Paint, on the other hand, is a much thicker film that solid stain. As nouns the difference between paint and stain is that paint is a substance that is applied as a liquid or paste, and dries into a solid coating that protects or adds color/colour to an object or surface to which it has been applied while stain is a discoloured spot or area. Read more. However, if you check inside, there are so many differences between solid stain and paint. The chief advantage of stain v/s paint is that stain provides a natural look and usually will not peel and chip like a paint film. The right level of opacity depends on the type of surface and your personal preference. But this is simply not true. Both are available in basically the same colors and protect wood from sunlight and water. Both are films that sit on the surface of a substrate. The boards are drying out and cracking quickly . The solid really looks like paint. 410-922-9703 Fax, "Just wanted to say thanks for a job well done. One should also apply paint over a primed surface in order to get the best result. Most people would say the houses were painted and wouldn't know it was solid stain. Acrylic stains are generally similar to paints. The truth is, not much! Solid Color Stain. Stain is always thinner than paint and when stain is applied on a surface, it tends to soak into the surface. Consider us satisfied customers!" And paint is used when the surface is smooth or you want the longest-lasting coating to protect your wood. One of my exterior paint guys uses the Cabot stains in solid instead of paint on pretty much any wood house that doesn't already have paint on it. On a deck surface, a stain penetrates so that you avoid creating a wear layer (as a paint would). We learned our hard lessons a long time ago! Doors create a barrier and help to separate spaces between internal rooms to the exterior of your house. An exterior paint application can last anywhere from 5-10 years, depending on the quality of surface preparation and the quality of the paint product. Paint is often more expensive, but gives more versatility in color options. — David Speelman. A solid stain will better accentuate the texture of the wood, so a rough surface likely calls for stain over paint. Exterior Solid Stains Solid Color Stain vs. Stain contains significantly less pigment than paint. [email protected] Stain protects and preserves the beauty of your wood compared to paint which covers and hides it. Stain offers a natural look. Since it’s thinner than paint, it seeps into the surface, which can enhance the natural beauty of your wood. A solid stain is, essentially, a paint. Unlike solid stain, paint has more color choices and is available in various sheens. Transparent stains are made to soak into the wood surface you’re finishing, whereas solid stains simply sit on wood surfaces and produce a thin film for protection. If you have a highly absorbent surface, it may require more stain than you planned on. Stain wears away gradually for periodic re-coating. If you are using a light color over a tannin wood (cedar or redwood), sometimes a primer is indeed necessary. These stains have been likened to a wood finish, rather than a stain, and that is a very accurate description. Semitransparent stains . Site developed by Silesky & Company, LLC. When it comes to finishing exterior-wood surfaces, both latex paint and latex solid stains are potential choices. Offering a touch of color but allowing the wood’s unique characteristics and patterns to shine through, semi-transparent stains … Solid stain is, essentially, a paint. Solid stains are able to resist cracking, peeling, and blistering if applied according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Ragsdale, Inc. | 709 Sheridan Rd, Lake Bluff, IL 60044 | (847) 234-4567. A solid latex stain will not penetrate any better than a paint would - both are opaque but the stain has less resin than the paint and therefore forms a thinner film. Exterior Siding - Paint Vs. Stain. Painting Vs. Staining. Paint also provides a broader color range. Paint coats, stain penetrates. Solid stains are nearly indistinguishable from paint. Start with the substrate – is the wood rough or smooth? Ragsdale, Inc. has been in the business of exterior surface restoration and finishing for over 35 years. Like topcoat finishes, this can lead to the wood becoming chipped and flaked. Deck paint creates a thick layer over the wood surface. 443-576-3005 Tel Most of us notice the difference between paint and stain when we open the can because stain is always thinner than paint. Unlike paint, stain doesn’t steal the spotlight from your wood’s natural character. A penetrating stain differs from a solid stain entirely in that the product actually absorbs into the wood. I have a deck on front porch stained it with Cabot a good stain. COVID-19 Notice - In-person and video estimates available! If you buy a true, solid-color stain, it won’t penetrate wood in the same way that some thinner stains would. And always remember that mistakes are easily made, but not easily fixed (and can be unbelievably costly). Wood siding is a durable and attractive siding material, but it requires protection from sunlight and moisture. The main similarity between stain and paint is that they both provide protection, while adding colour to the wood. © Sheldon & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. The primary visual difference is that solid stain has no sheen and does not reflect light. Pigment not only adds color to wood finishing product, but also blocks lights and prevents a wood deck from weathering. Additionally, a degraded stained surface is typically less work to prepare than a degraded painted surface, so you can expect that less labor will be involved when it comes time to re-stain. There is a common misconception that stain doesn’t need re-doing. Pro: Stain Showcases More Wood Features Stain strikes a good balance between color and texture. Wood stain, transparent to semi-solid in opacity, partially fills the pores … This is a definitive plus for many homeowners. Whether you finish coat the wood with solid stain or with paint, keep in mind that both require the wood be primed first. Semi-transparent oil stains won’t last as long. Concrete stain embeds the surface to color it translucently, while opaque concrete paint covers the top of the concrete but is subject to chipping and peeling when improperly applied. This allows it to bridge cracks and imperfections in the substrate, resulting in a smoother finished surface. We get this same question year after year. Latex paint vs. solid stain. Stain will generally have less pigment than paint. … While it is necessary to clean the concrete to apply both stain and paint, that is where the similarities end. A penetrating stain differs from a solid stain entirely in that the product actually absorbs into the wood. The game changing difference between staining and painting? When first opening a can of stain or paint, the noticeable difference between the two is that stain has a thinner consistency. You will notice a big difference between concrete paint and stain during the application process. However, a penetrating stain entirely differs from a solid stain in which the paint actually absorbs into the wood. To further understand these important differences, think of a solid-color stain as having similar ingredients, but usually in a different quantity. There are also a variety of sheens and mattes for paint, so you can pick the style you want to use in just about any color. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. While paint and solid stain may look the same to the naked eye, the inside story is quite different. For this reason, low-lustre paint isn’t usually the best choice for rough surfaces. Paint Coats: Painting coats the top of wood with a latex-based solid color. Stain goes on generally with a sprayer but paint is brushed and rolled on. Paint peeling requires extensive scraping. To determine which product is right for a given project, there are a number of different things to consider. With stain, no priming job is required and it usually requires only one coat. On the other hand, paint stays on the surface and creates a thin film. Sheldon & Sons, Inc. Solid color deck stain and paint contain similar compounds in different quantities. Film-forming finishes like paint and solid stains last longer and have stronger colors, but will inevitably peel and require more effort to renew. With solid stain, you need minimum or no surface preparation and primers are not always required. Additionally, paint generally comes in more colors than stain and often costs more money per gallon. (615) 829-6858. On the other hand, paint stays on the surface and creates a thin film. Hence, solid stain is less time consuming to apply on a surface. They were very considerate of our needs and met or exceeded our every expectation. Stained surface often need to be re-coated just as you do as any of your painted surfaces. Be sure to hire a pro for the job the first time around! Applying a stain is a bit trickier than sealers, and is best left to professionals. Solid stains provide a thick, colored film that can be made to match or coordinate with the colors of your home siding. Stains are also a cost-effective choice and they require very low maintenance cost. Stain is always thinner than paint and when stain is applied on a surface, it tends to soak into the surface. However, if you check inside, there are so many differences between solid stain and paint. Solid color stains are non-penetrating, meaning that they lay upon the surface of the wood rather than bonding with it. Stain has a flat finish as it soaks into the wood whereas a paint has a variety of finish options with varying sheens. What is The Difference between Solid Stain and Paint? While both solid and transparent deck stain can be made of similar ingredients including pigments, transparent stain is much thinner than solid stain. The trade-offs between paints and stains are the same for fences as for decks (see “Decks,” below). Concrete stains go on quicker, dry faster and take less work than concrete paint, but … As a result, there is a higher risk of the paint peeling since it is common for wood to swell and expand due to weather conditions. It faces South and exposed to East and West on sides . If you look at paint and stain, they both look the same. Nevertheless, paint can be applied on wood and many other surfaces like plastic and stucco. Paint that is applied according to the manufacturer’s direction will last longer than stain. Stain only comes in flat sheen and it cannot be applied over a painted surface. At a glance, you likely won’t notice the difference between the two once dried. Stain is composed of pigments and other ingredients that perform the same things as they do in paint. Older layers of solid color stain tend to look better than paint does over time. On the other hand, solid stain can be easily applied and recoated. As it ages, stain breaks down by fading rather than peeling. A solid stain is, essentially, a paint. Exterior Paint & Solid Stain – What’s the Difference. Read more. The disadvantage here is that solid stains are very flat and thus are typically less durable than paint. To determine which product is right for a given project, there are a number of different things to consider. However, increasing sheen level also increases the visibility of substrate imperfections. However, there are a number of intrinsic differences, the main one being that paint lies on the surface of the item being painted, whereas stain is absorbed into it. If you’re looking for a worry-free experience, give us a call. The main difference between paint and stain is that paint sits on top of the surface rather than seeping into the surface. Both stain and paint are applied on a surface with a purpose to provide protection and add color. Paint and solid stain are both opaque. Should you paint or stain your doors? We recommend a low-lustre sheen on most exterior surfaces – it wears the best with weather conditions. However, solid stain will provide more protection to wood surface by letting the moisture escape. Stain usually soaks into the surface, while paint sits on the surface –coloring it. Just like regular paint, solid stains hide the grain of wood, and the best should last three to five years on a deck, the longest of the three types of stains. When applied to a piece of wood, the stain soaks into the wood whereas the paint sits on the surface. It is partialy covered over Front door . When you apply stain, you will notice that it tends to soak into the surface, whereas paint sits on the surface, coloring the substrate, or to become part of the substrate as color. If applied professionally, paints are likely to provide color uniformity and offer various degrees of sheens. Solid stains create a darker, uniform look and cover most of the wood’s natural elements like paint. Solid stains are most often used when the wood is rough, or when you want to accentuate the wood texture. Paint is more expensive and is more time consuming to apply on a surface. Why Caulking is Important for the Exterior of Your House. The main difference between deck stain vs deck paint is the thickness of the covering. Both solid stain and paint are films that sit on the surface of a substrate. There are many different types of stains, ranging from transparent stains, to semi-transparent stains, to solid stains. Solid color stain looks like paint, but soaks into wood instead of sitting on top of it. Both are films that sit on the surface of a substrate. The key difference between a solid stain and a paint is that the solid stain is thinner than paint (think of the consistency of shampoo versus molasses for example). But according to manufacturers, there are a couple of differences. One thought on “ The Differences Between Paint And Stain ” PHILLIP TILLERY says: April 28, 2019 at 8:10 pm. As a result the finish lasts longer (where with a paint, it would have to be repainted periodically, depending on the climate). As a result, the solid stain penetrates into the wood surface better than a paint. How to Pressure Wash Asphalt Roof to Remove Ugly Stains? As verbs the difference between paint and stain is that paint is to apply paint to while stain is to discolour something. You can still expect 6-8 years of longevity out of a properly executed exterior stain application. So while paint and solid stain is essentially the same type of coating, there are differences that lead to different uses. Solid stain shows all that beautiful … For the most part, paint and solid stain are the same in appearance. It sits on the surface and covers the wood completely, leaving a smooth and solid colored surface. Traditional Paint. 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