A Wood Stain is a type of paint that consists of a dye suspended in a solvent and a mixing agent that bonds them together.

The purpose of a wood stain is for the dye to infiltrate the pores of the wood rather than creating a surface on the top such as normal paint.

The wood stain enters the pores and dries out colouring the surface for a long lasting finish, making the wood look almost brand new.

Wood stains come in many different shades to suit the type of wood your refurbishing or to completely stain to a different colour.

How Wood Stain Works

Wood stain is made the same way as paint using the same three primary ingredients. Wood stain is a dye and solvent with little binder.

Wood stain is designed to add colour to the pores of the wood and other materials while leaving the pores mostly visible. Transparent Varnishes or surface films are applied afterwards to protect and help preserve the wood stain.

In principle, wood stains do not provide a surface coating or film. However, because the binders are from the same class of film-forming binders that are used in paints and varnishes, some build-up of film occurs.

Varnishes and Other Alternatives to Wood Stain

The first application of any paint or varnish is similarly absorbed into the pores, but because wood stains contain lower amounts of binder, the binder from a wood stain resides mainly below the surface while the particles remain near or at the surface.

Wood stains that harbor metallic particles such as iron oxides usually are more opaque; first because metallic particles are opaque by nature, but also because the particles of which they consist are much larger than organic particles and therefore do not penetrate as well.

Most wood stains for interior use require further application of varnish or finish for protection and gloss.

Wood stains are differentiated from varnishes in that the latter has no added colour or particles and is designed to form a surface film. Some products can include a solution that is both wood stain and varnish all-in-one.

Wood Stain Product Range

Wood stains range from very low in viscosity, to Siding Wood Stains that are extremely thick. Effectively, siding stains are paints that do not cover as well and do not form a long lasting film.

The binders in siding stains are designed to be softer and more flexible and thus last longer than harder, more brittle paints.

Applying Wood Stain

Applying Wood Stain can be really simple or very difficult depending on the type of surface. The porosity of the wood can vary substantially, even within the same piece of wood. End grain and bias-cut grain are far more capable of absorbing the wood stain, therefore will absorb more into the woods surface.

Woods from different species of trees can have huge variations in how well they absorb wood stain. Wood stains that are quick-drying will be difficult to apply in warm weather or in direct sunlight.

Stains that are slow-drying will be difficult to work with in cold conditions due to a lengthened evaporation and curing period.

New wood, such as pine, can have wax like sealants applied to them by the mill that will prevent proper staining.

Stripping or sanding the surface may be required to remove the waxed surface enabling you to properly stain the surface. White Wood Stains are metal oxides, namely titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and do not penetrate the wood well.

White wood stain on a bare softwood or oak floor might require a final 'prep' sanding by hand with an orbital/vibrating sander with 80 or 100 grit, whereas certain hardwoods might be sanded with 220 grit and higher before applying wood stain for a darkish organic wood stain on furniture.