What is the difference between staining and varnishing wood?

Question

Hi, I have had some skirting boards and doors fitted and I want then to keep their natural wood look but think they need a little something. What is the difference between staining and varnishing, do you do one or the other or are they part of the same proceudure? What is the best/quickest method to get good results and can you use these methods over wood filler where there is small gaps in the wood? Thanks

Answer 1

Staining will add color and varnishing is to protect. If you add varnish to wood it will darken the wood due to the fact that you are wetting the wood. I would suggest using a sanding sealer to seal the wood before applying varnish. Apply the sanding sealer in very light coats, I always spray it on. Then sand very lightly and reapply slightly heavier coat. Sand again then apply the varnish. Make sure the sanding sealer has the same base as your varnish.

Here is a little video to give you some ideas:
http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_index.asp?page_id=35720433

Answer 2

Varnish Vs Stain

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is the difference between staining and varnishing wood?
Hi, I have had some skirting boards and doors fitted and I want then to keep their natural wood look but think they need a little something. What is the difference between staining and varnishing, do you do one or the other or are they part of the same proceudure? What is the best/quickest method...

Answer 4

Varnishing Wood

Answer 5

The difference between stains and varnishes is staining soaks in the wood to change colors and needs a top coat of clear varnish for protection, there are some varnishes that come with a stain already in it but it's hard to get the natural beauty out of the wood when you do it that way. Use a water putty to fill in any cracks then sand ,stain and apply a clear polyurethane to bring out it's beauty.

Answer 6

Staining is used to alter the color of the wood, some are solid pigment, some are penetrating. Usually, they will darken the wood. The applied topcoat; e.g., varnish will darken the wood as well, but not as much as the combination of stain and varnish.

Do yourself a favor. Go to the store and look at the stain samples, pick out the color you want and then go home and test the wood you are finishing. One test will be topcoat only, one will be stain and topcoat, pick out the one you like best and go for it. Make sure your test is on the same material as the project. Plywood/vaneer will finish differently than solid wood, so you might need two sets of tests.

Answer 7

A stain is a color that soaks into the wood. You can make it dark, light, any color you want. A varnish is a topcoat that you put on as a finish coat. Varnish can be matte or shiny. They are 2 separate steps, you can do either one alone or do both of them. If you do both of them, the stain goes on first, then the varnish after the stain is dry. They can both be used over wood filler.

Answer 8

No I think wood sealer is easier to apply, varnish can be stickier and more splodgy (not even a word but it fits the sentence lol) varnish gives a hard coverage but doesn't necessarily protect the wood underneath over time, wood sealer soaks into the wood to provide a longer lasting base.

Answer 9

Staining is changing color

Varnishing is applying a specific type protective paint.

Answer 10

staining is the color you want to bring out of the wood. The vanishing is a clear cover for the wood to protect it from fading or smearing.