Over the years, I’ve definitely discovered the best stain color for pine wood. Actually it’s a combination of colors but it works perfectly every time. This color works best on pine and common whitewood boards. Common boards are what I use most. I built my fireplace mantel and faux ceiling beams using common boards. And I also used this go-to stain on our nightstands recently. (post contains affiliate links, see disclosure)
BEST STAIN COLOR FOR PINE
Special Walnut is a warm brown that is not too dark or too light. And I think it works perfectly on pine. On other wood species, It can appear very dark. My number one tip is to wipe it off immediately and don’t let it sit for very long. And then immediately apply the Classic Gray. I don’t wipe off the classic gray and let it penetrate into the wood.
I have found that pine can be very yellow and when stained with brown can sometimes appear orange. So the Classic Gray helps take out the orangeness. Gray can appear blue sometimes and even in the can, this stain looks very blue. I never would have thought that learning about the color wheel in design school would have helped me with stain colors. But let me explain. Orange and blue are opposite colors on the color wheel. So the orange in the wood gets canceled out from the blue in Classic Gray.
As you can see in our home, this really is the best stain color for pine. I’ve used this combination over and over again throughout the years and on many DIY projects. It looks the same every time, is not too dark, and not too light. And every time I try to use a different stain color, it just doesn’t turn out as good.
