Wood Coatings Market
want rich, beautiful stain color and long-lasting durable protec-
tion from their clear finishes.”
As with any other home-related product, the wood coatings
market is influenced by color trends.
Michael Price, associate brand manager at Benjamin Moore,
said that in terms of color, “the color and design experts at
Benjamin Moore have identified a consumer shift from traditional cedar-tone colors to modern silver-tone colors such as
Benjamin Moore’s Arborcoat Translucent Stain in Silver Gray.”
Kozlowski said that he is seeing more interest in darker, more
“elegant” colors in deck stains.
“In our Thompson’s WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain line,
the most popular color is Acorn Brown, which is a rich,
chocolate brown,” he said. “This interest in deep colors
seems to be mirrored by Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year,
Marsala. It’s a brown-wine blend that would actually look
beautiful on a deck.”
Ferrara said that Minwax’s research indicates that con-
sumers want a wide variety of color choices. “We are continu-
ously monitoring the trends within the marketplace to ensure
that we are on the cutting edge and satisfying the needs of
DIYers and professionals by offering them a color for every
project,” she said. “Minwax offers over 100 colors of stains
to choose from. We also offer a wide range of one step prod-
ucts, such as Minwax PolyShades, which is a rich stain col-
or and long lasting polyurethane protection in one, so that
DIYers can complete their wood finishing project quickly and
move on to their next project. PolyShades is available in
13 colors, which range from a light honey pine to a dark
espresso or classic black look.”
Wood coatings manufacturers have released several new
products to meet various consumer demands. Thompson’s has
focused on its WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain line, which the
company said “offers multiple features that make it easier to
choose and use the right deck stain.”
To that end, Kozlowski said that the line offers elastomer-
ic properties, which helps the stain expand and contract with
the wood during temperature fluctuations over time, reducing
cracking and peeling. Additionally, advanced acrylic polymers
“greatly improve resistance to scuffing and marring; water-
proofing protection exceeds industry standards, while the coat-
ing resists mildew and UV damage.”
On horizontal surfaces like decks, Kozlowski said, the
Transparent Stain is guaranteed for three years, the Semi-
Transparent Stain is guaranteed for four years and the Solid
Stain is guaranteed for five years.
To offer consumers time-saving options, Kozlowski added
that the formula can be applied to damp wood so the project
can begin soon after cleaning and be finished faster (most
deck stains require a 48-hour wait between cleaning and
staining the wood.)
WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain is available in the company’s
five most popular colors: Acorn Brown, Harvest Gold, Maple
Brown, Sequoia Red and Woodland Cedar. Each color is avail-
able in three opacities: transparent, semi-transparent and solid;
and the packages feature a sliding meter graphic with a marker
that indicates if that particular formula will show “Most Wood
Grain” (transparent), “Medium Grain” (semi-transparent) or
“Least Grain” (solid.)
“To complement this line,” Kozlowski said, “we are also
rolling out the new Thompson’s WaterSeal Waterproofing
Stain Aerosol, putting powerful protection and matching col-
ors into a convenient 11.75-ounce aerosol can that is ideal
for smaller projects.”
“Thompson’s WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain Aerosol
combines exterior wood stain and sealer all in one, creat-
ing a formula that prevents water damage with a push of
a button. The coating resists mildew, and delivers UV pro-
tection against color fading. The line offers the same five
popular colors that correspond to the one, two and one-
half gallon and five gallon sizes in the waterproofing stain
line. Thompson’s WaterSeal Waterproofing Wood Protector
Clear Aerosol delivers the same formula consumers have
trusted for decades in a modern, convenient aerosol.”
Connelly, of Benjamin Moore, said that his company’s
Arborcoat Premium Exterior Stains have been Benjamin
Moore’s flagship wood coatings brand since 2010 and “contin-
ues to outperform the market year after year. It was originally
launched with a full line-up of exterior waterborne stains, rang-
ing from clear to solid color stain for siding, decks, fences, and
furniture,” he said.
“In 2014, as part of our commitment to innovation,
Benjamin Moore added four oil-based products to the
Arborcoat portfolio that meet most OTC requirements and
have significantly outperformed expectations in year one. We
will continue to provide innovative coating solutions and in
2015, we are launching an Ultra Flat Solid Siding Stain that
reduces imperfections, flashing, and retains color longer than
traditional exterior solid stains.”
Minwax’s Ferrara said that Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths,
recently launched in 2014, were designed to be the perfect prod-
uct for someone that is new to wood finishing.
“It’s a cloth, pre-moistened with water-based wood stain
and clear protective finish in a variety of rich wood tones,
the new cloths package contains all the product you need
to stain and protect unfinished wood – and each package
contains a pair of gloves to wear during application. After
sanding the wood smooth and removing any sanding dust,
simply wipe on the stain, and then wipe off the excess with
a clean cloth. The stain dries in just one hour, and cleanup
is soap-and-water easy.
“Another new product launched last year, which is positioned more towards the seasoned DIYer, is Minwax Ultimate
Floor Finish. Minwax Ultimate Floor Finish is a technologically advanced topcoat for floors that provides a crystal clear
finish with superior durability. The self-cross linking technology ensures a tough floor finish, like that of traditional
polyurethane, without ambering or the need to sand between
coats. The product dries quickly, so floors can be recoated in
only two hours.” CW
