I examined fashionable oil-based stains, water-based stains, and gel stains to see which is definitely the very best stain for pine. Plus I’m sharing how a number of fashionable stain colours actually look on pine.
I exploit pine in a whole lot of my DIY constructing initiatives. It’s available at my native dwelling enchancment shops, it is available in all totally different sizes and dimensions, and it’s often method cheaper than every other sort of wooden.
Sadly, pine additionally has some downsides. It’s a fairly comfortable wooden and it’s notoriously troublesome to stain. Pine tends to soak up stain erratically which may result in blotchiness and plenty of coloration variation.
I’ve stained pine fairly a number of instances through the years. Typically I’ve gotten nice outcomes, however there have been different instances after I’ve been fairly disenchanted with the result. So I made a decision it was time to lastly work out which stains truly work finest on pine.
After I began researching what stains different individuals advocate for pine, I discovered that almost all articles and movies had been actually simply exhibiting which Minwax stain colours they like finest on pine. I like Minwax penetrating stain as a lot as every other DIYer, but it surely definitely isn’t the one stain choice on the market. In reality, it isn’t even the one sort of stain on the market.
So as an alternative of simply exhibiting how totally different colours of stain look on pine, I need to share what sort of stain truly works finest on pine. I’m testing three main kinds of stain on pine: oil-based stain, water-based stain, and gel stain to see which of them give the very best end with essentially the most lovely, even, and constant coloration.
After which, sure, in any case that, I’m additionally sharing how totally different coloration stains look on pine. As a result of whereas stain coloration isn’t essentially the most essential factor, it’s nonetheless fairly essential.
I additionally created a Youtube video of this stain take a look at. If you happen to’d fairly watch the video, you could find it on the backside of this publish!
This publish incorporates affiliate hyperlinks which implies when you make a purchase order after clicking a hyperlink I’ll earn a small fee but it surely gained’t price you a penny extra. Click on right here to see my full disclosure coverage.
Testing the stains
To search out out which kind of stain truly offers the very best end on pine, I examined 5 totally different stains on a number of scrap pine boards.
These are the stains I examined:
(I additionally ended up testing a second gel stain, Varathane gel stain, but it surely wasn’t a part of the preliminary group.)
First, I prepped my boards for stain. That is additional essential any time you might be staining pine – it helps reduce down as a lot as doable on unevenness and darkish patches.
I sanded every board with a number of grits of sandpaper, beginning with 80 grit and ending with 240 grit. Then I utilized pre-stain wooden conditioner to every board.
Tip: As you might be shifting from low grit to larger grit sandpaper, don’t skip greater than 60 grit at a time. For instance, you possibly can go from 60 grit to 120 grit in a single step, however not from 60 grit to 150 grit.
One board was handled with Minwax oil-based wood conditionerPre-stain wooden conditioner is an absolute should any time you might be staining pine. It actually helps the stain go on much more evenly.
I used painter’s tape to separate every board into three totally different sections to make it straightforward to inform my totally different stains aside.
Following the directions for every particular stain, I utilized the primary coat and wiped away the surplus. Right here’s how my boards taken care of one coat of stain:
I used to be already beginning to see some variations however I knew I wanted to use a pair extra coats earlier than I may actually make any conclusions.
Listed here are my boards after the second coat:
And after the third and remaining coat:
By the point the third coat of every stain had dried, it was clear there have been some main distinction between the totally different stains I examined.
Notice: One in all my boards was fairly tough to start with and I ended up with fairly a number of sanding marks from dashing the sanding. That is significantly noticeable within the Varathane oil-based stain part. These sanding marks are because of my very own person error and on no account mirror an issue with the stain.
Oil-based stains on pine
First I need to speak in regards to the oil-based stains I examined, since oil-based stain is by far the preferred stain selection. I examined two oil-based stains, Minwax penetrating stain and Varathane premium wood stain.
Oil-based stains are typically additionally known as penetrating stains as a result of they actually penetrate into the wooden. This may give the end extra depth of coloration, however if you find yourself staining pine, it may be a little bit of an issue.
Pine typically absorbs stain very erratically which results in a blotchy, uneven end with random gentle and darkish spots. Prepping your wooden correctly by sanding and utilizing wooden conditioner may also help reduce this blotchiness.
However regardless that I sanded my wooden and used pre-stain wooden conditioner, I nonetheless discovered that the oil-based stains had been the trickiest to get proper. I didn’t have any actually noticeable blotchiness on this take a look at like I’ve seen previously, however there was nonetheless a whole lot of unevenness.
The stain appeared to essentially spotlight any imperfections within the wooden – and with cheap pine, it may be actually troublesome to get your boards utterly good. The knots within the wooden had been very darkish in comparison with the remainder of the end and the stain was additionally additional darkish in a number of locations the place the wooden was a bit break up.
There was additionally a little bit of a stippled look to the wooden, virtually as if there have been tiny white dots all all through the end.
The scratches on this board are because of my very own overzealous sanding, not the stain – simply ignore these.
The oil-based stains additionally gave a far much less saturated coloration than the opposite kinds of stain, though the colour did construct properly with a number of coats of stain. On different kinds of wooden, I might have anticipated all 5 stain colours I was pretty comparable, however you possibly can see the oil-based stains had been a lot lighter on the pine.
A few of the unevenness and imperfections might have been because of errors on my half, however I feel that’s the sticking level for oil-based stains. They’re simply far more troublesome to make use of nicely on pine. Any imperfections within the wooden, any small errors you make making use of it, result in noticeable flaws within the end.
Water-based stains on Pine
The subsequent two stains I examined had been water-based stains: Behr fast drying water-based wood stain and General Finishes water-based wood stain.
Not like oil-based stains that are absorbed into the wooden, water-based stains keep extra on the floor of the wooden. Since pine tends to soak up stain very erratically, I hoped that these stains would possibly give a extra even end since they aren’t actually being absorbed.
Total, I do assume the water-based stains gave a extra even, constant end. There was not one of the whitish stipling that I noticed with the oil-based stains. And the stain additionally didn’t spotlight the imperfections within the wooden or the pine knots. As a substitute, they appeared to mix in significantly better.
I used to be shocked at how a lot the colour of those stains modified as I added extra coats. After the primary coat of stain, I completely hated the colour of the Basic Finishes Vintage Brown stain. It seemed like a mustardy-green coloration, not the great medium brown I used to be anticipating. However, the Behr English Chestnut seemed very muted and grayish. However by the third coat, that they had each turned a pleasant wealthy brown.
In the long run, the colour on each of those stains was a lot richer and extra saturated than the oil-based stains.
Water-based stains dry in a short time which may be each a terrific factor and a tough one. It’s nice if you find yourself attempting to get a challenge achieved shortly as a result of you possibly can add a number of coats of stain inside just some hours. However if you find yourself engaged on staining a big challenge, it may be actually exhausting to use your stain shortly sufficient to forestall it from drying as you might be nonetheless smoothing it out.
Water-based stains will also be a bit extra difficult to use easily. As a result of it sits on prime of the wooden, extra like paint, when you don’t wipe all the surplus away earlier than it dries, you may be left with streaky or darkish wanting patches the place there was a bit an excessive amount of stain build-up.
I did additionally discover a number of variations between the 2 water-based stains I selected. Each gave a pleasant, wealthy coloration, however The Basic Finishes stain undoubtedly gave a extra even end whereas the Behr stain appeared to deliver out the wooden grain extra.
Gel stain on pine
On this preliminary take a look at, I additionally examined on gel stain: General Finishes gel stain.
Like water-based stains, gel stains additionally sit totally on prime of the wooden, fairly than being absorbed. Gel stain has a really totally different texture than different stains, it’s extra of a pudding texture than a liquid. This truly makes it very straightforward to use as a result of the stain is straightforward to manage.
The gel stain went on very evenly from the very first coat. Not like the opposite stains I attempted, the gel stain had a pleasant even, saturated coloration from the start and didn’t change a lot with subsequent coats of stain.
The gel stain additionally gave a really even, constant end. There was no stipling and it didn’t draw consideration to imperfections within the wooden. The wooden grain nonetheless shines by means of clearly, however general the colour and end could be very constant.
One of many large downsides to gel stains is they arrive in a fairly restricted vary of colours in comparison with different kinds of stains. You possibly can layer totally different colours to make new shades of stain, however this works finest for medium to darkish tones. If you’re wanting a particular gentle or grayish tone, it might be exhausting to realize with gel stain.
What’s the Greatest Stain for Pine?
After inspecting the finishes and weighing all the professionals and cons, I’ve to declare gel stain the very best stain for pine.
I do know there are most likely grasp carpenters on the market who’re throwing up their arms in dismay on the thought anybody would declare gel stain the very best. However then once more, grasp carpenters most likely aren’t actually constructing a lot with pine as a result of it actually isn’t the very best wooden both.
However for all the remainder of use who’re out right here constructing a bunch of stuff out of pine as a result of it’s essentially the most reasonably priced wooden, gel stain is a superb choice.
It’s very straightforward to use, offers a pleasant constant end, and makes it straightforward to get wealthy, saturated colours.
Gel stains do are available a restricted coloration palette, so my second selection could be to make use of an excellent water-based stain. They require a bit extra care to use, however nonetheless give a pleasant, even end and sometimes assist masks the imperfections in pine.
And when you simply actually love utilizing oil-based stain, it could actually additionally work. Simply know that will probably be trickier to use and your outcomes are going to be far more unpredictable.
Additionally, remember that most stain colours will go on pine wanting a number of shades lighter than the marketed coloration and it may be very troublesome to get darker, extra saturated colours on pine with an oil-based stain.
Gel stain colours on pine
After doing a little bit of poking round on-line, I discovered that there are only a few good examples of how totally different gel stains look on pine. Most pattern pictures present gel stain on maple or oak, since these woods are extra fashionable with skilled woodworkers.
However the identical coloration of stain can look utterly totally different on several types of wooden. It could possibly look a lot darker or lighter and now have totally different undertones. So I grabbed a number of extra cans of gel stain that I need to attempt on future initiatives and made a pattern board exhibiting how every coloration appears on pine.
The gel stains present from left to proper are:
The Brown Mahogany undoubtedly has noticeable purple undertones, whereas the Vintage Walnut is extra of a straight brown.
The three lighter colours I examined are all pretty comparable, although the American oak has a bit extra of a yellow undertone which could learn extra orange at instances.
Of those 5 shades, my private favorites are the Vintage Walnut and Colonial Maple, although I undoubtedly need to check out the Varathane gel stain a bit extra as nicely.
The Varathane gel stain appeared similar to the Basic Finishes gel stain in a whole lot of methods, although it did appear to present extra coloration variation round knots and imperfections. However it’s round half the price of the Basic Finishes stain, so in case you are on the lookout for a budget-friendly various, it’s undoubtedly price a attempt.
Now that I’ve received my stain all squared away, I’m very excited to dive into staining a desk prime I simply constructed! I’ll be sharing tons extra element on how you can stain pine for the very best outcomes quickly.
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