{"id":913,"date":"2014-03-14T12:28:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-14T11:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wood-finishes-direct.com\/blog\/?p=913"},"modified":"2025-07-30T12:04:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T11:04:12","slug":"types-of-wood-finishes-making-wood-beautiful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wood-finishes-direct.com\/blog\/types-of-wood-finishes-making-wood-beautiful\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Wood Finishes – Making Your Wood Beautiful!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The British DIY scene first got going properly in the 1950s. Today, more than half a century later, there are more types of wood finishes on the market than you can shake a stick at. Everything from colours to \n\nstains<\/a>, \n\npaints<\/a>, \n\npolishes<\/a>, \n\noils<\/a>, \n\nwaxes <\/a>and \n\nvarnishes<\/a>, all designed to help you make your wood look good enough to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About wood finishes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beautiful, durable and unusual, contemporary or traditional, here\u2019s our comprehensive guide to the most popular and widely-used wood finishing products in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About wood stain \u2013 Perfect for colouring wood and cork<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are all sorts of \n\nwood stain products<\/a> on the market including water-based, solvent-based and oil-based versions. Whether you want to stain a wood floor, furniture or something else altogether, whether it\u2019s exterior wood stain or interior wood stain, they\u2019re all easy to apply, they allow the beautiful grain to show through and deliver a superb, durable, colour-fast finish. Best of all, these days there are all sorts of beautiful wood stain colours to choose from, as well as the usual gorgeous browns and dramatic black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is wood stain made of and how does it work? We can\u2019t really put it better than Wikipedia. \n\nHere\u2019s what they say about wood stains<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA wood stain consists of a colourant suspended or dissolved in an agent or solvent. The suspension agent can be water, alcohol, petroleum distillate, or the actual finishing agent (shellac, lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, etc.). Coloured or ‘stained’ finishes, like polyurethane, do not penetrate the pores of the wood to any significant degree and will disappear when the finish itself deteriorates or is removed intentionally.
Pigments and dyes are largely used as colourants. The difference between the two is in the size of the particles. Dyes are microscopic crystals that dissolve in the vehicle and pigments are suspended in the vehicle and are much larger. Dyes will colour very fine grained wood, like cherry or maple, which pigments will not. Those fine-grained woods have pores too small for pigments to attach themselves to. Pigments contain a binder to help attach themselves to the wood.
The type of stain will either accentuate or obscure the wood grain. Most commercial stains contain both dye and pigment and the degree to which they stain the appropriate wood is mostly dependent on the length of time they are left on the wood. Pigments, regardless of the suspension agent, will not give much colour to very dense woods but will deeply colour woods with large pores (e.g. pine). Dyes are translucent and pigments are opaque.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Polyurethane varnish \u2013 Satin to gloss and everything in between<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Manns Extra Tough Interior Varnish is a clear, polyurethane, water-based varnish for interior wooden surfaces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\nPolyurethane varnishes<\/a> are essentially a liquid plastic that is suspended in a water, oil or solvent-based carrier and available in finishes such as matt, satin and gloss. The water-based version doesn\u2019t smell much and usually has low levels of toxicity. It goes on clear, with no colour, and dries fast. On the downside, it isn\u2019t great at coping with heat and chemicals. Perfect for any wood that won\u2019t be exposed to the extremes of temperature and weather. Oil-based polyurethane projects require a respirator and you should always work in a well-ventilated area. It takes longer to dry than water-based varnish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a general rule, wood varnish provides a tough, transparent, protective finish with no added colour. Varnishes are also useful when applied on top of wood stains, where they bring out the colour and add protection. Some products combine stain and varnish to provide a one-stop finish. And there are special products designed for high traffic areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Shellac<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shellac is a natural varnish. \n\nHere\u2019s what the DIY network says about it<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis finish is actually a natural product (it’s made from combining a secretion from the female lac bug with a solvent such as alcohol) that is very safe once dried and hardened. In addition to adding a protective coat, it also can add a warm amber colour to wood. It can be affected by heat (white rings will appear under a hot bowl or mug) or chemicals, so a kitchen table might not be the best place to use it. Fine furniture items can be greatly enhanced with Shellac. Some Shellac manufacturers recommend using it as a protective coat on non-wood items. Apply it with a natural bristle brush or with a cotton rag.
Shellac is available in most home centres as a liquid in a can. It also comes in solid form or in flakes that must be dissolved, and it has a shorter shelf life than other finishes. The liquid variety is the best option for the average homeowner.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wood paint \u2013 Colouring your world<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Specialist wood paint comes in more or less any colour on the planet, ideal for completely changing the look, feel and mood of your wood, inside and out. Our top tip? Always take the surface right back to bare wood to get the best quality, best-looking and most durable finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wood oils – Inside and out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Manns Premier Top Oil is a hard-wearing all-in-one oil that enhances and protects wooden worktops<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wood oils have for many years been a popular way of protecting interior and exterior wooden surfaces. Traditionally, oils such as Danish Oil, Tung Oil and Linseed Oil were and still are used. Alternative products called ‘Hard Wax Oils’ that are formulated from a blend of natural oils, waxes and resins, provide better durability and protection, have become increasingly popular in recent years. \n\nOsmo Polyx Oil<\/a> and \n\nFiddes Hard Wax Oil<\/a> offer an easy way to protect wooden surfaces including floors, doors, stairs, kitchen worktops and more. Exterior wood oils are also available to give either a clear or coloured, opaque or semi-translucent finish to sheds, fences, garden furniture and any number of other exterior wooden features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wood preservative \u2013 Making wood last longer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Ronseal Total Wood Preserver is a highly penetrative, solvent-based wood preserver for exterior timbers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rot, algae and mould are wood\u2019s worst enemies. Creosote is nasty stuff, no longer available to the public, messy and toxic, but luckily there are plenty of excellent alternatives, both solvent and oil-based. We particularly rate \n\nRonseal Total Wood Preservative<\/a>, which does all this for your interior and exterior wood:<\/p>\n\n\n\n