Wood stain colors · General Finishes
General Finishes stain colors
General Finishes sells two oil-based stains: Gel Stain, in 15 colors, and a liquid wiping stain, in 13 colors plus Pre-Stain Natural. Its brochure shows the samples on oak and groups them in no named families.
To see the colors, use the maker's own chart: General Finishes’ Gel Stain & Liquid Stain brochure (samples on oak). A chip or a screen shows the color on one board under one light, so test it on your own wood first.
Gel Stain
Oil-based gel stain · 15 colors
General Finishes says Gel Stain is a thick, interior oil-based stain that gives uniform color on raw wood, sealed surfaces, fiberglass and steel doors, and that its colors can be intermixed or layered.
One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product , sources [1]
Sources
- General Finishes, Gel Stain & Liquid Stain brochure (2024-07), read 2026-11-08
| Color |
|---|
| White |
| American Oak |
| New Pine |
| Nutmeg |
| Colonial Maple |
| Prairie Wheat |
| Candlelite |
| Antique Walnut |
| Brown Mahogany |
| Java |
| Georgian Cherry |
| Black |
| Ash Gray |
| Gray |
| Carbon Gray |
Colors as General Finishes lists them: General Finishes, Gel Stain & Liquid Stain brochure (2024-07), read 2026-11-08.
Liquid Oil Based Wood Stain
Oil-based wiping stain · 14 colors
General Finishes says its liquid stain is a traditional oil-based wiping stain for raw interior wood, not prefinished wood; it thins with Pre-Stain Natural, which also gives more even color on woods that blotch.
One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product , sources [1, 2]
Sources
- General Finishes, Gel Stain & Liquid Stain brochure (2024-07), read 2026-11-08
- General Finishes, Oil Based Wood Stain, technical data sheet, read 2026-11-08
| Color |
|---|
| Pre-Stain Natural |
| Pecan |
| Honey Maple |
| Salem |
| Danish Teak |
| American Walnut |
| Candlelight |
| Antique Cherry |
| Warm Cherry |
| Mocha |
| Mahogany |
| Flint |
| Spiced Walnut |
| Slate |
Colors as General Finishes lists them: General Finishes, Gel Stain & Liquid Stain brochure (2024-07), read 2026-11-08.
Before you choose
The same color looks different on pine, oak and maple, and every maker says to test it first. Why, and what the makers say about gel, oil and water-based stains: wood stain colors. If the stain goes on blotchy: blotchy stain; if a water-based stain leaves the wood rough: raised grain. Dry and recoat times before the topcoat: wood stain.