Does oil-based stain have a shelf life?

Does oil-based stain have a shelf life?

According to Rockler, manufacturers of wood stains that are oil, water or solvent based say the stains have a general shelf life of three years. Three years is a good baseline if you're looking for one, but the truth is, with proper care and storage, wood stain can last much longer.

Do you have to seal wood after staining?

Well, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Let’s just say that staining your wood and not sealing it doesn’t completely finish the job. With that said, keep reading to get more information about applying wood stain sealer. Do You Have to Seal Stained Wood?

Which is better oil based stain or water based sealer?

Oil stains are considered to be a longer lasting finish. They do penetrate deeper into the grain of the wood. You historically no not have to reapply it as often as water based finishes. Now that you have some more facts we hope you can choose the type of stain or sealer (the above also applies to sealers)...

What's the difference between a stain and a seal?

Unlike sealers, stains penetrate into the wood. Like the name suggests, a wood stain contains pigments that physically change the wood’s color. This gives the wood protection against harmful UV rays.

Do you need to top coat oil based stain?

When you abrade a wooden surface that has pigment or dye in it, that color will often transfer to the abrading surface. Even cloth abrades wood. The color will last longer and the surfaces in contact will be protected if you topcoat. Even with two coats, a simple scratch on uncoated stained wood often leaves a light stripe.