What Is the Difference Between Paint and Stain?

What Is the Difference Between Paint and Stain?

When it comes to changing the color of the exterior of your home, there are a few things that you’ll need to take into consideration other than just your personal taste and color preference. For one thing, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to use stain or paint in order to make the changes to the outside of your home. While paint and stain might look fairly similar and achieve similar results, there is actually an extensive list of differences between the two different materials that you should certainly take into consideration. Here is what you need to keep in mind when choosing between stain and paint for your home today.

Differences in Consistency

One of the first differences that you’ll note between stain and paint is the thickness and consistency between the two products. Paint is typically thick and will create a thin film that covers the surface of your home. However, stains, on the other hand, are much thinner and will actually absorb into the surface materials that they’re laid on top of. When the stain soaks into your home’s exterior, it can help give it the natural, stunning look that you’re hoping for without changing the inherent patterns of the wood itself; for some homeowners, this might be just the thing that they’re looking for.

Differences in Color Availability

If you’re a homeowner who enjoys a more uncommon color, then you might find it easier to pinpoint something you love with paints. Generally speaking, exterior paint options come in a much more varied range of colors while stains can be significantly more limited. This means that homeowners with a more classic, traditional personal style will be much more likely to find a stain in the color of their choice than those who enjoy slightly more avant-garde options.

Price, Application, and Maintenance

Other important differences that you’ll need to keep in mind will be the price, the application process, and also the maintenance that you’ll need to provide it with over the years. To begin with, exterior paint will almost always be more expensive than a stain due to its consistency. Additionally, paint is much more time-consuming to apply. This means that if you’re hiring a professional team to take care of the job for you, you should expect to pay more for painting simply because they’ll need to dedicate more hours in order to finish the project.

Finally, because stains soak directly into the surfaces they are applied to, their color remains much more intact as the years progress and they won’t suffer from the cracking and chipping that exterior paints can often end up with. This means that you’ll be spending significantly less over time in terms of maintenance and repairs.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that paint will give you a much more consistent uniformity and can help give your home the luxurious sheen you’ve been hoping for. Consider the style of your home so that you can find the best look to pull everything together today.

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