ever have been much slower to make this transition. One of the
primary reasons is these products tend to wear away so when the
wood is getting recoated it’s often bare or very close to it, so people, especially painters who have been doing this work for years,
want an oil that will get into the wood and help rejuvenate it.
“Historically they’ve said the transparent and semi transparent
acrylics just don’t get the same penetration,” Sheehan said. “The
trend is for products to be some form of a ‘water reducible alkyd.’
What this really means is the product contains alkyds to give the
penetration and the acrylic gives improved color retention—the
best of both worlds. These products also wash up with soap and
water so there is no more need for mineral spirits to clean up.”
Benjamin Moore offers a number of wood care products to
meet their customers’ needs. “Consumers are always looking for
something to last longer, better color retention, no mildew, no
peeling and similar characteristics that make it easy to use,” said
Sheehan. “Exteriors, especially decks, go through a lot of ex-
tremes. Benjamin Moore’s unique two-coat system provides much
longer life and provides a relatively easy maintenance plan.”
In addition to the two new Minwax Wood Finish stains pre-
viously mentioned—Weathered Oak and Classic Gray—the com-
pany has also introduced a new tool for changing the colors of
wood around the home.
The Minwax PolyShades Color Transformation Guide, which
can be found online at Minwax.com, provides an easy way to
change the color of the currently stained or polyurethane-fin-ished wood. There’s no stripping or heavy sanding necessary to
remove the old finish. Simply give it a light sanding with fine-grit
sandpaper, remove sanding dust, and brush on a coat of PolyShades. Step-by-step instructions are provided in the guide, along
with examples of which color combinations will provide the desired new color.
“This new guide is a terrific way for consumers to easily and
affordably change the color of the wood in their home, whether
they want to match a particular furniture item to the rest of their
décor, update a tired room, or restyle an older piece,” said Ferrara.
Thompson’s has brought a number of new products to market recently. The Thompson’s Water Seal Wood Stain, a 12-ounce
aerosol wood stain for small projects, came out in 2011. For
2012, the company is introducing Thompson’s Water Seal Easy
Stain, the first exterior stain to come in a convenient eight-ounce
tube—the perfect size for small projects like wood Adirondack
chairs, garden benches, window boxes, planters, birdhouses, mail
boxes and more.
“The small package delivers big performance and benefits,”
said Kozlowski. “Thompson’s Water Seal Easy Stain Wood Stain
is a slightly thicker consistency than regular deck stains, allow-
ing for more color control and less drips on vertical surfaces.
There’s no need to pry open a one-gallon can or stir the stain—
just pop the top, and you are ready to start. The stain can be
squeezed directly onto the wood or onto a disposable surface
such as a plastic plate.”
Easy Stain Wood Stain comes in four popular wood tones:
Chestnut, Cedar, Cherry and Redwood. And one tube gives three
different options for a finished look. Smoothing on the stain with
a foam applicator gives semi-transparent coverage. Using a bris-
tle brush gives a solid color finish, or the stain can be wiped onto
the wood with a clean cloth for the most sheer, natural color.
The water-based formula is low odor and requires one-hour
to dry to the touch. The Easy Stain coating provides rich fade-re-sistant color and prevents water damage, while resisting mildew
and UV damage. Applicators clean up quickly with just soap and
water. The eight-ounce tube provides enough product to stain
and waterproof up to 50 square feet of wood. CW
A deck stained with Thompson’s Water Seal product. The company says decks are still very important to the American homeowner.
34 | Coatings World
www.coatingsworld.com
February 2012
