Types of furniture stains
DIY Furniture Repair
There are a variety of brands and types of stain on the market today. It can be confusing deciding which one to use. Understanding a little more about them will help you make a choice.
Stains fall into two basic categories: pigmented stain and dye stain. Both types of stain are usually thin and runny, making them difficult to work with; however, both types are also available in gel form, making them almost foolproof. Manufacturers also offer stains combining both pigment and dye.
Pigmented Stain
Pigmented stains contain thick color pigments that are suspended in the stain solution. The amount of stain color left on the wood can usually be controlled by how the stain is wiped after application. To remove more of the stain color, simply wipe the surface more thoroughly immediately after applying the stain.
There are several reasons to choose a pigmented stain. A variety of pigmented stains are available at paint or hardware stores and home centers, and manufacturers have designed them to be user-friendly. The directions for use are easy to follow and often yield optimal results.
When buying furniture stain, you can't always tell what type of stain you're getting by reading the label. Adding to the confusion, different manufacturers use different names to describe their products. Pigmented stains can be called wiping stain, pigmented oil stain, or penetrating oil stain. The best way to identify the type of stain you're getting is to read the directions for use on the label. For example, water-based pigmented stains will be indicated by label instructions to clean up with water rather than paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Dye Stain
There are three types of dye stain, each determined by its solvent: water soluble, alcohol soluble, and oil soluble. Dye stains are particularly good for coloring wood evenly and enhancing otherwise subtle grain patterns in figured woods like curly maple or fiddleback cherry.
A disadvantage of dye stain is that it fades when exposed to sunlight. Some dye stains can be more difficult to use than pigmented furniture stains, and they're usually harder to find when you try to buy them.
Gel Stain
Gel stains can be classified under either pigmented or dye stains. Thicker in consistency than other kinds of furniture stains, gel stains are easy to apply, produce no drips or runs, are easy to clean up, and provide even color. Just about anybody can use them with satisfactory results.
Pigment-Dye Stain
Some stains contain both pigment and dye. In these stains the dye colors the dense parts of wood that the pigment can't. You can tell a stain contains both pigment and dye if, after all the pigment has settled to the bottom of the container, the liquid part of the stain can still color a light piece of wood.
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