Exterior Wood Stain Colours

A burgundy red stained deck with outdoor dining furniture and stained steps leading to a home’s large sliding glass doors. A burgundy red stained deck with outdoor dining furniture and stained steps leading to a home’s large sliding glass doors.

Exterior Wood Stain Colours

Enhance the natural beauty of exterior wood with gorgeous opacities and colours in a finish that provides a mildew resistant coating and outstanding protection against harsh weather conditions. Woodluxe® Exterior Stains deliver.

Weather never takes a day off. Your exterior wood surfaces can face wind-driven rain, storms, and blizzards, depending on your location. With Woodluxe Exterior Stains, you get year-round protection in a timeless palette of driftwood grays, warm russets, and woodland greens.

Choose from four opacities: Translucent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid. Each opacity offers a level of colour that reveals more or less of the wood’s grain and texture. Unsure how to select an exterior stain colour for wood or which opacity is right for you? Follow our guide to choosing an exterior wood stain colour.

Browse Our Exterior Wood Stain Colours

When selecting your ideal exterior stain colours for wood, understanding how wood type impacts each stain is key. The natural hue of the wood and its condition will affect the overall appearance of each stain.

The colours shown here have been rendered on white pine. Results may vary depending on finish and wood type.

Get true colour accuracy by sampling with a variety of Woodluxe 236 ml Stain Samples. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous area.

JUMP TO: TRANSLUCENT SEMI-TRANSPARENT SEMI-SOLID SOLID

Exterior Translucent Wood Stain Colours

Translucent stain allows the full beauty of the wood to show through with a touch of colour.

It is ideal for new and younger wood decks in good condition, as well as hardwoods like mahogany, teak, and ipe.

Exterior Semi-Transparent Wood Stain Colours

Semi-Transparent stain allows most of the grain pattern and texture of the wood to show through.

This stain opacity is best for decks that are a few years old and in need of new stain, as well as softwoods such as cedar and pine.

Exterior Semi-Solid Wood Stain Colours

Semi-Solid stain allows the texture and some of the grain pattern of the wood to show through.

Semi-Solid exterior stain is best for an older deck or wood that needs a slight touch-up.

Exterior Solid Wood Stain Colours

Solid stain allows the texture of the wood to show through. It is a great choice if you want to change your deck’s colour or if you’re staining furniture.

This stain is best for weathered decks and wood surfaces with imperfections you’d like to hide. It is suitable for all wood types, including pressure-treated lumber, cedar, and redwood. It is available in 3,500+ Benjamin Moore colors.

Frequently Asked Questions


Q. What is the most popular wood stain colour?

A. Benjamin Moore’s most popular Woodluxe® Exterior Stain colours for wood include Natural ES-10, Cedar ES-40, Teak ES-30, Redwood ES-20, Mahogany ES-60, and Cordovan Brown ES-62.

These colours are not available in all opacities of Woodluxe.



Q. Does exterior stain need to be sealed?

A. Wood stains should be sealed to prevent bleeding.

Certain exterior wood stains, such as Woodluxe® Waterproofing Stain + Sealer, seal the wood while staining it. Certain varieties of stain might require further treatment.

Please consult the instructions on each product’s Technical Data Sheet (TDS) and label before use.



Q. What type of stain should I use on exterior wood?

A. The exterior wood stain opacity you choose depends on the type of wood and its condition.

Translucent stain is ideal for new and younger wood decks in good condition, as well as hardwoods like mahogany, teak, and ipe.

Semi-Transparent stain is best for decks that are a few years old and in need of new stain, as well as softwoods such as cedar and pine.

Semi-Solid stain is best for an older deck or wood that needs a slight touch-up.

Solid stain is best for weathered decks and wood surfaces with imperfections you’d like to hide. It is suitable for all wood types, including pressure-treated lumber, cedar, and redwood.



Q. How do I choose an exterior wood stain colour?

A. When choosing an exterior wood stain colour, look for a hue that complements your home and the surrounding environment.

It is important to understand how wood type impacts each kind of stain. The wood’s natural hue and condition will affect the overall appearance of each stain.

Get true colour accuracy by sampling with a variety of Woodluxe 236 ml Stain Samples. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous area.



Q. How do I apply wood stain to furniture?

A. If you are staining wood furniture, consider using Woodluxe® Exterior Stains, which come in a wide range of opacities and colours. Remember that not all opacities are available in every Woodluxe stain product line.

Note that some types of wood, like cedar and redwood, have tannins that could bleed through stain or paint. A special oil base, like Woodluxe® Exterior Oil-Based Stain, will help prevent tannin bleed when staining wood furniture.

To learn more, please consult our guide on How to Stain Wood Furniture.





Woodluxe® Oil- and Water-Based Exterior Stains.

Woodluxe® Exterior Stain

The ultimate protection for outdoor beauty.

Three black lanterns on a deck stained with Platinum Gray HC-179 Ultra Flat Solid Woodluxe® Exterior Stain.

How to Choose a Wood Stain Colour

Follow this step-by-step guide to find the best wood stain colour for an outcome you’ll love.