane type sealant right away, on top of the dried Armstrong Clark stain for maximum protection through the winter? If so, which brand you would recommend for sealing?

Would you also use Restore-a-deck Cleaner and Brightener before applying the Armstrong Clark stain on this new maple mantle?

Thanks again for your opinion.

Never apply a top coating or poly on a deck stain. It will ruin the wood and peel and blister. Traps in mold too. Yes a cleaner and brightener will help.

One year after staining with Armstrong Clark, our outdoor solid maple mantle looks beautiful. It weathered very well. We had quite a struggle last year with the Restore-a-deck Cleaner and Brightener causing issues, but once that was resolved, we applied the Armstrong Clark stain and have had awesome results, despite our harsh weather. (Note: the Armstrong Clark management was extremely helpful and kind when we had additional questions last year - very pleased with this company's product and how it treats its customers).

We are ready to restain with Armstrong Clark, before this mantle goes into its second winter. Was not able to find clear guidelines for what to do in preparation for this "maintenance coat".

Questions:
-The mantle is not very dirty, has no staining, and the colour is very nice. Can we simply pressure wash it clean with water only, allow it to dry, and then apply one fresh coat of Armstrong Clark stain, without having to use a Cleaner and Brightener again?

-Do we need to sand it at any point before applying this maintenance coat of stain?

-This time around, should we apply one or two coats of stain before winter? If two, would we sand in between?

-After this winter, if the mantle seems fine, when would we apply the next maintenance coat of Armstrong Clark stain?

Thanks so much for your great help with this.

Clarification: "...has no staining" Meant has no MOLD or dirt staining - of course the stain colour from the Armstrong Clark is still there and looks really nice.

Just lightly wash to remove dirt and apply just one coat of the AC. No need to sand. Apply another coat in 1-2 years or as needed. Look for fading of the color when time to restain.

Thanks so much for the very quick reply, & all the very effective, straightforward guidance on this website!