More and more people are into the “natural look”, more so with outdoor furniture.

Most of the time, it is wood work that has those people fascinated, like garden chairs, swings, tables, chairs, etc. How then, do we make these treasured items more natural and protected?

Finishes would be the answer, but what kind? There are stains, paints, and bleaches. To achieve that “natural look” however, stains are commonly used.

Stains such as varnishes and urethanes cannot penetrate the wood. They do not have the permanence to extend the life of the wood. It has to be renewed in a year or two. Because of this handicap, moisture cannot escape the wood, thereby resulting to cracks and blisters.

On the other hand, there are those penetrating wood stain colors that give the much sought after “natural look” and protection. There is no peeling or blistering as with those non-penetrating agents. These exterior and outer penetrating wood stain colors are good with many types of wood, especially those with unusual characteristics, like texture, knots and siding that is exposed to weather that could sometimes be severe. Many exterior and outer penetrating wood stain colors have water repellants and ingredients that inhibit the proliferation of rot and mildew. There are three types: the transparent, the semi-transparent, and the opaque.

Transparent Exterior and Outdoor Penetrating Wood Stain Colors

They do not contain pigments. They do have features like being water repellant that protect the wood all the while making sure that the natural coloration is not hidden, and that the natural color change process is slowed.

Semitransparent Exterior and Outdoor Penetrating Wood Stain Colors

These are less “natural looking” because of the added pigments, but are still as beautiful as the transparent one. They change the original wood color and alter, just a little bit, the wood’s characteristics, like grain and knots.
The semitransparent exterior and outdoor penetrating wood stain colors are more durable as compared to the transparent ones.

Opaque Exterior and Outdoor Penetrating Wood Stain Colors

They have high pigment concentration and hide the color and grain of the wood completely. Though the surface texture remains the same, the opaque exterior and outdoor penetrating wood stain colors acts like paint, and cannot penetrate the wood as deep as the transparent and the semitransparent exterior and outdoor penetrating wood stain colors.

Make sure to apply the stains on clean, dry surface of the wood. For excellent results, the stiff bristle brush should be used to remove those annoying surface dust, dirt, and loose fibers.