Charcoal Black Stain

The Aussie Clear oil taken to near-black. A deep charcoal for contemporary timber — cladding, screens, fences and furniture — with the UV stability of a dense pigment and no film to peel.

Near-black charcoal
Penetrating oil
Non-film-forming
Any exterior timber

Where to get it

Find a stockist

Australian made in Cheltenham, Victoria — since 1988

Need advice?
03 9532 0679

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Which one do I need?

Match the timber's tone for a natural look, or pick a colour. Same penetrating oil underneath; only the pigment changes.

Mid to dark, natural Merbau · Spotted Gum · Jarrah · Ironbark · Redgum · Western Red Cedar Aussie Clear → Blond to mid, natural Blackbutt · Silvertop Ash · Yellow Stringybark · White Cypress Aussie Clear Light → Treated pine, natural Radiata & Slash Pine — softwoods need a different oil Exterior Pine Clear → Walnut brown Any exterior timber — one designer tone across blond, dark, pine and cedar Walnut Timber Finish →

Charcoal, near-black Any exterior timber — cladding, screens, fences Charcoal Black Stain — this page

Weathered silver-grey Any exterior timber — the aged look on day one Rustic Grey Stain → Let it grey naturally Hardwood you want to silver — clear, unpigmented sealer Radial Timber Sealer →

Directions for use

Preparing the timber, then applying

Before you brush

WAIT New hardwood — wait first New hardwood needs 4–6 weeks of weathering to open the grain before oiling.
CLEAN Clean, dry, no grey The surface must be clean, dry and free of greyed fibres. Weathered timber needs Grey Deck Cleaner first.
TEST Test the tone A dense pigment reads differently on pale and dark species. Try an offcut or a hidden board before doing the lot.

Applying the stain

STIR Stir well, and keep stirring A heavy pigment settles. Stir before you start and again during the job so the colour stays even.
COAT One coat, worked in Brush or lambswool applicator along the grain, keeping a wet edge.
WIPE Wipe the excess As with the rest of the Aussie Clear family, oil still sitting on the surface after 2 hours should be wiped off — a pigmented excess dries as a patchy film.

Where it goes

Contemporary exterior timber

Where a dark, matt, architectural finish is wanted on exterior timber: cladding, battens and screens, fences and gates, pergolas and outdoor furniture.

Cladding & battens The classic charcoal-on-timber facade.

Screens & privacy slats A flat, even black that reads well from the street.

Fences & gates Hardwood or pine, taken to one dark tone.

Pergolas & posts Contrast against a light wall or a pale deck.

Outdoor furniture A dark finish that won't flake onto clothing the way a film can.

Decks A dark deck shows dust and wear more than a mid tone — test a board first.

Black that lives in the timber

Why it works

A black film is the first thing to show wear — every scratch and flake reads white against it. Charcoal Black Stain carries its pigment into the wood fibres on the Aussie Clear oil, so the colour wears back gently instead of peeling.

Non-film-forming

The oil migrates into the fibres. No surface film means no cracking, peeling or flaking.

Dense, UV-stable pigment

The heaviest pigment load in the range, which is what gives it the near-black result and its UV stability.

Grain still shows

It is a stain, not a paint — the texture and grain of the timber read through the colour.

Specifications

Colour: Charcoal, near-black
Finish: Pigmented oil, non-film-forming
Made in: Australia

Common questions

Is it a paint?

No. It is the Aussie Clear penetrating oil with a dense charcoal pigment. The colour goes into the timber rather than sitting on it, so the grain still shows and there is no film to peel.

Will it fade?

A dense pigment is what gives a stain its UV stability, and this is the heaviest pigment in the range. Like every exterior finish it wears back over time, and a wash and top-up coat brings it back.

Can I use it on pine?

Yes — the pigment takes hardwood and softwood to the same tone. Test a board first; pale timber can need a second coat to reach full depth.

Before you start