A row of small wood sample boards in warm brown tones beside a dry brush

Wood stain basics, with the label first

What makers mean by stain, what to read on the can, and the rag warning.

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Rags first

Massachusetts' Department of Fire Services says: "The oils in some paints, stains, and varnishes release heat as they dry. If oily rags and applicators are left in a pile, a box, or the trash, the heat can remain trapped and cause a fire that quickly spreads to nearby combustibles." Follow the label and your local fire officials. Colorado's health department says rags with solvents or "some wood preservatives and stains" "may spontaneously burn if the rags aren't stored properly."

What makers mean by stain

Makers use the term stain for products that color wood, and the term conditioner for products applied before a stain. Gel stain is a name makers use for one kind of stain. The label says what the product is and how to use it.

Colors

Stain colors are the maker's names and samples. We do not compare or pick colors.

Ventilation

EPA says to "Increase ventilation when using products that emit VOCs" and to "Meet or exceed any label precautions."

How to apply it

We do not give staining steps. The label gives application, drying, and cleanup steps for that product.

This is general information, not legal or safety advice.

Sources: Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (mass.gov), Disposing of oily rags; Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Preparing products found in your garage for disposal; EPA, Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality.

FAQ

Do I need a conditioner?

We do not say. The stain's label and the maker's instructions say whether one is called for.

Can stain rags go in the trash?

Massachusetts' Department of Fire Services says that if oily rags are left in a pile, a box, or the trash, the heat can remain trapped and cause a fire. Follow the label and your local fire officials.

General information only. Follow every product label and increase ventilation when you finish, as EPA advises. State fire and health agencies warn that rags used with some oil-based stains and finishes can catch fire on their own: never leave them in a pile, and dry and dispose of them as the label and your local fire officials direct. CPSC says to anchor furniture with drawers, doors, and shelves to the wall. In an emergency, call 911.

A closed plain metal container with a tight lid on a dark concrete surface

Oily rags can catch fire on their own

Never leave them in a pile.

Two closed unlabeled tins, grey and white, on two stacked wood sample boards

Water-based and oil-based finishes: reading the label

Both terms are the maker's.

A closed unlabeled metal tin beside a blank sheet of paper on a workbench

Reading a finish label before you start

The label sets the steps.

Next: oily rags