Duraseal stain is a professional-grade wood stain known for its exceptional durability, vibrant colors, and ability to beautifully enhance wood grain. Manufactured by Rudd Company Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota, duraseal stain has been used by woodworking enthusiasts and professionals since 1972.
Over the past 50 years, Duraseal stain has continued to innovate and offer a wide range of oil-based, water-based, and gel stain types in nearly any imaginable color. Read on to learn more about the many benefits of Duraseal wood stain.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Using Duraseal Stain
Durability
Compared to many competitor brands, Duraseal wood stain is extremely durable against common hazards like water rings, spots, and surface scratches. Durability is achieved through high-quality pigments, optimized resin blends, and careful manufacturing. This makes Duraseal an ideal choice for frequently used surfaces like kitchen tables, desks, and children’s furniture.
Enhances Wood Grain
Duraseal stain accentuates the natural beauty of wood grains like oak, maple, cherry, pine, and more. Specialized gel stain options provide extra grain enhancement. Superior penetration into the wood pores gives the surface a vibrant, pronounced look compared to painted finishes.
Wide Range of Colors
With over 30 stock stain colors and endless custom color-matching options, Duraseal offers extreme versatility no matter your style. Available colors include both intense, dynamic shades as well as soft, natural, and neutral tones.
Types of Duraseal Stain
Oil-Based Stains
The most common Duraseal stains have an oil-based formula. Oil-based options provide a perfect balance of highlighting wood grain while allowing consistent staining and easy application.
Water-Based Stains
For low-odor applications with a very thin viscosity, Duraseal makes water-based stain options. Quick dry times make water-based stains ideal when finishing large surface areas swiftly.
Gel Stains
Gel stains offer maximum grain enhancement, especially on porous woods like oak, ash, and mahogany. The thicker gel formula accentuates texture and allows for more color control during application.
Duraseal Stain Color Chart
With so many colors and shades available, browsing the duraseal stain chart helps narrow options. Here is an overview of their color selection:
Natural and Neutral Tones
Ganache, hazelnut, nutmeg, cappuccino, and coffee bean offer warm, inviting neutrals. For cooler neutrals in gray and beige, try fog, sage, or khaki. Natural wood tones come in shades like golden oak, cherry, walnut, ebony, and reddish-brown mahogany.
Warm and Inviting Hues
The Duraseal stain color chart includes welcoming tones like honey amber, burnished amber, chestnut, and juniper. Reds range from mellow rosy finishes to bold crimson. Try golden brown buckskin or russet red for a vibrant touch.
Vibrant and Dynamic Colors
Make a bold statement with Duraseal’s bright, intense options like jade, deep emerald, denim blue, federal blue, plum, raisin, and more. White and black stains provide dramatic contrast.
How to Apply Duraseal Stain
Achieving an attractive Duraseal stained finish requires careful preparation and application:
Surface Preparation
Ensure the wood surface is clean, dry, and finely sanded to 150-220 grit. Sanding opens wood pores for optimal penetration. Dust away all sanding debris before staining.
Stain Application Method
Apply using a high-quality, synthetic bristle brush, lint-free rag, applicator pad, or with a spray system for large projects. Carefully follow the product directions for application specifics. Apply evenly with the wood grain, maintaining a wet edge between sections.
Top Coat Considerations
Most Duraseal stains require protection from a few layers of a top coat like polyurethane or varnish. Water-based protection works for water clean-up, while oil-based options provide a smoother, more ambered finish.
Tips for Achieving an Even Duraseal Stain
Preventing splotchy areas or uneven coloring when working with Duraseal stain requires attention to detail:
Proper Sanding and Surface Prep
The key to success starts before staining with comprehensive surface prep. Eliminate dust, oils, or old finishes completely through sufficient sanding and cleaning.
Maintain a Wet Edge
Always maintain a wet edge when staining. Quickly brush areas as you work to prevent overlap marks and dark spots from drying stains. Apply long, continuous strokes.
Work in Sections
Stain only small, manageable sections of up to 6-8 square feet at once. Stain application must remain wet until the whole section is coated. Larger areas can dry unevenly.
Follow Directions
Finally, carefully read and precisely follow the manufacturer’s application directions for best results. Factors like stain color, wood type, and product formula impact directions.
Duraseal Stain Looks by Wood Type
Duraseal stain takes on slightly different hues when applied to various wood species. Here are typical outcomes:
Oak Stain Shades
White oak medium to closed pores absorb more pigment, yielding deeper duraseal colors on oak. Duraseal oak outcomes include rich cappuccino, espresso, dark walnut, and vibrant jade.
Maple Stain Colors
Maple is fairly porous with a uniformly blonde tone. Maple accepts Duraseal stain nicely for an even application. Walnut, hazelnut, chestnut, and crimson maple colors shine.
Cherry Stain Options
Natural cherry wood contains reddish-brown undertones that come through beautifully when stained. Cherry wood matches well with shades like brandywine, mahogany, coffee bean, and russet.
Maintaining and Refreshing Duraseal Stained Surfaces
Cleaning
Gently wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth, mild soap and water solution, and dry immediately to maintain the Duraseal topcoat. Avoid abrasives or excessive moisture.
Revitalizing Faded Areas
Refresh faded stained areas by gently scuff sanding the surface with 220 grit sandpaper and reapplying layers of matching Duraseal stain and polyurethane as needed until even color is achieved.
Recoating
When significant stain damage or wear occurs over time, thoroughly sand and prepare the entire surface before recoating the wood with fresh stain and protection coats.
Duraseal Stain Compared to Competitors
How does Duraseal stack up against rival brands? Here is an overview:
Minwax
Minwax offers a good mid-range product at an affordable prices point. However, Duraseal surpasses Minwax with richer pigments, improved UV resistance, and professional-grade aesthetics.
General Finishes
General Finishes provides an extremely user-friendly application paired with quality protection. Yet Duraseal still reigns over General Finishes with wider color options, optimized penetration, and enhanced durability.
Save Money on Duraseal Stain
While Duraseal commands premium pricing, there are ways to save:
Buy Factory Seconds
Shop factory seconds retailers that sell discounted Duraseal products with minor cosmetic defects that don’t affect performance. Saves up to 75% off retail pricing.
Purchase Samples
Find the perfect stain color with Duraseal sample size stains at 2oz instead of quart sized cans. Shop wood stain samples cost-effectively.
DIY Rather Than Hire a Pro
Save on labor costs by taking on small to midsize Duraseal staining projects yourself instead of hiring a professional wood refinisher.
Innovations and the Future of Duraseal
As a leader in wood stains and finishes for 50 years and counting, Duraseal continues advancing their product line:
Expanding Color Options
In 2021, Duraseal introduced 10 new trending, unique wood stain color options to keep pace with emerging interior design trends. Additional choices are continuously tested.
Improved Application
Duraseal’s stain formula evolves to provide faster dry times between coats plus a smoother, more consistent application finish.
Increased Durability
Ongoing lab testing yields innovations in stain technology for even greater scratch, fade, and watermark resistance, maintaining wood surfaces’ beauty.
Conclusion and Summary
With unmatched rich pigment, professional-grade durability, and vibrant colors that make wood grains pop, Duraseal offers the pinnacle of wood staining and protection. Duraseal continues innovating with expanded color options, easier application, and robust protection against wear and fading over time. For uniquely beautiful wooden surfaces protected by the experts, Duraseal stain delivers quality and performance.
