Which Stain is Better: Oil-Based or Water-Based?

     I got an email earlier from Janet asking me this question. I told her it depends on many factors and neither stain is better than the other. I decided to write a post for everyone and send it to Janet as well. 

       In order to decide whether to use an oil-based or water-based stain you have to look at your project and decide what you want to accomplish. Are you naturally clumsy or messy? Serious question that I will explain in a minute. Do you have a well ventilated work space? Do you want to enhance the wood grain? What is your project timeline? How will the wood be used? Answering these questions will help you determine the best stain for your project. 

     I personally prefer to use water-based stain as much as possible for 3 reasons. Water-based stain dries faster, is easier to clean up and doesn't stink as much as oil-based stains. Full disclosure: water-based stains are best for smaller projects as the fast dry time makes them VERY difficult to get streak free results on larger projects. 

     As much as I love water-based stains, there are several downsides to using water-based stain. It doesn't highlight the wood grain as well, doesn't penetrate the wood very deep, and isn't as durable without a topcoat. If used wrong, especially on exterior projects, water-based stain is prone to peeling. While all stain is thin, if you are clumsy or messy, water-based stain is very "watery" and easy to spill and drip everywhere. 

Oil-Based Stain

Pros:

-penetrates deep into the wood

-durable

-highlights the wood grain

-richer, more vibrant color creates a natural, traditional look

-better for exterior projects

Cons:

-very strong odor

-requires solvents to clean up

-slow to dry

-flammable (rags, brushes etc. have to be disposed of properly)

Quick story for everyone about how not to dispose of rags soaked in oil-based stain. I was suppose to pick up a piece of furniture last month. When I arrived, the house had firetrucks in front of it but no fire that I could see so I walked up to the front yard. We went inside so I could pay and grab the table when curiosity got the best of me so I asked "Why are the fire trucks here?" She explained that she had been staining a buffet earlier and sat her rags on top of the trash can in the blazing sun. A few hours later the rags caught on fire and almost burnt her house down! 

Water-Based Stain

Pros:

-dries faster

-easy clean up

-little odor

-more opaque 

Cons:

-doesn't highlight wood grain as well 

-less durable

-can drip or spill easier

-hard to work with on large projects

-prone to peeling, especially on exterior projects

     As you can see, both water-based and oil-based stains have pros and cons to weigh out for each project. Both stains are versatile and suitable for most projects around your home. Let me know in the comments which type of stain you prefer and why?  

     Until next time, remember it is easy to suddenly change stain color, unlike our sinful behaviors. Jeremiah 13:23 "Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil."