Considering adding a gray wood stain to your wood project? Check out Varathane Carbon Gray - our full review & how it looks on 4 types of wood!
Gray wood stain is an often unexpected choice. But - it really can look sharp on a lot of wood projects.
I especially like a darker gray stain for a modern look.
Let's take a look at one of my favorite dark gray wood stains - Varathane Carbon Gray!
Varathane Carbon Gray
Varathane is a brand commonly carried at the Home Depot.
Carbon gray is a warm toned dark gray wood stain color. It is definitely NOT as dark as it looks on the can, though!
I really love this stain - it is warm while still being gray, and gives great coverage on most wood types!
Here is how Varathane Carbon Gray looked on each of four wood types!
How does Varathane Carbon Gray stain look on oak?
Oak is a really beautiful wood with natural red undertones.
Carbon Gray looks great on oak. It really settles into the grain, giving it depth and interest.
It mostly wipes off the rest of the wood, though it does leave behind enough gray to mute the warm undertones on the oak.
How does Varathane Carbon Gray stain look on pine?
Pine wood has natural yellow tones with some slightly darker graining.
I love how Carbon Gray looks on pine! It gives a really nice coverage and has a beautiful warm-gray tone.
This is a winning combination!
How does Varathane Carbon Gray stain look on poplar?
Poplar has natural green and some purple undertones.
Poplar has little almost dashes it it's wood grain which gives it the look of a lot of texture.
CarbonGray gives a good amount of color and interest to poplar.
I think this is a great option if you want solid, gray coverage on your poplar!
How does Varathane Carbon Gray stain look on a 2x4?
2x4s are usually very light wood with darker knots and holes. Most people don't use 2x4 for projects you would really stain, but we still tested it for you!
2x4s have grain that varies widely between white and golden yellow. I find that stain takes to this grain differently, giving it a striped look.
Carbon Gray takes darker to 2x4 but it's just not my favorite combination. It doesn't give great coverage and is a skip for me!
Once your stain has completely dried, don't forget to seal it! Here are our tips for sealing stained wood.
Need to fill a project? Here are our favorite wood fillers compared!
Before you stain, learn about pre-stain wood conditioners and if you should use one!
We tested these ten stains on five different wood species!
Check out our favorite white wood stains and black wood stains and gray wood stains!
Here are our favorite light wood stains + dark wood stains!
Be sure to watch my video on how to open a can of wood stain.
Be sure to check out our other DIY wood stain ideas!
Any more questions about Varathane Carbon Gray?
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Hello, I'm Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I've transformed three homes and now I'm dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let's turn your house into a home together!
