Custom Wood Finishing & Staining in Santa Barbara

Stains, Oils and Clear Coats

We finish wood with the product that suits the surface and the look you want:

• Stains: semi-transparent stains such as WoodScapes by Sherwin-Williams and Sikkens ProLuxe, colored to match what is there now, and a light pickling white stain for white-washed grain.
• Oils: Australian Timber Oil on outdoor benches.
• Clear coats: satin-finish, UV-inhibiting varnish, or lacquers and water-based clear coats, depending on the sheen and protection you want.
• Fine finishing: bleaching, wire brushing, pigmented base coats and glazes for deeper, richer color (see Wood Stain and Varnish below).

Wood We Finish

• Doors and door frames, including condominium entry doors and doors with hardware and wrought iron detail.
• Cabinets and bathroom vanities, stained to match or converted to a painted finish.
• Wood trim and antique furniture.
• Decks, outdoor benches and wood fences.
• Wood ceilings.

See also our deck restoration, doors and windows and cabinet services.

Wood Stain and Varnish

At Purple Painting, we understand the beauty of wood and believe that stained wood is the most elegant and exquisite finish for any cabinetry. Our team of experts is well-versed in the art of staining and painting and can deliver the smoothest and most beautiful finish possible.

We offer both brushed and sprayed finishes, depending on your preference and the desired end result. When it comes to staining, there are different options available, depending on the type of wood and the desired finish.

For a basic finish, we recommend a single coat of stain followed by two coats of clear varnish. However, some woods require a stain controller or wood conditioner to ensure a smooth and consistent finish.

For a more advanced coating, our experts will first bleach the surface to eliminate any original tannins that may affect the final color. We then wire brush the surface to create a deeper grain for the stain. Next, we apply a base coat of pigmented stain for a richer overall color and top it with a glaze to provide depth to the color. Finally, we finish with lacquers or water-based clear coats depending on the desired results.

While these advanced forms of finishing may come with a higher cost, they are worth the investment for their exquisite beauty and elegance. These techniques are commonly found in higher-end homes, and we take pride in delivering the most beautiful and elegant finishes to our clients.

Interior Wood Transparent Stain

When it comes to finishing interior wood, it can be a challenging task, especially if you lack experience. Fortunately, our team of painters at Purple Painting have years of experience in this field. We have a deep understanding of the processes involved and know what to look out for and what to avoid. We strive to get the job done right the first time, especially when working with stains that color wood internally. Once pigments have worked their way into the grain, it's almost impossible to remove them.

One of the most common mistakes that people make is not doing proper sampling and testing before starting the project. At Purple Painting, we take this step seriously. We always perform large sampling of the staining we propose and make sure that we can recreate the same coloring, depth, and sheen on a larger scale. This helps us to avoid mistakes and ensures that the final result meets or exceeds your expectations.

We offer a wide range of interior wood finishing services, including staining, varnishing, and painting. We have the skills and knowledge to work with any type of wood, from pine and oak to cherry and mahogany. Our team also has experience in refinishing old wood, bringing back its natural beauty and restoring it to its former glory.

At Purple Painting, we use only the best quality materials and equipment to ensure a flawless finish. We are committed to providing our customers with the highest level of service and quality workmanship. Contact us today to learn more about our interior wood finishing services and how we can help you transform your space.

Wood Patching and Sanding

Wood patching and sanding is a crucial step in achieving a smooth and flawless finish for your wood surfaces. If your wood surfaces are damaged or have holes and gaps, patching and sanding is necessary before painting or staining.

Our team of experienced painters can repair damaged wood using a product called Bondo, which is a high-performance wood filler. With Bondo, we can repair the wood so well that it will be hard to tell where the damage was. We apply a base coat of filler to get into the deep voids and then sand it down. We repeat this process until we have built up extra patching, and then sand it down to the original surfaces.

After the wood has been patched and sanded, we apply a primer to all of the patches before painting or staining to ensure that they have the same sheen as the rest of the wood surface. This will prevent any flashing or unevenness in the final finish. Trust our team to restore your wood surfaces back to their original state and provide a smooth and flawless finish.

Antique Refinishing

At Purple Painting, we offer a variety of antique refinishing services that can give your furniture and wood trims a new lease on life. Our expert team can perform everything from furniture refinishing to antique glazing on existing wood trims.

Our antique refinishing process involves using tinted and pigmented wiping stains that can collect in crevices, creating a beautifully aged look. In addition, we often include painting, staining, or faux finishing in the process. However, we see the "antiquing" process as something separate from these three items, as it involves making something look old rather than making it look like something that it is not.

If you have a treasured piece of furniture or a beautiful antique trim that needs refinishing, our team can help. Contact us today to learn more about our antique refinishing services and how we can give your cherished possessions new life.

Our Wood Finishing Process

• Sample: we make a large sample of the stain we propose, so the color, depth and sheen can be recreated on a larger scale.
• Protect: we protect floors and tiles, and mask off or remove door hardware, hinges and wrought iron detail.
• Prepare: we scrape away any loose or failing stain and sand to remove as much of the old stain as possible without stripping the wood, and patch damaged wood.
• Stain: we match the existing colors, using a light extra coat of pickling white stain on doors with a white-wash look.
• Clear coat: we finish with a clear coat for long term protection. Where a door can be taken off, we move it to a work area, sand and stain it, reinstall it and apply the clear coat on site.

Transparent or semi-transparent wood stains typically need re-coating every 1-3 years. Skipping this step means you’ll eventually have to strip and refinish the base layer, instead of just adding a top coat.

Frequently asked questions

How often does stained wood need to be re-coated?

Transparent or semi-transparent wood stains typically need re-coating every 1-3 years. Skipping this step means you’ll eventually have to strip and refinish the base layer, instead of just adding a top coat. See Protection from Coastal Conditions and Material Breakdowns.

What is the difference between stain and paint on wood?

Unlike paint, which sits on top of the grain, stains soak in for better resistance against moisture and the UV damage towards the wood’s lignin, or binding. See our Old Spanish door stain project.

Do you test the stain color before starting?

Yes. We always perform large sampling of the staining we propose and make sure that we can recreate the same coloring, depth and sheen on a larger scale, because once pigments have worked their way into the grain it is almost impossible to remove them.

Can you match the color of existing stained wood?

Yes. On the Alma del Pueblo condominium entry doors, all colors were matched to the existing stain colors, with about three different colors throughout, and doors with a white-wash look got one extra light coat of pickling white stain.

Can stained cabinets be refinished or converted to paint?

Both. For stained cabinets we clean and scuff sand, stain to match what is there now and clear coat to match the sheen. Stain-grade cabinets can also be converted to a paint-grade finish: on one of our Santa Barbara kitchen projects, the cabinets were sanded, primed with a high-adhesion conversion primer and sprayed. See our cabinet projects.

Can damaged wood be repaired before it is finished?

Yes. We repair damaged wood with a high-performance wood filler (Bondo), building it up and sanding it back to the original surface, then prime the patches so they match the sheen of the rest of the wood.