The best Dark Brown Wood Stain Colors

If you are looking for the perfect dark brown wood stain color for your DIY furniture project, here are the 6 biggest options on the market tested on 4 types of wood each!

Brown wood stains are a classic for a reason – brown is the natural color of many types of wood.

Using a darker brown wood stain is a great way to make cheap/white wood look more expensive or disguise the “cheap cut” of wood for something a bit more exotic.

Dark brown wood stain can also be used on nicer hardwoods like oak to add depth and dimension, or to change the tone of the wood if you aren’t loving the natural undertones.

Today I am rounding up the 6 different dark brown stains in our arsenal so you can see how they each look on 4 species of wood!

How to Apply Dark Brown Wood Stain Colors

Applying dark brown wood stain is similar to applying any other highly-pigmented stain color.

Preparation

To prep your wood for staining, make sure to sand it with a high grit sandpaper – I like 220 grit.

This opens up the “pores” of the wood and makes it more absorbent. Some woods straight from the store have a bit of a coating on them, so sanding helps them absorb stain more evenly.

Then, wipe the wood clean.

If you are using a light wood and a dark stain, I always suggest using a wood conditioner. I used wood conditioner on all of my wood samples to ensure a more even stain.

Then, you are ready to stain!

Application Techniques

You can apply your brown wood stain with a foam brush or a lint-free cloth.

Always apply wood stain in the direction of the wood grain. Let dry according to the directions on the can (15-30 minutes) before wiping off any excess or pooling stain.

Maintenance

Once your wood is stained and sealed, it should not need much maintenance.

My biggest tip is to try to wipe up spills – even just plain water – as quickly as possible to avoid staining.

See our favorite natural sealants here!

Factors to Consider when Choosing Brown Wood Stain Colors

Here are some of the things to keep in mind when selecting a wood stain color.

Type of Wood

As you will see in the below images, different wood species absorb stain at different amounts. Typically, lighter, softer woods are more absorbent than darker or hardwoods.

This means that it will take a much darker stain to show up on hardwoods, while lighter stains might be enough for light woods.

Desired Shade of Brown

Of course, decide what shade of brown you are going for – light, medium, or dark. Different colors will come in different shades.

Natural Light Exposure

The more light that a piece gets, the lighter the color will look. A color that looks deep drown on the can might read as more medium on your wood in a very bright room.

Interior or Exterior Use

Some stains are interior and others are formulated for exterior use. This is important for the maintenance of the wood.

All of the samples that I used are interior wood stain, though the brands might also use those colors in exterior formulas.

Cost

Different wood stains might have higher or lower costs compared to others. I always suggest shopping in-store for wood stain as they definitely jack the prices up online!

The best dark brown wood stains

The 6 dark brown wood stains that we are sharing are:

• Minwax Dark Walnut
• Varathane Dark Walnut
• Minwax Jacobean
• Varathane Jacobean
• Varathane Ebony
• Varathane Provincal

We are sharing these because they are all slightly different and all great in their own ways.

Plus, they are easy to find. Varathane is carried at Home Depot and Minwax is at Lowes. So, if you have those two stores, these are basically all of your wood stain options.

We tested each of these wood stains on 4 different types of woods so you can see how it might look on your project:

• Poplar
• Oak
• Pine (plywood)
• Standard 2×4

Click here to read about how we tested ten different wood stains on 5 species of wood each!

Minwax Dark Walnut

Dark Walnut is one of my oldest favorite wood stains! It takes beautifully to nearly every piece of wood.

This color has a deep chocolate color and takes deeply, even to the oak.

This is a wonderful option for a dark brown wood stain!

See my complete Minwax Dark Walnut review.

Varathane Dark Walnut

Varathane also offers a stain called Dark Walnut. This is also a very dark brown – though I find it slightly less dark compared to the Minwax version.

This color tends to read a bit golden, especially on lighter, softer wood.

I personally prefer the Minwax version, but this is a totally fine option, too.

Click for the complete Varathane Dark Walnut color review!

Minwax Jacobean

Jacobean is the name of a dark brown wood stain offered by both Varathane and Minwax.

The Minwax version is a dark brown – almost black – that is not overly warm.

It’s not so far as cool toned – that would make it more charcoal – but it’s definitely not a warm chocolate brown color.

Click to read our complete Minwax Jacobean color review.

Varathane Jacobean

The Varathane version of Jacobean is much lighter and warmer in color.

In fact – it reads as more of a golden brown on many of these wood types.

I was so surprised by this that I honestly re-stirred the stain can and stained it again – but got the same results. This is just a very different shade with the same name!

Click here for our complete Minwax Jacobean review.

Varathane Ebony

Varathane Ebony is a very dark brown color that is almost black.

It is not super warm and more neutral in color – similar to a charcoal but just a touch of brown to it.

This is a pretty option if you want a dark brown that isn’t too chocolatey!

Click here for my complete Varathane Ebony color review!

Varathane Provincal

Provincal is a beautiful golden toned warm brown stain color.

It adds a really nice amount of color to wood without overwhelming it with pigment.

This is my pick if you want more of a medium toned, warm brown stain color!

Click here for my complete Provincal review.

Dark brown Stains on each type of wood

Here’s a snap of these dark brown wood stains on each type of wood.

These are unedited photos taken in indirect natural light.

Poplar

Poplar has naturally green undertones.

It can often look splotchy when stained and I recommend using a wood conditioner to help avoid this.

Provincal looks golden here, Ebony a bit gray, and the others all read almost identically on poplar!

Oak

Red oak is a slightly darker wood with natural red undertones.

Oak is a hard wood and is not very absorbent with stain. It mostly soaks into the grain lines but not onto the face of the wood.

These stains all look very similar because of this – with Provincal being the lightest and Dark Walnut being the darkest!

Be sure to check out all of the best wood stains on oak!

Pine (plywood)

Pine is another light yellow wood but with golden grain lines. It has warm tones that generally make stains look warmer – which can be an issue with some of these already warm brown colors.

Watch out for a stain with a lot of gold to it – like Provincal can look a touch orange.

The other colors all look great on pine and are a great option for making pine projects look a bit more expensive than they are!

Standard 2×4

A 2×4 is usually light wood with dark knots.

I don’t usually use 2x4s for projects that I will be staining, but when I do, I want full coverage to help to disguise knots and dark spots in the wood.

Because of this, my pick is Minwax Jacobean or Dark Walnut – the two shades with the darkest coverage.

Brown stain vs. brown paint

What is the difference between brown stain and brown paint?

Brown paint is totally opaque and covers the wood underneath completely.

Brown stain will be transparent enough to let the wood grain show through. How transparent it is depends on the stain that you choose and how much stain you apply.

How do you stain wood dark brown?

Brown wood stain is really easy to apply!

It’s important to start with clean, sanded wood. Wood straight from the store can have a slight coating on it, so be sure to lightly sand to expose the fresh wood underneath.

You may then apply a wood conditioner if you want to help the stain absorb more evenly.

Wood conditioner is less important with white wood stains compared to dark wood stains, which look splotchy more easily.

Then, apply the stain. I like to use a lint-free cloth and apply in the direction of the woodgrain.

Let sit for five minutes or more and then use a clean cloth to wipe off any excess. Don’t forget to check the sides for drips!