Best Water-Based Wood Stain of 2025

Mohammed Clark Avatar
Mohammed Clark
Last Updated: 31 Jan 2025

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Water-based wood stain is a type of wood finishing product that uses water as a solvent instead of traditional solvents like oil or alcohol. This type of stain is becoming increasingly popular due to its low VOC emissions and easy clean-up with soap and water. Water-based wood stains come in a variety of colours and can be used on a range of woods, including hardwoods and softwoods. These stains are ideal for those looking for a more environmentally friendly and user-friendly option for staining their wood projects.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Littlefair's Eco-Friendly Wood Stain - Medium Oak Cover #TOP 1
Littlefair's Eco-Friendly Wood Stain - Medium Oak
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Furniture Clinic Teak Wood Stain - Fast Drying Cover #TOP 2
Furniture Clinic Teak Wood Stain - Fast Drying
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Parr's Golden Pine Water Based Wood Stain Cover #TOP 3
Parr's Golden Pine Water Based Wood Stain
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Water-Based Wood Stain

#TOP 1

Littlefair's Eco-Friendly Wood Stain - Medium Oak

Traditional Wood Colours
Medium Oak
250ml
Littlefair's Eco-Friendly Wood Stain - Medium Oak Cover
Littlefair's Wood Stain Water Based - 250 ml - Indoor Furniture Stain Light & Dark Finishes - Special Non Toxic & Eco Friendly Formula - Wood Stain for Crafts - Colour: Medium Oak

Littlefair's Wood Stain offers a premium finish for your woodworking projects. Designed to be applied on bare, sanded wood, it enhances the natural grain, adding depth and character. Its eco-friendly, water-based formula ensures safety, making it a great choice for indoor use. You will appreciate the fast drying time and low odour, allowing you to complete your projects without long waits or unpleasant smells. Cleanup is effortless, as brushes wash out easily, so you can focus on your next creative endeavour.

What We Like
Eco-friendly and non-toxic
Fast drying time
Low odour during use
Easy cleanup of tools
Enhances wood grain details
#TOP 2

Furniture Clinic Teak Wood Stain - Fast Drying

WOODSTAIN_Teak_250
Teak
250ml
Furniture Clinic Teak Wood Stain - Fast Drying Cover
Furniture Clinic Wood Stain (Teak) – Fast Drying, Highly Concentrated, and Easy-to-Apply Wood Stain for All Indoor & Outdoor Wood – Water Based & Non-Toxic – 250ml

The Furniture Clinic Wood Stain offers a highly concentrated formula that delivers rich colour in just one application, making it incredibly convenient for users. It dries quickly, within just 10 minutes, allowing you to complete your wood projects without lengthy waiting times. This versatile stain works on various types of wood, enabling you to enhance furniture, cabinets, and more. Moreover, its environmentally friendly, non-toxic composition ensures safety in any environment, making it easy to use and clean up.

What We Like
Quick drying time
One coat application
Non-toxic and safe
Versatile for all wood types
Easy to clean with water

Parr's Golden Pine Water Based Wood Stain

WSGP01
Light Brown
Parr's Golden Pine Water Based Wood Stain Cover
Parr's Water Based Wood Stain - Environmentally Friendly VOC Free - for Interior Woodwork - Golden Pine - 250ml

Parr's Wood Stain is an environmentally friendly option for your interior woodwork. Being water-based and VOC free, it ensures a safe application without harmful ingredients, making it suitable for all users. The quick-drying formula allows you to apply two coats easily, which saves you time during your project. Additionally, it enhances the wood grain, bringing out the natural beauty of your surfaces. With easy brush cleaning using just water, maintenance becomes a hassle-free experience.

What We Like
Environmentally friendly
Quick drying time
Enhances wood grain
Easy brush cleaning

Parr's Jacobean Oak Water Based Wood Dye

WSJO01
Brown
Parr's Jacobean Oak Water Based Wood Dye Cover
Parr's Water Based Wood Dye - Environmentally Friendly VOC Free - for Interior Woodwork - Jacobean Oak - 250ml

Parr's Wood Dye is an environmentally friendly, water-based wood stain perfect for enhancing your interior woodwork. Its quick-drying formula allows you to apply two coats with ease, saving you time on your projects. Being VOC free, it ensures that you are working with safe ingredients, making it ideal for homes with children or pets. The dye enhances the wood grain beautifully, giving your surfaces a rich, Jacobean Oak finish that looks stunning in any setting.

What We Like
Environmentally friendly
Quick-drying
VOC free
Enhances wood grain
#TOP 5

Concentrated Water Based Wood Dye Set of 8

CWBD8
Mixed
8 x 30ml
Concentrated Water Based Wood Dye Set of 8 Cover
Concentrated Water Based Wood Dye 30ml Bottles - Add Water to Make A Wood Stain - Set of 8

The Wood Dye Set offers a convenient way to create your own wood stain. Simply add the concentrated dye to tap water to achieve the desired colour. With eight intermixable colours, including Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green, you can easily customise shades to suit your project. This set also allows you to colour tint Bolgers Walnut Crystals, providing versatility for various woodworking tasks. Each of the 30ml bottles ensures you have plenty of dye for multiple uses, making it a practical choice for any woodworker.

What We Like
Customisable wood stain options
Eight vibrant intermixable colours
Easy to use with water
Versatile for various projects
Generous 30ml bottle size
#TOP 6

Furniture Clinic Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner 250ml

5060914416675
Clear
250ml
Furniture Clinic Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner 250ml Cover
Furniture Clinic Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner - Water-Based - Indoor and Outdoor Use - Low Odour and Non-Toxic – Use Before Staining Wood 250ml

The Furniture Clinic Wood Conditioner is designed to prepare wood before staining. It ensures a more uniform stain by allowing even absorption, which enhances the overall appearance and reduces blotching. This environmentally friendly product is non-toxic and low in odour, making it safe for use indoors and outdoors. It's easy to apply and dries within an hour, allowing you to quickly proceed with your wood staining projects.

What We Like
Uniform stain application
Non-toxic and environmentally safe
Quick drying time
Suitable for all wood types
#TOP 7

GRAIN GUARD Wood Stain in English Oak

GRAIN GUARD
20013
English Oak
500ml
GRAIN GUARD Wood Stain in English Oak Cover
GRAIN GUARD Wood Stain | English Oak | 500ml | Water-Based & Low Odour | Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic | Interior Furniture Wood Stain | Easy Application | Quick Drying

GRAIN GUARD Wood Stain is a premium water-based solution designed to enhance the natural beauty of your wood projects. Its eco-friendly formulation ensures that you can apply it to furniture, cabinetry, and flooring without the worry of toxic chemicals. You will appreciate the enhanced durability, as its hard wax oil formula provides long-lasting protection for high-traffic areas. With excellent coverage, you can treat up to 12m² with just one litre, making it a cost-effective choice for your wood treatment needs.

What We Like
Eco-friendly and non-toxic
Long-lasting protection
Excellent coverage
Natural finish enhances wood grain
Easy application

Village Green Eco-Friendly Wood Stain, 50ml

Village Green
White
50ml
Village Green Eco-Friendly Wood Stain, 50ml Cover
Village Green Ready to Use Wood Stain - Water Based, Eco Friendly, Premium Quality (White, 50ml)

The Village Green Wood Stain is a ready-to-use, water-based solution ideal for both interior and exterior applications. Its eco-friendly formulation means you can work without the worry of harsh odours or harmful chemicals, making it perfect for any creative project. You’ll appreciate the ease of clean-up with just water, allowing you to experiment freely. This versatile stain can be layered without dragging previous coats, giving you the flexibility to achieve the finish you desire.

What We Like
Eco-friendly and odour-free
Easy clean-up with water
Versatile layering capabilities
Suitable for interior and exterior
Produced in the UK
#TOP 9

Parr's Water Based Wood Dye - American Walnut

WSAW01
Brown
Parr's Water Based Wood Dye - American Walnut Cover
Parr's Water Based Wood Dye - Environmentally Friendly VOC Free - for Interior Woodwork - American Walnut - 250ml

Parr's Wood Dye is an environmentally friendly option for your interior woodwork. Being water-based and VOC free, it ensures a safe application without harmful ingredients. You will appreciate its quick drying time, allowing for an easy two-coat application that enhances the natural wood grain beautifully. Additionally, the ease of cleaning brushes with just water makes the process hassle-free, saving you time and effort.

What We Like
Environmentally friendly formula
Quick drying for convenience
Enhances wood grain appearance
Easy brush cleaning

Highly Concentrated Dark Oak Wood Stain

Wood-Floor-Stain-Dark Oak
Dark Oak
2.5L
Highly Concentrated Dark Oak Wood Stain Cover
Wood Floor Stain (Dark Oak, 2.5L) – Highly Concentrated, Quick Drying Wood Stain for All Types of New & Reclaimed Timber Flooring – Water Based and Low Odour

The Furniture Clinic Wood Stain offers a highly concentrated formula that allows you to colour wood in just one application, enhancing the natural grain. Its fast-drying nature means you can achieve a beautiful, matte finish in only 10 minutes, saving you time. With impressive coverage of up to 32m², this stain is ideal for larger spaces. Additionally, its water-based, low-odour composition ensures minimal disruption during application, making it a convenient choice for your home projects.

What We Like
Stains in one coat
Fast drying in 10 minutes
High coverage of 32m²
Easy cleanup with warm water
Environmentally friendly formulation
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is water based wood stain good?

Water based wood stains are best for small and indoor projects. That's because this stain will dry up too quickly for larger projects. But they won't trap unwanted smells and fumes indoors. Also, water based stains are not flammable, which makes them safer to use inside.

2. Is water based stain as good as oil based?

Water-based stains require a little more time and effort than oils, but it pays off with significantly greater durability. Oil based stains are easy to apply and take less effort, but they will not last nearly as long as a water based stain.

3. What is water based stain used for?

Water-based stains use water-based finish as the binder and replace most of the organic thinner with water. So these stains pollute less, are less irritating to be around and are easier to clean up than oil or varnish stains. You can identify water-based stains by their thinning and clean-up solvent: water.

4. Is water based stain better?

You should also know that oil-based stains usually have more additives in the stain coating than water-based stains. The additives are to improve the finish but they give oil-based stains a synthetic formula while water-based stains are more natural than synthetic.

Editor's Notes

During our water-based wood stain research, we found 238 water-based wood stain products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 84,747 customer reviews through our big data system to write the water-based wood stain list. We found that most customers choose water-based wood stain with an average price of £12.41.

The water-based wood stain are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of water-based wood stain, including Littlefair's, Furniture Clinic, Parr's, GRAIN GUARD, Village Green. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 149 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

Written by
Mohammed Clark Avatar

Mohammed Clark is an architect and a contractor. His architectural skills are not limited to designing the plan for structures alone, but it extends to aesthetics and home décor. Before establishing his firm, he worked under a construction firm for eight years. Mohammed has gathered enough experience from his time practicing as a professional architect and now has vast knowledge in home designs and aesthetics.