Opaque stain FAQ
What is the best opaque stain for outdoors?
You will find a lot of quality options in opaque stain at Tintrio. Which is best for your project depends mainly on your own preferences. Avoid colour choice stress with the pre-selected colours of Xyladecor Tuinhuis Color or V33 Garden House Color. Go for low maintenance with Jotun Demidekk Ulitimate Täckfarg. Or choose absolute top quality with opaque stain from one of our pro brands: Sigma WoodProtect Solid, Sikkens Cetol Opaque Or Trimetal Silvanol LO.
Can I use opaque stain over transparent stain?
If you previously stained with a transparent stain, you can easily switch to an opaque finish, as long as you make the right preparations. Want to know more about what exactly appropriate preparation entails? Check out our handy step-by-step plans on wood staining!
What colours are available for opaque stain?
Maybe we should answer the question "what colours are not available in opaque stain?" - then we'll finish explaining quicker 🙃 You can have a lot of opaque stains mixed in a colour of your choice. Want a Sigma stain in a Sikkens colour? No problem! Want a particular RAL colour? No problem either! The possibilities are endless. Get inspired on our page about wood stain colours if you don't yet know which direction you want to go.
Either you choose a product that exists in a number of pre-mixed colours to make choosing even easier.
How do I apply opaque stain?
Good news, applying opaque stain is an easy job! You don't need much: good materials, a good opaque stain - which you can find on this page, of course - and a straight-forward step-by-step plan with clear instructions on how to work. You will undoubtedly amaze yourself and others with your excellent staining work.
How many coats of opaque stain do I need?
Generally, two to three coats will be needed, but a lot depends on the state of your wood. Has it been stained before, or is it still new wood? Does the old layer of stain still look good, or not so? You can also read more about this, per project, in our step-by-step plans.
Can I apply opaque stain over paint?
No. If you previously applied a wood lacquer or varnish to your woodwork, you will have to remove it first. This is because these completely seal the wood surface, by putting a closed layer over it. Stain, on the other hand, penetrates (partially) into the wood, and has an 'open' character, allowing the wood to breathe. So it makes no sense to apply that over such a sealed layer.
What is the lifespan of opaque stain?
How long will your opaque stain remain low-maintenance, or in other words: when is it time for a refresh? That depends from stain to stain. In general, you can count on a maintenance cycle of every five to seven years.
It also depends somewhat on external factors, such as the weather, the placement of the wood, etc. The most important thing is to regularly check the condition of the stain layers yourself. You will soon see that it is about time when the colour starts to fade, when you start noticing small cracks or bald spots on the wood. One more tip: rub the stain layer. Powdering can also be a sign that it is time to re-stain.
