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Can I mix stain and paint for outdoor small project?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I am making an a-frame to protect a special shrub outdoors this winter. The wood is cedar. I want it to be green-ish to blend in a little bit better with the shrub bed.

It only needs a pint of paint. The only kind of outdoor paint I have seen come that small is those rustoleoum small cans. I think they usually say "enamel". But I think that's too much paint. I don't want to deal with peeling and wear and tear over time. I was hoping to do a very semi-transparent stain effect that will last much much longer. But I don't want to buy a gallon of exterior tinted stain.

If I get one of those little cans in green, I was hoping I could thin it out a bit with water and add a little stain. I have leftover standard MinWax stain kicking around.

WIll this work or am I going to end up with a big mess?

Keeping in mind, it's only a temporary a-frame, not a major project. But this is a well-manicured condo complex, so I want it to look halfway decent so no one complains.

Update: Just remembered I have official BM paint extender on hand. So I don't need to use water to thin it.

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Comments (5)

sambah006
8 years ago
Keep in mind stain is stain, not a top coat, in spite of what Minwax would have us believe.

I presume the minwax product is a tinted polyurethane, or a tinted acrylic product?

If water based paint, and an acrylic minwax product it might work. But it might make a big mess. But the good news is its a small project so no major loss.

A couple of thoughts:

1) Just let the cedar naturally age. In a season or two it will be silver and blend in with the garden just fine.

2) Get a quart of outdoor clear coat tinted at a Paint Store in your chosen green.

Are you not able to find what you want in a size less than a gallon?
WendyB 5A/MA
Original Author
8 years ago
I looked at my stain leftovers and I have water-based and oil-based so that's good. I have never seen exterior paint in less than a gallon.

I also looked at some old "rustoleum" small pint cans I have and they come in "enamel" which is probably an alkyd. and also water-based.

I'm not sure what you mean by tinting clear coat? Is that paint? I've only heard of clear coat on cars.

I want tinted stain, presuming that it will hold up better to the elements without peeling.

I love weathered cedar, but it's not the right place for that look here. I am picturing that the tinted stain will be transparent and give me a subtle weathered look without really being a full-on weathered look if that makes any sense.
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sambah006
8 years ago
I bet if you go to either Sherwin Williams or Ben Moore you can get one of their outdoor "stains" in a pint size sample. And they should be able to tint something in a color you like.
Michael
8 years ago
Cabot will work for your application.

Since paint is a film and stain penetrates (absorbed), the two are not compatible to mix. You'll have a peeling mess.

stain colors
WendyB 5A/MA
Original Author
8 years ago
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I was hoping the paint could act as a colorant, but probably too much ratio needed.

Those cabot stain colors are great. And that cabot opacity scale is very helpful. It tells me that the effect I am looking for is actually a semi-solid. Now if only I can find it in a small amount. I doubt the box stores carry less than a gallon. I couldn't find product sizes on the Cabot website. Good idea to try a paint store. Sounds like a much better route to go than to concoct my own version.

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