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Timber Stains

If you have a timber flooring, a timber stain can be a great way of highlighting its natural features, while still protecting the floor.  Read on to learn more about your options.

What is a Timber Stain?

A timber stain is a fluid that is used to colour a surface by penetrating into the substrate without obscuring it.  Normally, it is applied to bare timber to enhance the beauty of the natural grain or to improve the appearance of lower grade timbers to imitate higher grade timbers.  You can use stains to colour match different timbers to create a more harmonious look.  The different types of stains are:

• Water stain – this is made up of vegetable dyes dissolved in boiling water.  Modern water stains use acrylic resin.
• Spirit stain – is made up of spirit soluble dyes in a solution of industrial alcohol.
• Oil stain – is made up of ground semi transparent pigments that are mixed with linseed oil and thinned with turpentine.
• Varnish stain – is a pigmented hard varnish, which when applied leaves a coating on the substrate surface.

Choosing a Timber Stain

Timber stains come in a range of colours, and depending on the colour of the timber that is being stained, can modify the natural colour of the timber.  However, if you are staining in order to change the timber’s colour, be aware that you may not be able to revert to the natural colour in future. 

There are two ways of staining a timber floor.  You can mix the stain in with a clear finish, which can be applied through all three coatings.  This will suit your own taste.  You can also hand stain directly onto the timber, which will give the floor a much deeper appearance.  The timber that you are staining will ultimately determine the final colour.  No matter which method you use, the natural characteristics of the timber will always be apparent.

Using Different Finishes and Stains

Stains can be oil or water based.  It is possible to use a water based finish over an oil based stain and vice versa but there are some things that you will need to look out for.  It is imperative that you allow the stain to dry thoroughly.  Follow the recommended curing time from the manufacturer or let the floor dry for at least 72 hours – whichever is longer.  Also test the finish in an inconspicuous area before you begin the full project.  This lets you see how the floor will look and if the finishes are truly compatible.

Things to be Aware of with Timber Stains

A stained floor can become blotchy if you have not removed all of the contaminates from the floor before staining – such as old coatings, wax or stearates.  Blotchiness can also occur when the stain penetrates unevenly into the timber surface, or when the stain dries too quickly.  These generally occur with water based stains.  Oil based stains rarely blotch, but can do so if applied to pine or other soft woods.

Be aware that old timber will result in a darker stain relative to new timber.  The stained colour will not block variations in the inherent timber except for when you are using a dark coloured stain.  The more porous the timber, the darker the stain will appear.  The stain will always appear richer when a clear varnish is applied on top.

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