To beautify and protect wooden furniture or floors from external damage, wood stain is an excellent idea. To successfully carry out this staining operation, and to ensure its durability, it is important to carefully choose your wood stain. Follow our 4 tips and advice to make the best possible choice!
Choose between opaque or transparent stain
To choose your wood stain, you can start by selecting its level of coverage. You can choose between several versions: transparent and without added color to highlight the natural beauty of the wood; semi-transparent to show the grain and texture of your wood while adding a slightly darker color; an opaque stain that conceals the texture as well as most imperfections on the wood surface.
The darker and more opaque it is, the more the stain will cover the wood. Opaque stain is then a solution to consider if you don’t want to repeat the staining operation regularly. Some high-quality stains can notably remain as covering after three years. On the contrary, if you choose a transparent and less covering stain, you should expect to repeat the application process about every year. It’s up to you to choose according to your preferences!
Should you choose a water-based or oil-based stain?
As experts, we can only recommend choosing an oil-based stain. Indeed, the technology concerning water-based stains is not yet optimal, for several reasons:
– It is difficult to apply
– It takes a long time to dry
– It doesn’t bring out the wood grain well
Regarding oil-based stain, it has several undeniable advantages:
– It doesn’t hide the wood grain
– It offers great protection
– It is resistant and applicable on the hardest woods
Choose a non-toxic stain
Because the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in wood stains are highly toxic in large volumes for all living beings, choose a stain that contains as little as possible to stain your wooden floors and furniture. These toxic substances are indeed very dangerous, and their excessive presence in your home can cause respiratory difficulties, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches. Always preferably carry out your work in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. The Canadian government limits the amount of VOCs in stain products to 250 g/L. Always take the time to verify that the product of your choice respects the maximum prescribed in Canada.
Choose the stain according to the wood species and test it
Because wood is a natural material, its condition (color, appearance, properties, etc.) can vary from one tree to another, even within the same species. Depending on their natural color, the size of the tree, and also their pores, a stain may not have the same appearance from one floor to another. Unlike paint, water-based and oil-based stains do not remain on the surface, but they are absorbed into the wood, which means that the natural color of the wood mixes with the color of the stain you choose. To anticipate the final color of your furniture or floor and to avoid disappointment, always take the time to test the stain you select on an inconspicuous area.
