Minwax Slate - wood stain color review

Considering adding a gray wood stain to your wood project? Check out Minwax Slate - our full review & how it looks on 4 types of wood!

I love using gray wood stain. They are a bit unexpected on wood projects (compared to the traditional brown) but not totally wild.

A gray stain could look aged or rustic. A dark gray wood stain can even look modern!

Let's talk about one of my favorite gray wood stains - Minwax Slate.

Minwax Slate

Minwax is a brand commonly sold at Lowes.

When you hear the name "slate" you might expect a darker gray color. But, in reality, this color goes on as a more medium toned gray.

It is very neutral in tone and not overwhelmingly warm or cool.

This color has pretty light coverage and is heavily influenced by the wood tones underneath it.

Here is how Minwax Slate looked on each of four wood types!

How does Minwax Slate stain look on oak?

Oak is a really beautiful wood with natural red undertones.

I normally wouldn't stain oak, because I think it is so naturally pretty. However, I like this combination.

The Slate stain settles nicely in the grain and wipes off everywhere else, just giving a simple gray overtone and a bit of depth and dimension to the wood.

How does Minwax Slate stain look on pine?

Pine wood has natural yellow tones with some slightly darker graining.

Slate gives a really pretty gray tone on Pine. It mutes the natural warm undertones and settles into the grain, giving it some interest and dimension.

This is a winning combo to me!

How does Minwax Slate 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.

I kind of think that the undertones of Slate mix strangely with the green in the poplar. It's not my favorite combination.

How does Minwax Slate 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.

Slate gives just a light gray coverage on 2x4. Because I prefer a more full coverage look on 2x4s, this isn't my favorite combination.

New to using wood stain? Grab our complete guidebook - it covers everything you need to know to get the perfect finish!

Any more questions about Minwax Slate?