There are two main differences between wood stains, those that penetrate the wood and those that form a protective film on top of the wood. The film forming wood stains have a reputation of not holding up as well as penetrating stains. They are prone to peeling and flaking and are traditionally more difficult to maintain. Penetrating wood stains protect by diving below the surface and into the wood pores so there is no film atop the surface. Penetrating wood stains repel water and reflect UV rays before the can do damage. In addition, they are not prone to peeling, they simply fade and wear off before needing to be recoated and are much easier to maintain in this sense.

Wood stains perform an excellent purpose of protecting your wood surfaces from harmful elements. Without wood stain preserving these surfaces, they would suffer greatly from UV and water damage as well as fungal infiltration and wood rot. The bottom line is exterior wood surfaces would not last half as long as they do costing homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements. Looking at it this way may help to justify the somewhat high cost of wood stains. With all of the oils, ingredients, and additives that go into making a quality wood stain, prices are driven up. As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for”.