Wood stain
The vehicle often may be water, alcohol, a petroleum distillate, or a finishing agent such as shellac, lacquer, varnish and polyurethane.
As a result, usually pigment-containing stains will also include a small amount of a 'binder' which helps to adhere the pigments to the wood.
A combination of coffee and vinegar or water is a natural alternative to synthetic wood stain.
Stains are differentiated from varnishes in that the latter usually has no significant added colour or pigment and is designed primarily to form a protective surface film.
They are designed to penetrate better and contain binders that are softer and more flexible, allowing them to last longer than harder, more brittle paints.
Certain solvent-based or oil-based siding stains contain small amounts of paraffin wax, which cannot be painted over, although re-staining is still possible.
This property allows more control during application, particularly when the wood is in a vertical position, which can often cause traditional liquid stains to run, drip, or pool.
Woods that have been heavily subjected to paint strippers or washed down with detergents or solvents will have an increased open grain and accept substantially more stain than normal.
For example, although medium-to-dark stains tend to look blotchy on maple, they get deeper and more glowing on cherry, with a more consistent colouration.
[3] Stains that are fast drying will be difficult to apply in hot weather or in direct sunlight.
Stains that are slow-drying will be difficult to work with in damp and cold conditions due to a greatly lengthened evaporation and curing period.
New lumber, such as pine, can have waxlike sealants put on at the mill that will prevent proper staining; stripping or sanding the surface may be required.
White stain on a bare softwood or oak floor might require a final 'prep' sanding by hand with an orbital/vibrating sander with 80 or 100 grit, whereas certain hardwoods might be orbitally or hand sanded with 220 grit and higher for a darkish organic stain on furniture.
