Yes, you should clean and brighten before staining. Check with Armstrong Clark Company themselves for info on where to buy.

I was informed to sand the old Behr Deck Stain off the deck, then use Armstrong Clark Stain. Do I still have to use a cleaner before I apply the oil b...

see this article:

I live in Canada and I had a new western red cedar deck installed 1 year ago. I attempted to clean it with an oxide based cleaner called Activox, purc...

The TWP should not peel.

Twp cape cod

What brand is the gray semi-solid?

We are going to move forward with it this year. However my wife is set on the cape cod grey semi solid. We are not worried about if we have to do it ...

You should do it sooner rather than later.

Texture. Rough sawn looks rough and smooth wood is very smooth. Try googling "rough sawn cut" wood and look at the pictures.

Sorry again for my lack of knowledge, but how do I know if the wood is rough sawn?

Use a deck stain pad or a Wooster stain brush.