So varnish is used when you want to show the wood grain and its natural design, and paint is used when you want the surface to be opaque and its design to be invisible.<\/p>\n Someone asked me how wood can be both colored and transparent. It's possible if the coloring is done with the berries that are solutions based on soluble dyes<\/a>. They dissolve in water or organic solvents and color the wood fiber in depth, without covering the design, as in the case of paints. It is the same as coloring cotton or wool yarn.<\/p>\n After staining, the design of the wood will be further emphasized by the differential absorption of the stain. Some people do not like color differences on the wood surface and want a very uniform stain. Uniformity usually comes at the risk of loss of transparency. By using less transparent staining materials we get a uniform coloration, but the wood grain is no longer as visible. I'm not saying it's bad or it's good. Everyone sees \"beautiful\" in their own way. I just want you to know that a living material like wood cannot be perfectly uniform and expressive.<\/p>\n After staining and drying the varnish is applied and the resulting finish will be perfectly transparent, but colored as you wish: walnut, oak, cherry, mahogany, rosewood, etc.<\/p>\n The background was also subject of an article<\/a> in which I told you why it is necessary. The fact that the name is similar to the product used to protect the board from rusting before applying paint leads many to think of a colored product.<\/p>\n Wood primers can be transparent or colored and are used as an intermediate layer(s) between the wood (colored or not) and the final coat of varnish or paint. It is used because it has certain qualities that make furniture or finished objects look better.<\/p>\n All in all, a clear finish cycle consists of a clear finish (only if you want the fiber to be colored), clear primer and varnish. And an opaque finish, colored primer and paint. The primer is only dispensed with if the lacquer has the varnish and primer<\/a>. There are such products, especially DIY ones. In this case the coat of primer is replaced by a coat of varnish (2-3 successive coats of varnish are applied).<\/p>\n In all these cycles, other materials (impregnating agents, insulating agents, patinas) may also be involved, which impart certain properties or effects to the finish.<\/p>\n Paint, like varnish, has surface properties: scratch and impact resistance, stain resistance, pleasant stain. This is why it is considered the final coat and does not need to be covered with any other material.<\/p>\n There are, however, situations where it may be advisable to apply a coat of varnish on top of the paint. This is generally done when there is a high risk of scratching the paint. By applying a coat of varnish on top, even if it does get scratched, it is less noticeable and the paint layer remains intact.<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/revistadinlemn.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/diferenta-dintre-lac-si-vopsea-masa.jpg\")
We can color wood without covering the grain<\/h5>\n
Primer has nothing to do with transparency. It is not similar to the one applied to the board on the house<\/h5>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/revistadinlemn.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uniformizat.jpg\")
When and why to varnish over paint<\/h5>\n