I had been talking to a carpenter friend and for whatever reason, I had come away thinking the best way to varnish the floor was to first stain it and then paint clear varnish over it.
The instructional videos I have come across just varnish directly onto the floor. Is it better to stain and then clear varnish or just select an appropriately colored varnish?
Best Answer
Stain is just color. While it does provide some degree of sealing, whether you use it or not under varnish is entirely discretionary.
The primary difference between the two options is that proper stain tends to penetrate the grain more, creating more contrast. Colored varnishes overlay a semi-opaque color that tends to mute grain contrast, leaving a more uniform appearance. Again, this is a matter of prerogative.