Espresso, Varathane Water-Based Wood Stain-381118, Quart

This purchase was for a wooden furniture restoration project. Fast drying water based. although we didn't use it. It seemed perfect. We opted for the same product but stain with poly instead.

Worked exactly like expected

Worked perfect used it on my floora

Used this to paint over a white coat id put on a bench. went on great and easy to use, love the faux wood look

Redid the front door it looks amazing!!!

very good quality

I recently used the Varathane Water-Based Wood Stain in the color of Espresso to refinish my solid oak desk. The final product turned out as expected, and I am pleased. The only minor problem I had with this product (it could have also been my wood) was that certain areas turned out lighter (in random areas) or a different shade (on patches I used wood filler, so don't use plastic wood for large sections unless you can fix it later with a touch up stick or marker). Nevertheless, the final work of art turned out looking good after I went ahead and tried to use some wood touch-up markers that were a similar color to fix those areas. Also, I, as a first time stainer, would recommend doing more thin coats than fewer thick coats because although the instructions say to apply a generous amount of stain and then wipe it off, I found it better to use less stain and gently rub it in until the finish is even and the wood soaks the stain up (still wipe off excess after a few minutes). Finally, it is essential to protect the stain because even after the stain is dry, it can be kind of sticky/tacky (especially if you do thicker coats) and very delicate (I did make some light scratches by accident and had to fix them. I purchased a Varathan Water-Based Polyurethane Sealer in a spray can to protect the stain, which worked well (4-6 coats are necessary for a durable finish), but I do not recommend the spray version because, although it may seem cheaper, it runs out so fast (only 10-15 sq. ft.) and doesn't even spray well (I had to brush it out after spraying it. For best results, I would always recommend sanding lightly with 220 grit sandpaper and then wiping off the dust with a tack cloth in between the staining coats and the polyurethane coats.