What’s The Best Wood Stain or Wood Sealer For My Project?

Oil-Based Wood Stain

Oil-based wood stain is familiar to many woodworkers and DIYers. It is ideal for certain indoor projects including furniture, cabinets, doors, floors and paneling. It soaks deep into wood to leave a rich color while accentuating the wood's natural grain.

Oil-based stains typically have a strong odor, so it's best to apply them in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. They can be cleaned up with mineral spirits.

Water-Based Wood Stain

Water-based stains have grown popular over the years because they have less odor and dry faster than most of their oil-based counterparts. This makes them an excellent choice for interior wood surfaces. Water-based stains come in a variety of colors that highlight the wood’s grain. They clean up easily with soap and water. 

Fast-Drying Wood Stain 

A wood stain that dries quickly helps minimize interruption to your space. When it comes to staining small pieces of furniture and smaller woodworking projects, such as a birdhouse, a product like Varathane Premium Fast Dry Wood Stain is a great option. In addition to providing rich coverage in just one coat, this oil-based stain dries in just an hour.

Gel Stain

Gel stain is a great choice when you want to enhance the wood grain on vertical surfaces like doors, paneled walls and banisters. Varathane Premium Gel Stain delivers twice the coverage of a traditional oil-based stain, and its thick formula helps prevent drips. You can also use this gel stain to create the look of natural wood on non-wood surfaces such as fiberglass and steel doors.

Specialty Wood Care Products

Today’s wood care products can also deliver unique finishes. If you want to add color or dimension without the traditional wood stain appearance, consider:

• Weathered Wood Accelerator. This water-based formula reacts with bare wood to give it a gray tone that resembles aged, reclaimed wood.
• Aged Wood Accelerator. This water-based product reacts with tannins in untreated wood to give it a rustic brown appearance.
• Charred Wood Accelerator. This water-based formula gives bare wood a charred-looking, black finish.
• Wood Grain Enhancer. This water-based formula accents wood grain to give bare or stained wood a two-tone look.
• Whitewash Wood Enhancer. This oil-based product gives wooden furniture a vintage, modern farmhouse look.
• Less Mess Wood Stain. This water-based wood stain comes in a small squeeze bottle with a sponge tip applicator. It’s ideal for small projects like crafts and a great choice if you’ve never used wood stain before. As its name suggests, it lets you complete your project mess-free.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a protective topcoat that helps protect wood surfaces from scratches and stains. It can be used over wood stain and painted surfaces. It can also be applied to bare wood if you want to enhance its natural look.

Like wood stain, polyurethane comes in oil- and water-based formulas. An oil-based polyurethane delivers a more golden-hued finish that may look even warmer over time. 

A water-based polyurethane is a good choice for indoor wood surfaces such as furniture. It emits a lower odor, and dries to a clear, non-yellowing finish. Some brands also offer polyurethanes made for specific surfaces, such as polyurethane for wood floors.

Stain And Polyurethane In One

When time is of the essence, a stain and polyurethane in one can help you save time. As its name suggests, this product contains both wood stain and a protective sealant in a single can. And, like other wood stains and polyurethanes, the combined product comes in water-based and oil-based formulas so you can choose the option that’s right for your wood surface.

Exterior Wood Care Products

When it comes to staining or sealing large or high-traffic exterior wood structures, you’ll want to choose a product that’s made to withstand the elements. Most exterior wood stains also contain sealant. These are the best wood stains for surfaces like decks and wood siding because they resist water, mildew and damage from UV discoloration. 

In addition to offering a choice of oil-based and water-based exterior wood stains, Wolman products let you decide how much color to deliver. For instance: 

• Solid color stain features rich color that shows wood’s texture but covers the grain. 
• Semi-transparent stain provides color while also showcasing the wood’s natural grain. 
• Finish and preservative that gives slight color while still revealing the wood’s grain.
• Transparent stain delivers less intense color and highlights wood’s natural grain. 

If you’d rather not use wood stain, it’s a good idea to protect exterior wood with a clear sealer. Wolman’s RainCoat sealer lets you enjoy the look of bare wood while also defending decks, siding, fences and other outdoor wood against water, mildew, cracking, splitting or warping. It’s available in water-based and oil-based formulas.

Another clear coat option is spar urethane, which protects wood against sun damage, weathering, water, mold and mildew. It’s a good choice for surfaces such as:

• Patio furniture
• Doors
• Window and house trim
• Fences
• Railings
• Boat surfaces above the waterline

It should not be used on siding, rough-sawn surfaces or high-traffic spaces like decks.

Whether you prefer the golden tone provided by a product like Varathane Oil-Based Ultimate Spar Urethane or the clear, non-yellowing finish of Varathane Water-Based Spar Urethane, either option can be applied to painted surfaces as well as bare or stained wood. Before using it on wood, sand the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. Before you apply spar urethane, make sure you’ve removed any unwanted paint as well as grease, dust, dirt oil or water.

Whether you want a natural finish, classic wood-stained appearance or custom finish, there’s a wood care product made every surface. After choosing the best wood stain or sealer for your project, you’re ready to give it the enhancement or protection it needs.