To Paint Or To Stain

Wood has been around for thousands of years. It has been used by our ancestors to build their homes and to furnish it. We still use wood to build our homes and to furnish it as well. That’s why you see wooden houses and furniture wherever you go.

The problem with wood is that unless it has aged for some time, it is highly susceptible to the elements. This is especially true of wood that is outside such as those in your deck or that garden furniture that you have. Even indoor furniture that is made out of wood will eventually look worn if left unprotected.

In order to protect the wood you have two options. The first option is to paint the wooden parts. The second option is to stain them instead. While both have similarities they also function in quite different ways.

Paint acts like a protective cover for the wood. It does this by forming a thin film on top of the wood. This film is what protects the wood from the elements. The surface of the wood usually becomes nice and even because the paint fills in whatever crevices there are in the wood.

Paint is good if the wood surface has many blemishes. By painting over the surface you often don’t need to really sand the wood down in order to get a fine finish – simply painting over it will do. Because different parts of the wood have different absorption levels it is highly recommended you lay down a coat or two of primer first before the final color. This will ensure that the actual paint gets absorbed evenly so that there’s no darker or lighter surface once everything is dry.

Stain on the other hand does things a little differently. You do coat the wood surface with the stain. However, unlike paint, the stain doesn’t stay on the surface – it basically soaks into the wood.

This means that it protects the wood from a deeper level. However, since it doesn’t create a protective film over the surface of the wood, whatever blemishes the wood has will be seen. In fact, in many cases the stain enhances those blemishes making them that much more visible.

In order to make things look smooth you need to really even out the surface and finish it off with sandpaper before you stain it. As with paint, the stain can get absorbed at different rates within the wood. It can also lead to spots of light stain and areas with heavier stain. You want to use a sealant on the wood first in order to ensure even stain absorption.

Stain has the advantage over pain when it comes to the natural look. Because the wood is not covered you will still be able to see its natural grain. You don’t need to use a primer either. Once the wood has been finished smooth you can stain it. Since the stain is absorbed there’s no peeling or flaking after some time has passed.

However, you do need to redo the stain regularly, especially on wooden pieces that are exposed to the elements. Paint also has a lot more choices when it comes to color. Stain has only a few.

Also, batching is very important when it comes to stains. If you will be using more than one can or bottle you want to make sure all of your stains were mixed in the same batch else you might see unbalanced staining even with a sealant.

*Photo Credit to the Owner