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Paint brush with black bristles and wooden handle laying on wooden surface

How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Determine your look and protective qualities with this painting advice

Paint brush with black bristles and wooden handle laying on wooden surface

How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Choosing whether to use paint or stain for your exterior is an important decision, and it can go a long way toward helping you achieve balance and harmony with your surroundings. Whether you use paint, stain, or a little of both, the decision can lead to beautiful results that you'll be proud of for years to come. Here's some painting advice to help you decide.

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How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Stain and Painting Advice

Stain with Style

On exterior wood surfaces, stains are used to achieve a more natural look and feel. They also enhance or maintain the beauty of the wood. Stains fully coat the surface, like paint, and help accentuate wood’s natural texture.

Wood stains come in a variety of opacities, from transparent to solid, and each offers a different look and wood finish.

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How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Stain and Painting Advice

Stain Opacities

Most stains penetrate the surface of wood to achieve deeper, richer hues and provide protection against the elements.

For hardwoods, like mahogany or teak, look for a super-penetrating semi-transparent stain to showcase the grain and texture of the wood and beautifully impact the final look of your project, regardless of your choice of color.

Solid color stains are extremely durable and provide rich, opaque color that allows you to accent your outdoor  décor.

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How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Stain and Painting Advice

The Power of Paint

Paint offers almost unlimited options for your exterior design because of its adhesion and color options. Whether it's painting your front door to match your shutters, or freshening up your front porch with a new color, paints offer the most flexibility for these jobs.

An exterior paint & primer in one, like Timeless® Exterior Paint Primer, provides coverage in 1,000 colors and the best resistance to extreme weather..

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How To Paint: When To Paint Or Stain?

Stain and Painting Advice

Paint Sheen Types

Paints offer a variety of gloss finishes, such as flat, satin and semi-gloss, which allow you to bring life to architectural features or shade imperfections that you hope to keep hidden.

Flat sheens are most often used on a home’s siding (also known as the 'body') while satin & semi-gloss are often used for trim and accents, like shutters.

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