Oil Based vs Water Based Exterior Wood Stain

If you have wood siding, a deck, outdoor furniture or other exterior wood items that you're planning on painting with an exterior wood stain, and you're wondering whether to use a water-based or an oil-based product, there are important factors you should consider. While paint only coats the surface, a stain, such as varnish, penetrates below the surface. In deciding whether you should use a paint or a stain to cover a surface, you should take these differences into account. Here are 6 tips that will help you choose between a paint and a stain.

Tip 1: Choose a High Quality Stain

If you plan to stain a surface exposed to weather, it's important that you choose a high quality product. The reason for this is that a stain of a higher quality will maintain its beauty longer, even when exposed to UV rays, rain and extreme temperatures.

Tip 2: Old Paint Coating

Look for old coats of stain or paint on the surface you plan to finish. Old stain finishes may be hard to detect and may resemble the natural color of the wood surface on which you'll be applying your new paint or stain. If you're going to stain a surface that has previously been painted or stained with an oil-based product, then a water-based product will better adhere to the surface to be covered.

Tip 3: Consider the Type of Wood

If you're going to stain a surface that has a natural resistance to rotting, such as redwood, cypress or cedar products, a water-based product will be the better choice.

Tip 4: Exposure to Weather

If you're painting a surface on a deck, outdoor furniture or shutters, and if these surfaces will be exposed to sunlight, wind, rain and other outdoor elements, you should use an oil-based stain, because it's more durable.

Tip 5: Advantages of Oil-Based Stains

Oil based stains penetrate the wood better. In addition, they are more durable. Because this type of stain takes longer to dry, the finished product tends to have a more even finish. An advantage from using an oil-based gel stain is that it will not cause the wood grain to raise. By comparison, the oil-based stain doesn't penetrate the wood as well as the gel, and you will need to apply several coats to achieve the same color depth as you would with fewer coats of the gel.

Tip 6: Advantages of Water-Based Stains

Water-based stains are more mildew resistant than oil-based stains. In fact, some oil based stains encourage mildew, so be careful if you're considering purchasing an oil-based stain. Look for a brand that states that it's mildew-resistant.

Other advantages to water-based stains are that they don't produce as much odor or harmful fumes, they are nonflammable, they dry more quickly, retain color better, cleanup requires only soap and water and they are more environmentally friendly because they don't emit VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).