Wood stain colors · Minwax
Minwax stain colors
Minwax’s oil-based Wood Finish is its classic penetrating stain, in 35 colors; Gel Stain is its thick, non-drip stain, in 10. The numbers, families and shades below are the ones Minwax’s own color guide gives each color, in the order of its product page.
To see the colors, use the maker's own chart: Minwax’s color guide (every color, with swatches and filters). A chip or a screen shows the color on one board under one light, so test it on your own wood first.
Wood Finish (oil-based penetrating stain)
Oil-based penetrating stain · 35 colors
Minwax says Wood Finish colors in one coat and dries in about 2 hours; the longer it sits before you wipe it, the darker it gets, and a second coat darkens it further, with no sanding between coats.
One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product , sources [1]
Minwax names unfinished interior furniture, cabinets, doors, trim, molding and floors, and says to use its Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner first, especially on soft woods.
One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product , sources [1]
Sources
Minwax color family: Red
| Color | Number | Shade (Minwax) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedona Red | 222 | Medium |
| Barn Red | 287 | Dark |
Minwax color family: Blue
| Color | Number | Shade (Minwax) |
|---|---|---|
| Navy | 286 | Dark |
| Vintage Blue | 288 | Medium |
| Phantom Gray | 1089 | Dark |
Minwax color family: Gray
| Color | Number | Shade (Minwax) |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Gray | 271 | Light |
| True Black | 274 | Dark |
| Rustic Beige | 281 | Light |
| Aged Barrel | 283 | Dark |
| Slate | 284 | Medium |
Minwax color family: Brown
| Color | Number | Shade (Minwax) |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial | 211 | Dark |
| Red Oak | 215 | Dark |
| Ipswich Pine | 221 | Light |
| Colonial Maple | 223 | Light |
| Special Walnut | 224 | Medium |
| Red Mahogany | 225 | Dark |
| Early American | 230 | Dark |
| Gunstock | 231 | Medium |
| Red Chestnut | 232 | Medium |
| English Chestnut | 233 | Medium |
| Cherry | 235 | Light |
| Fruitwood | 241 | Dark |
| Golden Pecan | 245 | Light |
| Weathered Oak | 270 | Medium |
| Honey | 272 | Dark |
| Espresso | 273 | Dark |
| Mocha | 280 | Dark |
| Driftwood | 2126 | Medium |
| Dark Walnut | 2716 | Dark |
| Ebony | 2718 | Dark |
| Jacobean | 2750 | Dark |
| Golden Oak | 210B | Light |
Minwax color family: White
| Color | Number | Shade (Minwax) |
|---|---|---|
| Natural | 209 | Light |
| Simply White | 275 | Light |
| Silvered Gray | 282 | Light |
Colors as Minwax lists them: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), Browse color stains (color guide: each color’s number, family and shade), read 2026-11-08.
Gel Stain
Oil-based gel stain · 10 colors
Minwax says Gel Stain is non-drip, for doors and molding as well as wood, plywood, veneer, fiberglass, metal and molded fiberboard: wipe the excess after 3 minutes, recoat after 8 to 10 hours to darken it, and wait 24 hours before the topcoat.
One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product , sources [1]
Sources
- Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), Gel Stain, product page, read 2026-11-08
| Color |
|---|
| Aged Oak |
| Black |
| Cherrywood |
| Chestnut |
| Coffee |
| Hickory |
| Mahogany |
| Simply White |
| Slate |
| Walnut |
Colors as Minwax lists them: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), Gel Stain, product page, read 2026-11-08.
Not listed here
Minwax’s color guide also holds its water-based semi-transparent and solid color stains, more than 240 color options in all; they are not listed here.
One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product , sources [1]
Sources
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.