Product Reviews
KRYON® spray Exterior Wood Stain
Stain in a spray can is nothing new. Back in the 60’s when I was doing set construction for summer stock theatre, I often used spray stains when building furniture. Forty+ years ago almost everything was an oil-based finish and the sray cans proved to be economical and effective – at least in the world of stagecraft.
There have been various versions of spray stains over the years. But it really hasn’t caught on like spray paints. The most common complaints: the stain doesn’t penetrate good enough – requiring several applications, the spray tips clog and/or misfire making a mess of the piece being stained or the stains manufactured are all indoor finishes.
Addressing the later issue, the folks at KRYLON have created an exterior spray stain and addressed a few decades of product shortcomings while they were at it. The result is stain that advances the art wood finishing to the point that the average homeowner can get great results — imagine what we, experienced woodworkers, can do!
When it comes to detailed woodwork like these oak turnings and fretwork, a spray stain gives you great results with a whole lot less effort.
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Besides the obvious – an outdoor-rated stain application – the tool or spray can itself is what really makes this a noteworthy product.
KRYLON spray products have this unique spray tip that allows the user to rotate the spray outlet in a 360 ° pattern. That means using the spray can does not have to be an exercise in gymnastics to get an quality spray pattern and deliver the product where it needs to go – on the wood, evenly.
My experience with other products is that I find myself using a spray handle/trigger or using my thumb to relieve the fatigue caused by spraying. That is not the case with the KRYLON spray tip – the ergonomic tip operates in a manner that results in little or no fatigue.
Among the suggested uses of the product are outdoor outdoor furniture, play sets, pots, deck spindles, rails, wood shutters, but where we found the product really shines is under conditions when the finish needs to be applied to a detailed, semi-smooth surface – like oak fretwork on screen doors or window trim. The ease of use and even application of the stain really makes this job a breeze. The quality of the finish is on par with a hand rubbed stain job with a fraction of the sweat and no finger-cramping.
The stain comes in four semi-transparent flavors: Honey Gold, Cedar, Rustic Brown, and Redwood. The finish is durable, water repellant, and boasts UV protection from fading. Our test pieces were in the direct sunlight and exposed to rain for two months and showed little, if any, changes from the elements. The only complaint we had was the Honey Gold tends to me a bit less transparent than its cousins and the color palette is a bit limited. We hope the folks a KRYLON give consumers something to compliment cypress, teac, yellow pine and aged oak.
You can buy KRYLON Spray Wood Stain at Sears, K-Mart, Walmart, Home Depot, ACE, True Value and DO IT BEST Hardware stores.
KRYLON is owned by Sherwin-Williams, yet the half-dozen stores we contacted didn't carry the stain – something I find more than a little inconvenient since I tend to buy my finishes from Pro Paint Stores.
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