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Customer Reviews for Varathane 8 oz. Red Oak Premium Fast Dry Interior Wood Stain (4-Pack)

Internet #203331309

Model #266269

  • One coat coverage, premium wiping stain highlights wood grain
  • Fast dry wood stain creates rich color that dries in 1 hour
  • Easy to use wood finish covers up to 70 sq. ft. per 8 oz.

Customer Reviews

  • 4.3
    out of 4,888 reviews
  • 79% recommend this product
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Showing 1-30 of 4,888 reviews
Rating provided by a verified purchaser...
Rating provided by a verified purchaser
by
  • Verified Purchase
Beautiful, unique color
Beautiful, unique color
by
  • Verified Purchase
  • Recommended
This stain has a deep rich look. Lots of compliments...
This stain has a deep rich look. Lots of compliments on my table. Really easy to apply!
by
  • Verified Purchase
1 found this review helpful
Worked really well! Great color!...
Worked really well! Great color!
by
  • Verified Purchase
Make sure you know if you want gloss or Satin. and if you want only a small amount, unfortunatel...
Make sure you know if you want gloss or Satin. and if you want only a small amount, unfortunately those cans are not labeled, and in reality are only gloss. I was able to color match nicely, just wish I could have gotten a small can of satin.
by
  • Verified Purchase
  • Recommended
Rock star color! I used it over a piece that...
Rock star color! I used it over a piece that was already stained and it darkened it quite a bit.
by
  • Verified Purchase
I used this product to stain a lap steel guitar made from an salvaged old barn post which had bee...
I used this product to stain a lap steel guitar made from an salvaged old barn post which had been sawn and planed to size. I subsequently top coated it with Varathane clear urethane to top coat. Both products dried well and served their intended purposes and were reasonably priced. Very happy with the choices I made.
by
  • Verified Purchase
  • Recommended
I really really love the color. I've stain...
I really really love the color. I've stain my furniture and it came beautiful.
by
  • Verified Purchase
2 found this review helpful
I bought this to stain some relief maps of lakes that I was making, I liked the color so much tha...
I bought this to stain some relief maps of lakes that I was making, I liked the color so much that I used it for the trim in my bathroom. The stain laid down great with a foam brush and shows grain really nicely. The only thing I didn't like was that I had to get a lot more stain than I needed.
by
  • DIY
  • Recommended
I needed to replace a threshold and I wanted to stain it grey, this did the job for me.
I needed to replace a threshold and I wanted to stain it grey, this did the job for me.
by
  • DIY
  • Recommended
Dark Walnut Wonderful Color
Im refinishing an old dining table and bought this stain in Dark walnut! Came out looking soo good! And dried so quick!
by
    • Recommended
    Lovely warm grey
    We built and stained barn doors. The was a lovely warm taupey grey. I love the color and it goes well with my home. I love the willow grey. I don't have a picture of the doors hanging as we haven't done that yet but these are lovely.
    by
      • Recommended
      Awesome rich color...
      Awesome rich color
      by
      • Verified Purchase
      1 found this review helpful
      Serious color inaccuracy
      I bought Briarsmoke because I was looking for something that had an ashy undertone, but still a wood color (i.e., not overwhelmingly gray). The color on the can and the swatch in the store looked perfect. Imagine my disappointment when I opened the can and it looked like gray paint. I gave it a try anyways, and - shocker - it looked like gray paint on the wood. It was very opaque and covered most of the wood grain, even with a very light application. I'm really disappointed with the advertising of this color. If I wanted gray paint, I would have not wasted $10 on this stain and bought gray paint.
      by
      Response from Rust-OleumSupportOct 12, 2020
      Hi Casey, a crucial step in the application of our Varathane Fast Dry Wood Stains is to wipe the excess stain from the wood after a few minutes. The stain will appear as a solid color in the can, and once applied to the surface, however, the excess stain must be removed by wiping with a lint-free cloth after a few minutes to ensure the proper color, appearance, and curing. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 2 Rustoleum
        1 found this review helpful
        Great stain color
        I love the color. Its easy to work with. For a light gray color I applied small amounts with a rag and wiped after 30 seconds or so. It gives a deep gray color fast so if you're not careful it'll look like gray paint. I would try it out on scrap wood before to get the color your looking for.
        by
          • Recommended
          I have used a variety of stain brands but I...
          I have used a variety of stain brands but I do prefer Varathane. The dry time was as advertised (approximately 30 minutes) and the color was spot on as you can see in the photo below. As always when staining, be sure to wear gloves!
          by
          • Verified Purchase
          2 found this review helpful
          Not a fast drying stain!
          As a woodworker, I know how to use stain. This product is horrible. I used it to stain my dining room floor. After install of red oak flooring, the stain looked very blotchy. I thought that I did something wrong in the application so I sanded the floor back to bare wood and applied wood conditioner (something that I never have had to do on oak before). Second stain looked amazing! Exceeded the manufacturer’s directions I waited 4 hours before applying polyurethane on a very low humidity day. Deep into the poly coat, I noticed the stain pulled up. The stain wasn’t dry. My floors need to be sanded a second time. While reading these comments, this isn’t uncommon. These instructions were written by a marketing team rather than professionals. So disappointing.
          by
          Response from Rust-OleumSupportSep 14, 2020
          That is not what we like to hear, Jeremy! Once our Varathane Fast Dry Wood Stain has been applied and allowed to penetrate the bare wood for a few minutes, the excess stain must be wiped from the surface to ensure the stain will dry in the expected time frame. Please give us a call at 800-901-0411, we want to learn more about the application issues, and try to make things right. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 2 Rustoleum
            5 found this review helpful
            Looks NOTHING like it shows. Just looks like straight grey...
            Looks NOTHING like it shows. Just looks like straight grey paint.
            by
            Response from Rust-OleumSupportSep 3, 2020
            Our Varathane Fast Dry Wood Stains are wiping stains, so the excess stain must be wiped away from the wood to ensure proper appearance and drying. When in the can and first applied, the stain will appear opaque, similar to a paint. Once the stain has been allowed to penetrate the wood for a few minutes, wipe the surface with a clean rag in the direction of the wood grain to remove all of the excess stain. If the stain has been applied and the excess was not removed, the stain on top of the wood will likely remain tacky. If this occurs, you can wipe the surface with a rag dampened with either more stain, or mineral spirits to reactivate the tacky stain. Continue wiping the surface in the direction of the wood grain, until all of the stain on the wood has been removed, leaving only what is in the wood behind. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 2 Rustoleum
            • Verified Purchase
            1 found this review helpful
            Great coverage, easy to apply and dries fast. I used...
            Great coverage, easy to apply and dries fast. I used the stain to dry brush a project to highlight the grain and it turned out nice.
            by
            • Verified Purchase
            Red stain goes on a little different than regular wood stain. I put one coat on and just let it dry
            Red stain goes on a little different than regular wood stain. I put one coat on and just let it dry
            by
              • Recommended
              3 found this review helpful
              The black cherry color was perfect. I followed the direction however, I applied the product wi...
              The black cherry color was perfect. I followed the direction however, I applied the product with a soft cloth. The stain went on beautifully. My desk was dry in an hour however, I waited overnite. It looked even better. Completely satisfied with the product.
              by
              • DIY
              • Verified Purchase
              • Recommended
              3 found this review helpful
              Was recommended this product by a fellow woodworker enthusiast. It did not disappoint! Love the...
              Was recommended this product by a fellow woodworker enthusiast. It did not disappoint! Love the color and the ease of staining. The only downside is I wish it came in a water based version. Cleanup is messy if you're trying to do it in stages due to time constraints! I refinished my table that I stripped down to bare oak. It came out perfectly!
              by
              • DIY
              • Verified Purchase
              • Recommended
              It’s a stain and has the exact hue of pink I was looking for.ill be using the wood as table tops ...
              It’s a stain and has the exact hue of pink I was looking for.ill be using the wood as table tops for my work desk.
              by
              • Verified Purchase
              • Recommended
              Pretty good product. Very quality result
              Pretty good product. Very quality result
              by
              • DIY
              • Verified Purchase
              • Recommended
              1 found this review helpful
              Used this product in color: Early American
              I just refinished my entry hall staircase. Rough condition to start. Was going to the old stand by of Minwax,Home Depot being my DIY home store found they no longer carried. Picked up 2 cans of this Varathan, when I opened to use, I thought OMGosh, was concerned of the thicker appearance & how dark it looked,but decided to roll with it. I could not be Happier and was so glad this was my choice. I used less than 1 of the cans . Covered Beautifully the steps,slingers,newel post,2 platforms(you get picture) And matched my existing woodwork.Love the outcome. Used same brand of clear coat as well.
              by
                • Recommended
                8 found this review helpful
                More of a gray
                We were looking for the color on the can and got a dark gray instead. Also wondering if the can was mislabeled
                by
                Response from Rust-OleumSupportAug 14, 2020
                Thank you for reaching out! Prior to application, we recommend applying Rust-Oleum Varathane Premium Fast Wood Stain in a test area first to ensure the desired color. This is because the wood species used for the application can affect the final color of the stain.
                - Rust-Oleum Product Support 3 Rustoleum
                  Natural Stain on Butcher Block
                  Originally tried out the “golden oak” stain but that was way too brown. Went with the natural stain instead and that gave me the perfect golden look for my butcher block counters. Used oil based poly as finish and came exactly as desired.
                  by
                    • Recommended
                    2 found this review helpful
                    Carbon Gray Stain
                    Chose this stain to refinish my family’s 30 year old oak dining table and am really happy with how it came out. I used 1 coat for the bench top and 2 on the table. In this Vegas heat I definitely had to wipe off almost immediately after applying or else it looks like paint. Topcoated with minwax oil based poly (first few coats with a brush on and last few with wipe on).
                    by
                      • Recommended
                      6 found this review helpful
                      Beautiful color. I get loads of compliments on my choice...
                      Beautiful color. I get loads of compliments on my choice of stain for shiplap
                      by
                      • Verified Purchase
                      1 found this review helpful
                      It was darker than I expected...
                      It was darker than I expected
                      by
                      Response from Rust-OleumSupportAug 7, 2020
                      We appreciate your feedback! Prior to each application, we recommend applying Rust-Oleum Varathane Premium Fast Dry Wood Stain in a test area first. This is because the wood species used for each application can affect the final color of the stain.
                      - Rust-Oleum Product Support 3 Rustoleum
                      • Verified Purchase
                      Showing 1-30 of 4,888 reviews

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                      Container Size

                      8 Ounce

                      1 Quart

                      8 Ounce

                      8 Ounce

                      Paint/Stain Features

                      Fast Drying, Top Coat Required

                      Fast Drying, Top Coat Required

                      Fast Drying, Top Coat Required

                      No additional features

                      Base Material

                      Oil Based

                      Oil Based

                      Oil Based

                      Oil Based

                      Product Form

                      Liquid

                      Liquid

                      Liquid

                      Liquid