Can anyone recommend a stain product for outdoor pine and cedar that will protect against rain and bugs while still allowing the wood grain to show?
Asked by Xavier Jean-Baptiste 
2 months ago
Last Updated: October 12, 2024
Hey there, everyone!
Quick update – I tend to forget to post the after pictures, but this time I remembered! I went with Cabot on my porch because I needed something quick that weekend. The color turned out pretty close to what I was going for, so I’m happy with it. The ceiling is a bit blotchy, but I expected that since it’s cheap pine and I couldn’t find outdoor conditioner. I might end up doing another coat to even it out, but overall, it’s a huge improvement from how it looked before. Check out the pictures below!
Thanks again to everyone for all the advice and suggestions!
We also did a wood ceiling, posts, and fence in Florida. We applied minwax for the ceiling and posts since they are sheltered. As for the fence, we tried to match it with an outdoor deck stain. The only downside to using minwax is that it tends to fade faster on wood exposed to the sun.
My plan was to use minwax and seal it, but I’m worried about it fading and peeling. The columns and railings receive a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning and are exposed to rain.
The wood won’t peel since the stain penetrates, but keep in mind it doesn’t have UV protection so it will fade. You’ll have to reseal it annually, similar to deck stains.
I appreciate it! I’ll experiment with different options and hopefully find the right one. I never expected it to be this complicated, haha.
I recommend getting sample sizes or small cans of stain and testing them on the same type of wood you’ll be staining. The samples in stores can be misleading.
I totally do that too because you’re so right, the store samples are never consistent. I once got a dark brown stain that ended up looking red! No hint of red in the store sample 😡
For our posts, ceiling, and pavilion, we went with this product. The Amish constructed our pavilion and used this stain. When we had our posts and porch ceiling painted, I made sure to order extra to keep everything consistent. The paint team from my contractor loved it so much that he asked me for the details. Just to note, I live in Northern Ohio.
https://www.haleypaint.com/product-category/stains-urethanes/
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That looks lovely!! Thanks a lot, I’ll take a look now.
Did you apply the urethane or the stain?
Applied the urethane.
Thank you, !
You might want to consider using a solid stain to get the color you’re aiming for. Best of luck!
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Thompson’s water seal offers a variety of tinted transparent, semi-transparent, and non-transparent choices.
Thanks, I had the same thought! I’m planning on picking up different products to see if I can find the right one.
The best part is that you don’t have to sand between coats. They also offer non-glossy options for a more natural look. You may want to research if you need to get the clear version as well, since I’m not sure if multiple coats of the tinted one will darken the color. Starting with the tinted and then switching to clear might be a good idea, but either way, it’s a lot easier to use. No sanding between coats, quick recoat times, and no need to wipe off like with stains.
Sounds good, thanks! I’ll take a look at it.
You might consider applying a solid stain to cedar wood.
Thank you, Dine Job!