Wood protection stain | Protection for indoors & outdoors

Wood stain: uses, differences & more

Wood is one of the most popular building materials. No wonder – its natural beauty is visually impressive and its uses are versatile. Untreated wood, especially outdoors, is exposed to the weather every day. Sun, rain, but also pests and insect infestation take their toll on the material. Even indoors, wooden surfaces need special wood protection and regular care. This is the only way to ensure that outdoor furniture, chests of drawers and the like continue to look their best for a long time. Wood protection products such as wood protection stains, wood oils and wood protection paints act as a protective layer. Weather, insects and fungi no longer stand a chance, while breathability is maintained and the natural grain is revealed.
Here we give you application tips and explain how to protect your wood with wood stains and which products are suitable for which purpose.

What is wood preservative stain and what do I use it for?

A wood protection stain is a product that protects wood indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, it protects against weather, UV radiation, fungi and wood-destroying insects. Indoors, it protects furniture from everyday wear and tear and emphasizes the natural grain. Unlike varnishes, it does not cover the surface but preserves the natural appearance of the wood and lets it breathe by keeping the pores open.

Thin-layer stains

Thin-layer stains have a liquid consistency. They are open-pored and colourless. Because the wood preservative stain has properties similar to water, it can penetrate deep into the wood.

Advantages:

Can be renewed at any time.
Smooth, silky-gloss finish highlights the grain
No flaking.
Good weather protection for timber façades.
Low binder content.

Disadvantages:

Difficult to handle due to liquid consistency.
High solvent content.
The material can still absorb moisture from rain and ground contact, which can lead to weathering if maintenance is inadequate.

High-build wood stains

Substrates have to withstand a number of challenges every day. In some cases, the stress is extremely high. With special floor paints, you can make mineral substrates hard-wearing and easier to clean. Depending on the floor type and how it is used, different floor paints are suitable. If you want to paint concrete, for example in basements or garages, you can choose between 1K and 2K concrete paint. Wooden floors, on the other hand, require special water-based wood paints, which often come in natural shades. What are the advantages of floor paints, how does the color tone affect the spatial impression, what do I need to consider for garage floors, and how are the coatings applied? You’ll find all this information here!

Various areas of application: indoors & outdoors

Interior wood preservative stain

Wood stains for interior and exterior use have different properties and requirements. Interior wood stains are solvent-free and free from harmful substances, but usually not weather-resistant. They protect against moisture and dust, highlight the natural grain and care for the wood. These coatings are often available in various stain colours and are used for doors, furniture, wooden ceilings, windows and floors to prevent swelling.

Exterior wood preservative stain

An exterior wood preservative stain must be weather-resistant and provide not only care but above all protection. Solvent-based coatings protect furniture and similar objects outdoors from moisture, sunlight, mould, rot, weathering as well as fungi and insect infestation. These exterior wood stains make the material resistant to weather conditions and greying, contain fungicides and biocides and are therefore not suitable for indoor use, but exclusively for outdoor use.

In brief: dimensionally stable and non-dimensionally stable components

When it comes to types of wood stains, you’ll often hear about dimensionally stable and non-dimensionally stable components. You’ll frequently find these notes on products or in product descriptions, including on BAUFIX wood preservative stains and wood care products.

Dimensionally stable wooden components such as windows and doors retain their dimensions despite temperature fluctuations and high humidity. Thin-layer wood stains are ideal for these components because they are open-pored and penetrate deeply. Non-dimensionally stable wooden components, such as wood façades and fences, change their dimensions because the wood moves. Here, thick-layer stains are suitable, as they form a protective film. Limited dimensionally stable components, such as wooden houses and shutters, can change to a certain extent. Thin- to medium-layer wood stains are suitable for these.

1. Preparation

If you want to stain wood outdoors, the outside temperature should be above 5 degrees Celsius. At lower temperatures, the pores of the wood are tighter and its absorbency is reduced. First remove dust and dirt from the wood surface. Use a sander, sandpaper or a wire brush to pre-treat the surface and remove old coatings. Old paint residues can remain if they are firm and sound. Any resin that seeps out can be removed with universal thinner.

2. Choosing the right brush

Choose a solvent-resistant brush for solvent-based wood stains. If you are working with a water-based product, use a brush designed for water-based paints.

3. Priming / impregnating

For a smooth and flawless result, a wood protection primer is recommended, for example with BAUFIX wood protection primer for hardwoods and softwoods.

4. First coat

Stir the wood stain thoroughly with a stirring stick to achieve an even consistency. Then apply the stain evenly in the direction of the wood grain.

5. Drying time

Allow the first coat to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. This usually takes several hours or overnight.

6. Second coat

Apply a second coat of wood preservative stain to increase protection and colour depth. Allow this coat to dry completely as well.

Does the wood need a primer beforehand?

As a general rule: outdoors, where wood is exposed to the weather and is being treated with wood preservative stain for the first time, it is advisable to apply a wood primer. This ensures that the material later absorbs the stain well and evenly. The primer also levels out any irregularities that would otherwise show up unattractively without this preparatory work. A smooth surface is guaranteed. Otherwise, a primer is not necessary for most wood preservative stains, such as those used indoors.

How do you remove old wood stains?

The decisive factor is whether it is a thin-layer wood preservative stain or a thick-layer wood preservative stain. Thin-layer wood stains penetrate deeply into the wood after application and are therefore difficult to remove. With a thin layer, it is advisable to leave the old coating and simply apply a new primer.
Thick-layer wood stains form water-repellent, opaque surfaces similar to varnishes and will flake off over time. The old coating can therefore easily be sanded, stripped, stained or removed with warm air. Once sanded and re-primed outdoors, the new coat can be applied with a brush. We advise against simply painting over it.

Yellow tones are said to be stimulating, creative, cheerful, and uplifting. It’s no coincidence that we associate this color with lightness and sunshine. With strong yellow shades, you can create real eye-catchers in the living room, while muted variants are a little more restrained. Combining them with, for example, grey softens the effect. Yellow tones are suitable as wall colors for living rooms with little daylight or even as a ceiling color. Anyone who has a work area in the living room will benefit from their activating and creative effect.

What should I look out for when buying wood preservative stains? Colour shade

Wood protection stains, such as the BAUFIX Decorative Long-Term Stain, are available in various shades that often resemble wood types such as mahogany, teak, pine or walnut. There are also white, gray and brown variants. Clear stains are particularly popular because they beautifully highlight the grain. The choice of color tone depends on personal taste.

Pre-cleaning

Wood stains can be water-based or solvent-based. Solvent-based stains are suitable for outdoor use, as they can release fumes. Because solvents often trigger allergies in enclosed spaces, they are not suitable for interiors. Water-based wood preservatives are ideal for living spaces. A great way to protect wood in homes and apartments with a clear conscience is the BAUFIX natural interior wood stain. This wood protection stain is a natural wood stain based on sustainable raw materials such as linseed oil varnish and natural resin.

Protective properties

Our white wall paint:

Drying time

Drying time varies depending on the manufacturer and product. A surface can be touch-dry after just 30 minutes, while full drying can take up to 12 hours. On average, drying time is between two and four hours. With the BAUFIX Dekor Long-Term Protection, you can repaint after 30 minutes.

Consumption and application

Here’s an easy rule of thumb: you need 100 millilitres of undiluted wood preservative per square metre. For very porous surfaces, double the amount. Product information often includes notes on consumption. If you want intense colors or to really highlight the grain, it may be worth applying several coats.

Wood oils for a natural wood look indoors

Environmentally friendly wood oils such as BAUFIX Wood Care Oil are particularly suitable for indoor use, for painting wooden floors, stairs, solid wood furniture, panelling, skirting boards and cork surfaces. Wood oil is also recommended if you want to highlight the grain – in that case, reach for wood oil. For the care of special wood types, we recommend BAUFIX Teak Care Oil, among others. Wood oils are a good option for maintenance, but they do not provide sufficient protection against weather, moisture, insect infestation or rot.

Finding the right wood stain

Weather-resistant wood paints provide strong protection as a topcoat. They seal the surface and thus prevent moisture, dirt and dust from penetrating. However, this also suppresses breathability and covers the grain. The advantage: you don’t have to repeat the new coat and refresh it every year. Nevertheless, the old coating must always be completely removed. Heavily used surfaces such as stairs can be treated with BAUFIX Stair & Parquet Varnish.

Wood waxes for silk-gloss surfaces

Ideal partners for floors and furniture in interior spaces are wood waxes such as BAUFIX Hard Wax Oil. These create a water-repellent, silky sheen on the surface and at the same time act as an impregnation. This keeps the substrate breathable. Here too, the natural grain becomes visible again after treatment.

Wood gels for weather protection

For all surfaces, including shutters, wood protection gels such as BAUFIX Weather Protection Wood Gel are ideal. As thick-film protective coatings, they are easy to apply and offer good, fast drying.