When the weather warms up in spring, many homeowners look outdoors for potential home improvement projects. Often, these projects involve building new wood structures, such as a deck, that can enhance those homeowners’ ability to enjoy their outdoor space.
Undertaking such a project on your own can be time-consuming, but also very rewarding.
That being said, many DIYers underestimate the steps needed to create a lasting outdoor wooden structure. Most notably, some DIYers overlook the need to “finish” their completed deck with a stain in order to protect it against the elements.
Stained wood also has an unbeatable aesthetic appeal that cannot be rivaled by “naked” wood alone.
There are a variety of outdoor wood stain options available today, including those that are oil- or water-based.
These two types are often confused for one another, so this guide will dig into their key differences. This guide will also highlight different types of projects wherein using either stain may help enhance the long-term durability and beauty of your new outdoor wood structure.
Oil- and Water-Based Stains: The Basics
Before we get into the differences between oil- and water-based stains, let’s take a moment to understand each of these stain types in their most basic form. From there, you’ll be better able to understand where these stain types practically differ and overlap:
What Is Oil-Based Stain?
To start off with, oil-based stains are among the most commonly used in residential applications today.
For most DIYers, the color and appearance of an oil-based stain will fit their general idea of a “wood stain” in general. To that end, many oil-based stains have a dark, rich hue. This is a result of the specialized seed oils included in their composition, as well as the presence of mineral spirits that act as a medium.
In terms of application, oil-based stains tend to go on smoothly while requiring an extra amount of drying time between coats.
As a tradeoff, though, they tend to penetrate deeper into unfinished wood, which in turn creates a more lasting bond. Over time, this type of stain is also fairly resistant to peeling, including in environments with extreme hot and cold weather.
What Is Water-Based Stain?
Water-based wood stains are less common in residential applications but are still considered very useful in certain situations.
For example, DIYers who are looking to complete their staining job in short order often use water-based stains. This is because they dry much faster and often don’t require the excess stain to be whipped away prior to the drying processes concluding.
As for their composition, water-based stains use similar colorants as their oil-based counterparts (though usually in lower volumes to create lighter hues). However, they instead use water as a thinning agent and medium.
As a result, water-based stains are far more resistant to mildew over time. They also do not emit VOC, which is known to be harmful to the environment.
Oil- vs. Water-Based Stain: What Are the Differences?
Now that you know the basics, let’s zoom into the differences between the two.
Drying Speed
When it comes to performing DIY staining jobs, one of the first questions DIYers ask relates to the amount of time a given stain takes to dry. This is only natural given that oil- and water-based stains differ noticeably on this front.
To that end, water-based stains are well-known for their quick-drying action. When they are used, they can often dry in just around an hour or more – especially when the newly-stained surface is exposed to direct sunlight.
Meanwhile, oil-based stains take far longer to dry out properly.
In general, a single coat of oil-based stain can take half a day to dry out entirely. However, application in low-moisture and high-sunlight environments can help speed up that process. Also, some oil-based stains now include specialized drying agents that cut down on their drying time when applied in an appropriately thin layer.
Durability
Durability can also be an important factor to consider when comparing your wood stain options. After all, you’ll want to pick out a stain option that can stand up to the wear and tear of your local environment.
In most cases, oil-based wood stains will be able to accomplish that task without trouble. Their formula creates a more resilient barrier against the elements, thus ensuring that moisture and extreme temperatures do not weaken your wood structure.
Meanwhile, water-based stains have their own durability advantages. First of all, their composition makes them more resistant to mildew. That being said, these stains are still considered the weaker of the two main options, especially in extreme temperature environments.
So, this kind of stain can best be used in situations where moisture and mildew are more likely to threaten your wood structure.
Level of Penetration
As an extension of overall durability, a DIYer like you may also want to pay close attention to a stain’s level of penetration. This specification indicates how deeply the stain in question enters the wood’s structure, thus indicating the strength of its shielding.
Oil-based stains almost always penetrate deeper in this way, while water-based stains tend to remain closer to the surface.
Ease of Application
Both oil- and water-based stains are applied to wood in a similar manner. To be specific, brushes can be used to efficiently apply either type of stain over a large area. However, these two stain types differ when it comes to the post-application process. To be specific, water-based stains typically require successive coats, while oil-based stains require excess stain to be removed (via a rag) to prevent an uneven drying process.
Which of the Two Should You Use?
When it comes time to make use of either of these wood stain types, you should choose one or the other based upon the type of project you are undertaking.
For example, any outdoor or exterior structure – such as a deck – should be completed with an oil-based stain. This includes any furniture that will be outside most of the time, such as a wooden outdoor table and chair set. (To learn how to refinish your deck, read this article.)
Meanwhile, if your new wood structure will live primarily indoors, a water-based stain should be sufficient. To that end, indoor dining tables and chairs will be well-protected by a water-based stain. Even your indoor hardwood floors will be provided plenty of protection if they are coated by a water-based stain.
Summary
When placed side-by-side, you might not immediately be able to tell an oil-based wood stain and a water-based wood stain apart. But when it comes to their application and long-term durability, there are clear differences between these two options.
Be sure to really familiarize yourself with these differences so that you are able to choose the right wood stain for your next wood-based DIY project.