Oil Vs Water Based Floor Stain

Oil based stains are easy to apply and take less effort but they will not last nearly as long as a water based stain.

Oil vs water based floor stain. When using oil based stain you should know how to dispose of it properly. Unlike the water based stain the oil based stain needs quite lots of time to dry. However the catch is that oil based finish requires a much longer dry time. When cost and coats are calculated this works out to about 35 to 50 cents per square foot for oil based poly and 80 cents to 1 35 per square foot for water based polyurethane.

Oil based finish requires fewer coats than water based finish. You can identify oil based stains by reading what solvents are used to thin the stain. But it will give an excellent finish on your wooden floor. The water based stain gets dry quickly when applied on woodworking projects.

In the debate between oil based stains vs. The main reason more coats have to be applied in comparison to oil based finishes is that the percentage of solids contained in the finish is lower. They re far more convenient and eco friendly because they are water based no toxic vapor and they dry fast. When choosing a stain to apply to your wood it is important to first identify the correct stain base.

Water based stains if you are coating a wood that has a natural resistance to rotting a water based stain is the better option. Water based stain has virtually no environmental hazards associated with it whereas oil based stain contains resins solvents and petroleum distillates which are known pollutants to our groundwater. If mineral spirits are required for clean up then you have an oil based stain. Water based polyurethane cost is two to three times higher than oil based products.

The water based stain is not so popular as an oil based stain. Water based finish has a quick drying time and allows you to recoat every two hours. They also have more mold mildew and algae problems and more maintenance down the road. So while oil based typically only needs three or four coats you must wait several hours in between coats.

Water based stains use you guessed it water based finish as the binder and replace most if not all of the base thinner with water. These water based products are now top of the line catalyzed floor finishes that by far surpass the newly formulated oil based polyurethanes in terms of being eco friendly wear resistant and convenience. Water based stains require a little more time and effort than oils but it pays off with significantly greater durability. That s because it lacks durability smoothness shininess and so on.