How to Choose the Right Fence Stain Color

The best fence stain color works with the materials and colors already present in your exterior — your home's siding, trim, roof, and hardscape. A warm-toned home pairs naturally with browns, cedars, and amber stains. A cooler-toned exterior, with gray siding or stone accents, can handle a driftwood gray or a cooler walnut brown without clashing.

Also, consider the condition of your wood. Semi-transparent stains reward newer, cleaner wood where grain and texture are worth highlighting. Older, more weathered fencing with uneven coloring generally benefits from a solid or semi-solid formula that provides more consistent coverage and a more uniform appearance.

Why Stain Rather Than Paint?

Before choosing a color, it's worth understanding why stain is typically the better choice for wood fences. Unlike paint, which sits on top of the wood surface and is prone to peeling and cracking as the wood expands and contracts seasonally, stain penetrates the wood fibers and moves with the material. The result is a finish that holds up better over time, requires less maintenance, and lets the natural character of the wood shine through.

Not sure whether stain or paint is the right call for your specific project? Check out our blog on the difference between paint and stain for a full breakdown.

Benjamin Moore Woodluxe® Exterior Wood Stain

Benjamin Moore's Woodluxe® Exterior Wood Stain line is one of the most comprehensive options available for fence staining projects. It's available in multiple opacity levels — from semi-transparent, which lets the wood grain show through while adding color, to solid, which provides more complete coverage for older or more weathered wood.

One of the standout features of the Woodluxe® line of exterior stains from Benjamin Moore is that for projects requiring full opacity, you're not limited to the standard stain palette. Woodluxe® solid stain can be tinted to virtually any color in the Benjamin Moore collection, giving you complete freedom to match your fence to your home's exact exterior color scheme. If you want your fence to match your trim, echo your front door, or coordinate with your shutters, this option makes that possible.

Understanding Woodluxe® Fence Stain Colors

The Woodluxe® color collection includes a wide range of classic exterior tones that complement most home styles.

Natural Cedartone ES-45 is a warm, amber-toned option that enhances the look of new cedar and pine, while Cordovan Brown ES-62 is grounded against green landscaping. Mission Brown ES-56 balances between warmth and depth. 

For more on how these products perform on different wood types, read our simple guide to wood stain.

Get Your Fence Stain at Color Store near Des Moines, IA

At Color Store, we carry the complete Benjamin Moore Woodluxe® exterior stain line across all three of our locations in Des Moines and Waukee, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska. Our team can help you choose the right opacity, the right color, and the right prep products to get a result that holds up for years.

Browse the full range of Woodluxe® colors and formulas on our exterior stain page, or stop into the Color Store, Inc. in Des Moines, Waukee, or Omaha and let our team help you find the right product and color for your fence project.

Learn more about Benjamin Moore's deck and fence stain options, or visit us in store to pick up samples and get started.