Paint, Wood Finishes, & Refinishing Options
Furniture Refinishing vs Painting; Staining vs Washes; Rustic vs Natural Wood- Comparison
Painting and refinishing (staining) are two distinct approaches to updating furniture.
Painting covers the wood with pigmented coats (often using primer, paint, then sealers), yielding a uniform, opaque color.
Refinishing (staining)involves stripping or sanding off old finishes and applying wood stain and clear topcoats, preserving the wood’s grain and natural tones.
Staining adds pigmented dye that penetrates wood fibers, and the final color is achieved by one application, whereas a wash (e.g. diluted paint or chalk mix) lightly coats the surface with color, creating a pourus surface in which layers of wash can be added to achieve more coverage if and when a more even tone finish is the goal. (less contrast between grains and wood tones)
Rustic finishes embrace rougher, reclaimed or distressed wood with visible character marks, while naturaL finishes use clear or lightly tinted coatings to highlight true wood grain and color
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REFINISHING TIGER OAK WOOD / WALNUT STAIN & SATIN FINISH
Final stain color will vary depending on the wood species. Lighter woods such as White Oak, Tiger Oak, Maple, and mixed Oaks naturally absorb stain differently and may appear lighter or less saturated than they do on swatch samples. The soft wood grains absorb color differently from the hardwood grains, creating a higher contrast.
REFINISHING CHERRY WOOD / CARBON BLACK STAIN & SATIN FINISH
Stain such as Old Master’s Carbon Black achieve more coverage than lighter stains.
Dark stains work best for fuller color coverage on woods with strong red or dark undertones, such as Mahogany and Cherry. They help soften the natural red tones while creating a deeper, more modern finish.
REFINISHING WHITE OAK / PAINT WHITE WASH & SATIN FINISH
Paint washes create an opaque look while still showing wood through. Coverage can be manipulated by the number of applications. White oak is very light after stripping, but if you’re trying to achieve the natural look without orange or pink hues, neutralizing the wood with a wash using specific undertones will help with the result.
REFINISHING TIGER OAK / NATURAL WASH SATIN FINISH
Note that a wash neutralizes the orange undertones, still exposing the different tones of dark grains in the wood. The more wash applications, the less contrast in the result.
REFINISHING WHITE OAK & SEALED WITH MATTE FINISH
Note when White Oak is raw it may seem white enough, however when sealed it will only diffuse the orange/pink tones slighly. This result is great when you don’t mind the look of the undertones.
REFINISHING VARIETY WOOD/ WASH EFFECT & SEALED WITH SATIN FINISH
Note that some pieces have a combination of wood species, and when trying to achieve an organic, lighter wood finish, the variations in the wood tones will be noticeable. This can be diffused slightly by the number of wash applications.
REFINISHING / AND SEALED WITH SATIN POLYURETHANE
REFINISHING / SANDY BLONDE WASH / SEALED WITH GLAZE SATIN POLYURETHANE
REFINISHING AND SEALED WITH COLOR NATURAL STAIN
RUSTIC / ORGANIC LOOK / USING RUBIO DARK ROAST LINSEED OIL
REFINISHING / NATURAL ORGANIC LOOK USING RUBIO PURE LINSEED OIL
REFINISHING / ORGANIC LOOK / USING RUBIO ASH GREY LINSEED OIL