Interior and Exterior Wood Staining

Cascadia has years of experience finishing a wide variety of wood. Our professional wood staining experts can transform your vision into a reality. We know what products to use to produce to the finish you are looking for.

All woods have two characteristics that play important roles in determining their final appearance: their natural color and the size of their pores. Unlike paint, both water-based and oil-based stains are absorbed into the wood rather than laying on top of it. For that reason, the natural wood color will blend with the color of the stain you choose.

From exterior columns, beams and pergolas to fine finish interior cabinets, doors and trim, we can beautify and protect wood with stain and protective clear coats. We are capable of matching new wood to existing stained wood’s color with stain as well as the right finish/sheen to protect it.

We work with all types of wood to include hardwoods and softwoods. It is also important to consider the color of a wood in its natural state when deciding on a stain color. Since stains can be transparent to semi-transparent, they are designed to bring out the natural beauty of the wood’s grain by penetrating it with color which is more quickly absorbed in the grain and less dense areas of the wood. As a result, there is variation in color.

There are also solid color stains where the pigment in the stain is so concentrated that the wood will be one color with no variation. This is an excellent choice for exterior applications, especially on soft wood columns and beams.

Many stains can come with a protectant in it already which eliminates the need for a clear coat. The stain/sealer repels water and color fades from sunlight as well, if a UV protectant is in product. This is an excellent choice where direct sunlight hits every day. Stain/sealers will penetrate deep into the wood and become a part of the wood. Polyurethanes just sit on top of wood like a shield and if not maintained, will pop off and take stain color with it. The only solution for this is to strip a surface 100% to bare wood and start the stain process over for 100% color consistency.

There are oil, lacquer and water base stains, but lacquer base stains are getting harder to get in Illinois due to VOC laws. Clear coats protect the wood from water, light and scratches. These most commonly are available in satin, semi-gloss and gloss.

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