Generally speaking, the more porous a wood is, the better it will take stain. Oak, for example, has very large pores so it will stain quite easily. Cedar is also well known for its ability to take stain. Other woods that are commonly used with stain include ash and chestnut.
Staining is not always advisable, but it can solve a lot of problems. Before you stain any piece of furniture, take a good look at it. If it's made of cherry, maple, mahogany, rosewood, aged pine, or any of the rare woods, the wood should probably not be stained; these woods look best in their natural color.
Pine wood is easy to stain but not necessarily easy to stain with a consistent finish. What is this? This is because it is a very soft wood with a big variance in color between the light wood and the dark knots. These differences cause differences in how the stain color is taken by the wood.
Gel-based stains
Thicker than oil- and water-based stains, gel stains are designed to make wood finishing easier by eliminating the need for careful brushstrokes. Meant to be applied with a rag, gel-based stains give more or less color based on how hard they're rubbed into the wood.
Poplar wood is OK to stain – but it does tend to get a blotchy finish. This is due to the variations in color, dryness, and low density of the wood. The different colors in the wood can make the stain take differently along the face.
Poplar usually has two different color strains, and absorbs stain differently in each section, leading to unattractive results. Pine also stains poorly, but in a different way. Instead of having two different color strains, it absorbs stain unevenly, leading to blotches on the wood.
More yellow or green streaks indicate slightly more hardness, but they also indicate that the wood will be much harder to stain. Poplar has a minimal grain, smooth and straight. Red oak stains beautifully, with rich, deep color and a nice grain.
The cheapest wood to stain would typically be a softwood such as pine, spruce, or fir. These types of wood are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and absorb stain well, which can result in a nice finish.
Clear and transparent stains need a touchup every year or two. Semi-transparent last 2 to 3 years. Semi-solid stains are good for 2 to 4 years of protection. Solid stains on decks may protect up to 5 to 7 years.
Depending on your project, you will not need to remove old stain before restaining. If you want to darken the stain on your wood project, then removing the existing stain is not necessary!
Pine is hard to stain for a couple of reasons. First, its grain is unevenly dense. Typical wood stains cause grain reversal because they color only the porous earlywood; they can't penetrate the dense latewood.
Cedar siding is ideal for staining because the natural fibers of the wood will absorb the stain, making it last much longer than if you were to paint it. Stain penetrates deep into the cedar fibers to waterproof them and protect them from rain, snow and ice. Stains come in semi-transparent or solid-color formulas.
You just can't go wrong using Early American stain on your pine paneling and trims. Oil-based stains, such as Minwax Wood Finish, enhances pine's grain and colors and can do it with just one heavy coat. Apply first in a thin coat if you want a lighter color and add another for a darker shade.
The hotter the surface of the wood, the more quickly the stain will dry. If it dries too quickly, then it simply won't have time to penetrate into the wood, leaving it on the surface to form a film and, you guessed it, eventually peel. Apply the stain in the shade.
When staining a piece of timber, you should start by sanding the wood to eliminate any scratches or gouges on the board. Sanding each board opens up the pores in the wood, allowing the stain to absorb deeper and more evenly into the board or log.
The Cons of Staining Wood
While some stains can last up to five years, postponing re-staining a wood surface for too long can cause the job to become more complex and labour intensive. Even decks that are stripped and re-stained will still require maintenance every couple of years.
We always recommend two coats of stain for any wood project, but you should only apply as much stain as the wood can absorb. Extremely dense hardwoods may only be able to absorb one coat of wood stain. The general rule of thumb is to apply only as much deck stain as the wood can absorb.
Stain is often cheaper to purchase than paint. It is easier to apply stain, as well as to re-coat surfaces that need a touch up. Stain is quicker to apply than paint, because you don't always need to prime surfaces first. It also only usually needs one coat.
Oil-based stains are not easily penetrated by the elements and are much more durable than water-based stains. These types of stains require less long-term maintenance. While oil-based stains dry more slowly, they maintain a more even finish, making the stain look nicer in the long run.
White Stains
The popularity of white kitchens is far from fading, but now those who love the natural look of wood can get in on the action too. Kim says white is oftentimes overlooked as a stain color. She suggests looking for a white wood stain to provide an elevated style that's bright yet calming.
Because of its consistency, maple also does not absorb stain as well as oak. Physical Characteristics: The light, natural finish makes hard maple a leading choice for contemporary spaces when it comes to furniture and hardwood flooring.
Maple is notoriously difficult to stain. It's less porous than Oak, which makes it harder for the stain to seep into the wood. The stain on a Maple board can often have a blotchy, uneven appearance as in the photo below.