Paint or stain?

Whether you’re looking to freshen up or completely change the look of your home, it helps to understand the difference between painting and staining; the effects can vary dramatically.

With staining, you visually maintain the texture of the material while altering the outer colour – if you stain concrete or wood, the texture underneath is still visible, just a different colour. Streaks, holes, stains and holes become features.

By painting, on the other hand, you create a new surface that (often) completely hides the old surface, and has its own texture and appearance. It is usually smooth and even, although textured paints are becoming a lot more popular.

The paint job often includes a primer coat and a finish coat, whereas the stain job will not normally have a primer, unless there is concern about excessive discolouration from tannin bleed-through.

Anything that is currently stained – floorboards, furniture, walls - can have paint applied over it. Given that stains are generally applied in a thin film and may be well-weathered at least in some areas, it’s advisable to apply an exterior acrylic stain-blocking primer first, and then apply a top-of-the-line 100 per cent acrylic paint in a flat or semi-gloss finish.

When applying primers and paints, remember to take into account the weather outside, as extremes can alter the finished effect –
- Do not apply them at a temperature lower than the recommended minimum (generally 10o C)
- If the temperature is expected to go below the minimum in the next 36 hours, try to delay the work until things heat up
- Do not apply paints in conditions that will cause them to dry quickly, such as direct sunlight, or in warm, breezy and dry conditions.