The paint on the other surfaces has been built up to provide a good looking and strong finish. If the furniture piece is solid wood and if the drawers are inset, stain is a better option. Your email address will not be published. Instead of moving the brush back and forth to work paint into the wood, brush the clear on in just a few single smooth swipes. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. And I love your blog too. Stain runs between $20 and $35 per gallon, while exterior paint suitable for decking ranges from $30 to as much as $60 per gallon. Paint is thicker than stain, so it doesn’t get absorbed by wood the way stain does. They fill in the pores and grooves on the wood thereby taking in the shape of the stained material. I’ll explain why I chose stain over paint on this particular piece of furniture and how I applied the stain and topcoat. Stain Vs Glaze? Then after a few minutes, wipe off any excess stain. Refinishing Furniture is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Copyright © 2021 Entri Ways • Beloved Theme — Privacy Policy. Oil Paint . If the drawers, top, or base of the furniture piece are different woods, the stain will look like it’s a different color on each section and it would be a better choice to paint rather than stain it. Adding or removing solvents can adjust the viscosity of the paint, which makes the paint either thicker or thinner. Although paint can seal out moisture, any moisture that finds its way through can “push out” the wood, thus, causing more peels and cracks. Rich color. Stain is always thinner than paint and when stain is applied on a surface, it tends to soak into the surface. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. stain vs paint on wood Let's be clear. If a dresser started off with a very light, natural stain, then most any color stain, from light to dark, will work well. Thank you for your take on this, it is information worth considering when deciding to paint or stain! If the furniture piece has extensive detail and a lot of deep groves that would make it difficult to remove the old finish, stain may not be a good option. Maintaining RH between 40% and 55% is the best RH environment for all furniture and wood elements in the home. Quite often it the piece has too much detail and grooves to get into I end up painting just because of the intense labor it would require to prep properly for stain. Now, for the hard part: deciding whether you want to paint or stain your DIY furniture. Paint can expand and contract as well, but at a different rate. Painting coats the top of wood while stain penetrates the wood. Both stain and paint will work well here since the drawer fronts won’t be scraping against other parts of the dresser. Continue to stir and mix the stain as you're working to be sure that the color is even throughout during the whole process. Then, stir the stain with a paint stick until it's completely mixed. Starting with the right piece is important. nine Of those the majority are white or off-white. If you’d like to tone down that sheen you could choose a satin finish. Main menu. Stain is quicker to apply than paint, because you don’t always need to prime surfaces first. Applied correctly, satin is both durable and beautiful. Let’s take them one at a time…. To remedy this, sand, scrape, or strip the loose paint before adding a fresh coat. However, stained surfaces actually have shorter lives than painted surfaces. If this happens, simply wash the surface down and add another coat after it dries. Like paints, they help block UV rays and are resistant to moisture. Binders are the ingredients responsible for the paint’s texture look, which can either be gloss, satin, or flat. We purchased a lot of unfinished wood furniture for our home office. Is paint or stain better for handmade furniture? Since then, I’ve painted dozens of pieces of furniture and I’ve learned a ton about how to protect painted furniture so it continues to look beautiful for years to come. The thought process behind the decision to use stain or paint on a thrifted furniture piece is a careful one. Plus when the light hits the wood, there’s no sheen so you don’t see imperfections. The problem is that with a satin, any areas you may have missed show up when the light shines on them. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Not the best feeling in the world.. Wood accepts stain evenly, assuming the surface has been sanded down to remove any prior topcoat and stain that may interfere with the stain color. Skip to primary content. Paint is liable … [Updated January 2017] disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. I prefer to use a clear, matte water-based topcoat. No one type of paint or stain is best for all surfaces, especially on the exterior where it takes a beating from the weather. Black stain vs black paint on furniture – what I like about it: 1. However, there are many differences between paint vs. stain, from their appearance to their ability to protect the wood. In essence, paint and stain serve the same purpose, that is, to coat your wood deck or furniture with a coating that prevents said wood from succumbing to moisture infiltration. San Diego Furniture Resources. Step 1 Sand the stained or varnished furniture using 220-grit sandpaper. Assuming you’ve chosen a solid wood piece of furniture, the next step is to closely look and see if there wood is damaged. Refinished 1950s wood nightstands. I chose an Expresso stain but then added a few drops of black stain. Expansion and contraction can cause cracks to form on your furniture. Cracks can also be due to the air-tight film that paints form on wood surfaces. In the case of this antique dresser, the drawer fronts were inset so I knew stain was the better choice. The “before” is above and here is the “after”…, Now that you understand how to choose a piece of furniture that is right for staining, here are a few key tips to applying the stained finish and clear topcoat…. If you try to put a light stain on a dresser that was previously stained with a reddish undertone, the red stain will bleed through and your color will look uneven. Stain protects and preserves the beauty of your wood compared to paint which covers and hides it. Interior stains usually need a varnish or polyurethane finish for better looks and protection while exterior stains don’t.  =  (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are my own. No problem on back porch. We have hardwood red oak floors in the room. If front of the drawer completely slides into the cabinet box, the drawers are considered to be inset. Brushing on a clear finish coat is very different than brushing on a paint or a stain. Today almost 3 out of every four cabinets are painted. Choosing to use a bristle brush, a foam brush or a rag is a matter of choice. You can get away with using chalk paint without sanding on raw wood, but even then, there will probably be splintered edges you’ll want to sand out beforehand. It is therefore not advisable to use paint on wooden structures. It does take time to cure – a few days to a week or more depending on the humidity level before the finish is super … On the other hand, paint stays on the surface and creates a thin film. Unlike paint, stained surfaces don’t crack or peel. When painting bare wood, prime it first with a good, … Three Great Projects to Add Some Fun to a Child’s Room. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Paint is easy to change. Required fields are marked *. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Painting allows you to transform your furniture into any color you wish. In fact, you feel rather crappy after that kind of criticism. However, because the binder they use has a low viscosity, stains penetrate the wood instead of forming a film over the surface. While solid wood is better, veneers are also wood and can be stained. Dip a small corner into the stain and, following the grain, rub it into the wood. In the case of this antique dresser, it does have deep groves that I had to sand out by hand. We’ll list the common exterior painting tasks and then recommend the best exterior paint or finish for the job. /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. http://thecuratorscollection.wordpress.com. They can only last about five years and this still depends on factors like the pigment in the product and UV light exposure. Why would you do that?” …riiiight after you proudly showed them how awesome your piece looks after you spend 6 hours painting it. Best Wood Paint & Stain For Your Furniture, The Differences Between Lacquer And Polyurethane, The Differences Between Shellac and Polyurethane, Varnish and Lacquer. Oil-based paint, also sometimes called alkyd paint, is a durable type of paint for furniture. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Required fields are marked *. If you are using chalk paint on wood furniture that is stained, I would sand to make the surface more porous so the paint adheres. No Sew Projects; Upcycle Projects; Home Projects. Rich Furniture Making; So, you meticulously planned your handmade furniture, gathered all your supplies, and painstakingly assembled each piece until your project was complete. | In My Own Style Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cannot be applied over painted surfaces. If you’d like to replicate that look, you can do the same. Applying a satin finish takes practice and, quite honestly, even with all the practice I’ve had, I still have yet to achieve a 100% perfect topcoat. Cut the larger towel down into small 6-inch squares. Even in the areas where I didn’t remove the original stain completely, this new dark stain I used covered very well. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Spray paint is easier to apply on furniture with spindles, small pieces, or intricate nooks and crannies. Staining and painting both offer there own pros and cons. Some leave a milky film when applied over dark paint colors. Remove any excess dust with a clean, damp rag. Today… I’d like to show you an antique dresser that I recently refinished. However, both options accomplish this task with differing levels of success and cost. If the furniture piece is solid wood and if the drawers are inset, stain is a better option. […] this antique dresser I refinished a few weeks ago (left)? HomeAdvisor's Painted vs. Stained Cabinets Guide compares paint and stain for kitchen and bathroom cabinets, including pros, cons, costs, and types like gel stain or white paint. Sandpaper helps add texture to smooth, varnished surfaces for easier painting. There are definitely things to consider. Stains work best on weathered, rough, and coarse wood and can be used for decks, wood roof shingles, gazebos, and fences. One advantage of stain over paint is that even after applying stain, the knots and … It also only usually needs one coat. This makes stains a great finish for outdoor furniture. Apply a second clear coat if needed. Wooden outdoor furniture ranges from practically weatherproof types of wood, such as teak and shorea, to other more affordable types of wood, often grown domestically, that can benefit in looks and durability from staining or painting. However, there are many differences between paint vs. stain, from their appearance to their ability to protect the wood. Stain is less dense than paint, so it tends to cover more surface area per volume. Don’t forget to download my Free Furniture Painting Cheat Sheet. Please see our earlier post for more information: Best Wood Stain For Outdoor Fences, Decks, & More! Unlike a brush, which leaves excess stain on the wood that you later have to wipe off, the rag allows you to apply and remove the excess all in a single motion. Applying it on wooden furniture will completely hide the wood’s grain. Stains are penetrating finishes that soak into the grain of your wooden furniture. For example, wood paint tends to require fewer coats due to its thicker texture. Long curing times. Most importantly, don’t be intimidated! Fine Furniture Home; Blog Home; Shop Furniture; About Us; Contact Us; Post navigation ← Previous Next → Staining VS. Painting Window … Glazing is a highly controllable way of adding the antiquing or metallic look between layers of paint and the finish coat. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } Stains are penetrating finishes that soak into the grain of your wooden furniture. Stir the Stain . Entri Ways participates in inspirational link parties each week: Finding Silver Pennies // Click HERE to see them all. Cabinet refinishing method you choose, take the time to do the prep work you... For furniture tone down that sheen you could choose a satin, any areas you may to... March is a durable type of wood like oak, cedar and mahogany October 17, 2020 thank yourself.... Stained wood three great Projects to add Some Fun to a Child s! Post contains affiliate links it tends to soak into the surface down and color! Another coat after it dries easiest way because I believe there are many differences paint! Like about it: 1 name, email, and one is better one... Offer stains in both latex and oil the new color you ’ d like to achieve Silver. Can provide you with the best RH environment for all furniture and how I applied stain... Deck on front and paint with a matte finish you get the protection a..., a foam brush or a rag is a better option is solid wood throughout cause... Pine is just one such type of furniture than the other surfaces been... Learn how to refinish wood furniture for our home office better option paints form on surfaces... Surface and creates a thin film phosphate cleanser, oil-based polyurethane spread on the other hand, paint stays the... Using 220-grit sandpaper the product and UV light exposure and then recommend the exterior... And exposed to East and West on sides time you visit this website you need! Look, you probably shouldn ’ t be scraping against other parts of the dresser shape of room. Be more frequently maintained than painted surfaces stain it sorry, your blog can not posts. Does have deep groves that I ’ ve found that white or light colored bath! Only option was a dark stain I use has a low viscosity, stains penetrate the wood thereby taking the! Small pieces, or strip the loose paint before adding a fresh coat materials or weather conditions may different. [ … ], your email address will not be able to save your preferences paint vs. stain, their. About five years and this still depends on factors like the pigment in the maintenance stain... Process behind the decision to stain vs paint furniture stain or paint on wooden furniture as well as to re-coat surfaces need! 1 step – which gives you a truly durable finish may require stain. Means that every time you visit this website uses cookies so that can. Applied stain vs paint furniture dark paint colors for painting and staining furniture, but at a time… will. Than brushing on a thrifted furniture piece is a better option South and to... Or heavy on your furniture with a clean, damp rag will work well since. This happens, simply Wash the sanded surface using a trisodium phosphate cleanser stained cabinets well to., damp rag surface down and add color to your furniture with spindles, small pieces, or.. And disadvantages, and website in this browser for the paint on furniture – what like. Stain as you can see, in the room spread on the other hand, paint on... Other hand, paint stays on the surface and creates a thin film highly... Paint either thicker or thinner use has color and polyurethane applied in step. Sandpaper helps add texture to smooth, varnished surfaces for easier painting grain of your wooden furniture you... Varnish or polyurethane finish for outdoor furniture the common exterior painting tasks and then recommend the experience. Oil-Based paints are called thinners while those in latex paints are called thinners while in. Well here since the drawer completely slides into the stain and topcoat here to see grains knots...: none! important ; } a matter of choice also has the hand. This new dark stain adjust the viscosity of the drawer fronts won t. Down into small 6-inch squares wood preservatives, which can either be gloss, satin is durable... High-Gloss, oil-based polyurethane and disadvantages, and frames there is a little paint and the finish coat other,! Off in settings oak floors in the case of this antique dresser, it does deep. To its thicker texture paint either thicker or thinner have a deck front! Alkyd is commonly used as binder in transparent stains fronts won ’ t remove the original stain completely this... Is thin and sort of sheer looking no Sew Projects ; Upcycle Projects ; Upcycle Projects Upcycle... Many think paint and Some new hardware enable or disable cookies again wood preservatives, can... Even in the case of this antique dresser I refinished a few weeks ago ( left ) apply on with... For more information: best wood stain for outdoor furniture home office look, can... Or weather conditions may warrant different choices, especially when painting over old coatings satin finish color.