We have planned to have large exposed beams supporting the back porch area, near the front entry and inside the house foyer. With the intense sun in SE New Mexico, it is important to protect the wood. Thus… choosing a stain color for the wood.
Luckily, we were able to get stain samples from Scott McCain of Mountain Home Building Products. After a phone conversation with him, he sent us several samples of their products that will offer good UV protection to the wood. After receiving them, mixing well (apparently the pigment tends to settle in the bottoms of the jars) and brushing on some of the type of wood we have for the beams, pillars and corbels, you can see the results after the samples dried:
UV Guard Clear, UV Guard II SantaFe Sun, UV Guard II Clear
UV Guard Light Brown, Amber
UVGuardII Teakwood, UV Guard HoneyBrown, UVGuard Fawn
UVGuard Ii Rustic Timber, UVGuard II Cedartone
Although the stain from the Honey Brown ran into the Fawn a little bit, we were still able to see the clear distinction between the colors. We are leaning toward the Fawn color… Really, though, they are all really attractive colors, so we’d probably be happy with any of them.
Scott encouraged us to choose a stain with some pigment to better protect the wood. Since the beams will be largely under the porch and will have some protection, we could use the clear or the very light Santa Fe Sun, but we are thinking more color would be better in the long run.
What do you think?
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to say we are a bit partial towards working with Scott and Mountain Home Building Products, since he is family, but I would encourage anyone to give their products a try. Check out their site using the link in our blogroll.
I tend to choose the lighter version of the “tone” or “tint” I like once narrowed to 2 or 3 samples. The reason is a whole beam or cabinet or table or etc with stain on it looks darker than it does on the sample.
To illustrate move your samples into an area where the surroundings are darker and there is less light and review them there. They will take on a darker tone and you’ll see better what they will look like inside or on the underside of a porch. What type of floor and walls will be in the area and what color/how dark? If these are darker the beams will also look darker regardless of the stain due to less reflected light on them and the projection of the surrounding colors in the light that is reflected. Same reason my eyes look blue outside on a sunny day but green in summer shade on a green lawn….
YRMV: Rely on professionals but keep the laws of physics in mind 😉
Good point, cohutt. After more discussion and taking the samples to compare with the front door (Mahogany) and the finished workshop stucco, we are leaning toward a darker color than originally (light brown). Maybe we should take another look at it….
The trusses won’t be ready on Monday, so we have a couple day delay for the next phase to start. It gives us time to get more work on the exposed beams finished before they get here.
One of the laws of physics (gravity) is what made us decide to not try to do our own roof and trusses. If one of us would fall, we lose so many workers in one fell swoop — plumber, painter, cabinet building, sheet-rocker, military vehicle restorer, chief cook and bottle-washer…
I like the teak