Minwax 308064444 Express Color Wiping Stain and Finish, Emerald

The ease of use. Very nice that it’s not thin and drips. Color is beautiful.

I purchased this stain/finish for a countertop project I was doing in my laundry room. I was hesitant due to some past experiences with attempts to stain wood but this product is great. I followed the directions carefully and am extremely happy with the results. The product is virtually odorless and water-soluble so I could have applied it inside but I took the boards outside on a warm, sunny day and applied two coats with a cotton cloth (waiting at least one hour between coats as per instructions). After the first coat I was a little frustrated because the results seemed to lack "depth" of color but the second coat transformed the simple pine boards into a rich, deep mahogany color. Clean-up was simple although I strongly suggest using gloves. By the way, the coverage is great...the counter measures approximately 6' x 3' and one tube of this stuff was just enough for two coats. In the future I am going to use Minwax's blue or green color on some smaller projects. While I am certain some more experiences professional woodworkers might balk at this type of product, for a novice like me it was wonderful!

This is a great time-saver. I needed it to refinish the top of a small bookcase on which I'd put plants over the years. It was badly stained and looked pretty bad. I just sanded it and then applied this product--looks fantastic. Easy.

It was extremely easy to use, less messy than other options and looked very good when done. However, it did require a very light sanding between coats (instructions said no sanding is needed). It works best when done in thin coats and I found that it needed at least three for surfaces that will be used, although directions said two.

I've been using this this type of stain for a few years and find it to be easy and versatile to use. I also have it in 3 or 4 other colors too for various projects. I had been getting it at my local Lowes but for some reason neither they nor Home Depot carry it any longer. I was so glad to find it on Amazon that I purchased several tubes of my most used color (just in case.) It's so easy to use by either wiping on or brushing (and wiping off) and leaves you with a beautiful end product. You can use as little or as much as you want by layering coats to achieve the exact color you want. You can also cover it with your favorite clear protective coating when you're done, if you wish. I just hope it doesn't disappear or get too expensive online in the future.