In a nutshell, paints completely cover a surface, giving it a new texture and look, while stains typically serve to add a little colour to a surface without concealing the texture of the stained surface.

For example, if you stain a wood fence, depending on the type of stain you use, you will still be able to see the grain within the wood. Painting a wood fence, on the other hand, will cover all natural properties of the wood so that you only see the smooth surface of the paint.

Another distinction is that stains can be used for wood and concrete only, while paints can be applied to almost any surface.

The two types of stain:

• Semi-transparent stain, which simply applies a light colour to the surface without taking away any of its natural grain or texture, and
  
  
• Solid colour (otherwise known as opaque) stain, which hides the grain of the surface but not the texture.

At Colours of Maple, we can find just the right stain colour for your exterior design project. Similar to our paint matching service, you can bring any item that contains your desired stain colour to your local Colours of Maple location and take advantage of our free stain colour matching services.

The helpful Colours of Maple staff will search through our extensive fan decks to find just the right stain colour you’re looking for. If we can’t find it there, we have another special tool that is guaranteed to find a match. We’ll do whatever it takes to help you complete your exterior design project.

Stop by Colours of Maple today to find the perfect stain colour for your exterior design needs!