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BEHR Premium Fast Drying Water-Based Wood Stain provides rich color and application control to your interior wood stain project. This formula can be tinted to a wide range of popular interior colors and provides a warm look to any interior wood surface. This high-performance wood stain dries quickly and evenly, allowing you to achieve great results in less time.

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Color

Select a color

Features you'll love

  • Dries quickly and evenly, allowing you to achieve great results in less time.

  • Provides rich color and application control to your interior wood stain project.

Finish

Flat finish prior to adding protective clear coat.

Best For Use In

Properly prepared interior, smooth unfinished, unsealed or stripped wood surfaces, including floors.

Coverage

100 Sq. Ft per Qt

Reviews

Reviews

Rating Snapshot

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71 reviews with 5 stars.
11 reviews with 4 stars.
4 reviews with 3 stars.
9 reviews with 2 stars.
47 reviews with 1 star.

Overall Rating

3.4
77 out of 134 (57%) reviewers recommend this product

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Average Customer Ratings

39 to 68 of 142 Reviews .
39 – 68 of 142 Reviews
99001
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Super Easy

a year ago
I put up pantry shelves that I stained with this. So easy to apply multiple coats. Not smelly and looks great.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Good product

a year ago
Good product cover very well very tough paint not to expensive for good quality

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
32327
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Ease of use and beautiful finish

a year ago
I love Behr products. The water base stain goes on easy, cleans up fast, and looks beautiful. Follow up with Behr water base poly and you've got a beautiful piece of wood!!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
82934
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Behr stain for house and deck

a year ago
It has worked good for me to stain the wood areas of my house and deck. I have been using this product since 2018. When I got my house. Thanks!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
29466
Review 1
Votes 5
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

BEHR code B4520 splotchy uneven saturation

a year ago
After sanding the Oak butcher block counter surface to bear wood, I pretreated the wood with BEHR Prestain wood conditioner as specified. Then applied a single layer of Water based B4520 Stain with a fine bristle nylon brush waited 10 minutes and wiped the surface with a clean cotton cloth. The resulting finish was horrible! Extremely uneven penetration, and splotchy looking finish. See picture attached. Had to start over again, but will not use these water based products again.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Giovanna, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, thank you for your review and for sharing pictures of your project. I'm sorry about the splotchy finish. That's not the way we expect our products to perform, and I can understand your disappointment. I see that you have reached out to us directly and have been assisted. Please let us know if you there's anything else we can help you with. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience. We appreciate it! -Giovanna
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

East to apply-great results!

a year ago
I purchased this wood stain for my deck in the summer of2023….it still looks great! It was so easy to apply I did it myself.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
63025
Review 1
Votes 3
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Worst stain ever ised

a year ago
DO NOT BUY! The stain is sticky and gummy. You can’t not put a polyurethane over it as it streaks and takes off color. Stain was applied 5 days before poly. Worst product ever used!

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Christina, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, Thanks for your review. I'm sorry to hear the stain seemed sticky and that there were streaks on your project. To fix this, I recommend removing the stain, cleaning the surface, applying our Pre-Stain Conditioner to help get an even finish, and reapplying the stain. The stain should dry for at least one hour before applying a topcoat; however, please keep in mind that more dry time may be needed depending on the amount of stain applied and weather conditions. I've also emailed you directly to get more info about your project and assist further. Hope to hear back from you soon! -Christina
14753
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Good product

a year ago
Works great! Easy to apply, got exactly the results I expected

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
98380
Review 1
Vote 1
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Only the best for the Pacific Northwest!!!!

a year ago
In the Pacific Northwest you need the best and want the best. For me I have been using BEHR Products since 1992 on property structures and fences. The best solid wood stain on the market as far as I am concerned that will withstand the elements from peak rainy periods, freezing conditions to hot summer temperatures. I will continue to use BEHR products to protect my home and property assets. It is simply the best and I will not take the chance with any other Product.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
98604
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Eazy to use. I used roller. Lots of compliments.

a year ago
I love my fence. My neighbors shared compliments and did the same on their sides. No experience. I used a roller and touch up brush. One coat was good enough. Easy clean up and fast dryi g.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
60619
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Good stain

a year ago
It did the work other stains would not do and it looks great

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
34689
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Great color selection!

a year ago
I was doing an RV remodeling and needed to color match the inner details to a new wood accent counter top I was installing. I was able to use Classic Gray and it worked perfectly! I used the Behr Conditioner prior and that made it so easy to apply the stain evenly. We finished with the Behr Polyethylene in clear to seal it all in and the counter came out perfectly. Now working on a matching dinner table!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
14225
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Amazing!

a year ago
We had a bar made and used the same stain for our side bar tables and shelves and they came out PERFECT!!!!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
23111
Review 1
Votes 0

Long lasting, great product!!

a year ago
This product worked well for a smaller scale welcome sign I made for my mom’s front porch! It was easy to apply, the stain is a beautiful color, and has stood up for almost 5 years with little sign of wear on the front porch. I would recommend this product and absolutely use it again!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
Review 1
Votes 4
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Terrible - don't waste time or money

a year ago
I bought this product to finish a bar and selected the color to match flooring that was already down. I have been building and finishing different type of wood products for years. I followed the instructions and this was by far the hardest finish product to work with. Dried uneven and blotchy, even with use of pre-stain. Terribly inconsistent, essentially ruined what it was applied to. After four seperate attempts to achieve a perfect finish, I gave up. I wouldn't give this stain to my worst enemy - its garbage!

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Ronald, Behr Customer Care
Hi Jason, thank you for reviewing our stain. I’m sorry to hear that our Fast-Drying Water-Based Stain was difficult to work with and you were unable to get an even finish. Customer satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate your feedback. I’ve also reached out to you via email to learn more about your project and assist you with this further. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us, and I hope to hear from you soon! -Ronald
48137
Review 1
Votes 2
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Behr Water Base Wood Stain / Poly System Problems

a year ago
unbelievable bad product ! this stain is impossible to apply evenly to a sanded oak floor. I used the ridiculosity expensive pre-stain conditioner prior to applying the stain. i spread the stain using a synthetic applicator pad as evenly as possible and as i moved along the floor if i overlapped where i just stained it created a dark area that was impossible to blend. after re-rubbing the entire floor i was able to get a semi even color, (but still blotchy) I waited overnight for it to dry. the house was at least 68 deg all the time. As i began to apply the Behr WB polyurethane it began to streak the stain below to the point of showing bare wood. If a drop of urethane dripped on the stained wood it would leave a bare spot the size a of a dime. this stain has caused me an un-imaginable amount of expense and wasted time, it essentially has ruined a very expensive job. at this point i have no choice but to continue trying to use this stain because all of the trim and window sills are already finished with this system. I will attempt to stain over the existing polyurethane to even out the color. In summary i can say the Behr owes my at least $1000 in lost time and materials. You need to reformulate this product or discontinue selling it, possible develop a formula for using in large areas such as wood floors.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Franeelly, Behr Customer Care
Thank you for your review and picture of your project. I'm terribly sorry to hear about your poor experience staining and clear coating your wood floors. Your customer satisfaction is important to us, and we want you to achieve success with your project. To fix the finish, I recommend sanding the bare areas to remove the finish. Then, use our Water-Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner to prep the bare wood before touching up the spot with stain. Let the stain sit for 2-3 minutes before using a clean cloth to wipe away any of the stain that was absorbed and blend that in with the rest of the floor. If needed for uniformity, apply a thin coat on the floor to deepen and blend out the color. In that case, it's best to apply the stain in the direction of the wood across the length of the board. Maintain a wet edge as once the stain has dried, the next layer will lay on top and can deepen the color further. We understand this was unexpected, and we want to help get this project back on track. We've reached out to you directly via email to learn more about your project and assist you directly. We hope to hear from you soon!
37128
Review 1
Votes 6
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Horrible experience...

a year ago
I bought the white wash pickling water based stain and the water based polyurethane to finish with it. The stain has streaking all over it. Finally got it to where it was ok, then waited several hours and put on the polyurethane. The polyurethane made the stain clump and I had to remove half of it. Then got the stain back ready and waited 24 hrs this time, even though the label says you only need to wait 1 hr for finish (might want to change that on your label!) And at first I thought we were ok, but as the stain sat on the wood it started to make it clump. Will never use this product again

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Ronald, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, thank you for reviewing our stain. I’m sorry to hear the stain went on streaky, and the polyurethane made the stain clump up. One tip to prepare the wood so the stain will go on more uniformly is to treat it first with our Water-based Wood Conditioner. Also, although the can states the stain has an hour drying time, cooler temperatures and higher humidity can lengthen the drying process. I’ve also reached out to you via email to learn more about your project and assist you with this further. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us, and I hope to hear from you soon! -Ronald
06450
Review 1
Votes 3
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Horrible experience

a year ago
Bought this stain for a first time stain project. First attempt dried too fast and was streaking. Sanded the table again and applied a new coat. Waited 4 hours and applied a second coat. It was ok until I applied the water based poly the next day which took the stain off and made a sticky mess. Sanded the mess again and painted it. Now I have the second piece to stain and will NOT use this product. I will go out and buy oil based stain from another manufacturer.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Franeelly, Behr Customer Care
Thank you for reaching out. I'm so sorry to hear about your poor experience with our Water-Based Wood Stain. That is not what we want our customers to go through, and we want to help you achieve success. It's odd that the polyurethane affected the dried stain. To best assist you, I've reached out to you directly via email to learn more about your project and look into this further. In the meantime, if you'd like to try staining the second piece with this stain, I recommend making sure that the surface is clean and dry before applying our Water-Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. The conditioner is key to ensuring even absorption and uniformity of the stain. Then, apply a thin coat of the stain in the direction of the grain and allow it to penetrate for 2-3 minutes before wiping away the excess stain with a clean cloth. This will remove any stain that wasn't absorbed so that it can properly dry. To help eliminate factors that could impact the finish, I recommend letting the finish dry for at least 24 hours before applying a water-based polyurethane. Your satisfaction is important to us, which is why we reached out to further assist you. I hope to hear back from you soon!
78520
Review 1
Vote 1
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

First time to stain a project. Great Stain

a year ago
So this was my first project in which I used a stain. Loved it , no smell, didn't have to work with thinner. Went on sanded pine beautifully. It came out beautiful and dried in no time. Not having any experience with stain I was worried how it would come out. Used a small cloth for the application, worked better than with a brush.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
44055
Review 1
Vote 1
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Yearly front porch painting

a year ago
My mom paints her front porch yearly in the summer, and it's wooden.

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
07866
Review 1
Vote 1
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Two Colors - Same Jar?

a year ago
I did not do the top and bottom in this picture at the same time but the stain came from the same jar. What happened?
Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Ronald, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, thank you for reviewing our stain. I’m sorry to hear that the color looks different in the two different areas. This isn't typical, and I can understand your disappointment. Customer satisfaction is important to us. I’ve also reached out to you via email to learn more about your project and assist you with this further. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us, and I hope to hear from you soon! -Ronald
Review 1
Votes 2

Water Based Stain and Conditioner

a year ago
Haven't used anything besides Behr paint for at least ten years. Love the paints, great coverage and finish. Based on that, I have the water based stain and conditioner a try. So disappointed. Like other complaints, the stain dries too quickly. I made the mistake of putting it on several pieces of wood and let it set for several minutes. Tried wiping it off and it was a gummy sticky mess. I had to apply more stain to soften it and even with that it was a sticky mess. Started putting it on and wiping off almost immediately. Took care of the sticky problems to some extent, but what a pain. Hopefully the gummed up areas will sand smooth so I can finish. Also, the stain is so thick it is difficult to clean out of corners or crevices there may be. Of course, that only compounded the problem of trying to remove the stain before it gummed up. As much as I like Behr paints, I can't believe how unhappy I am with these.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Franeelly, Behr Customer Care
Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. I'm terribly sorry to hear about your poor experience with our wood stain. We appreciate you being a loyal Behr customer, and we want to help turn this around. Our Fast-Drying Water-Based Wood Stain has an even and light creamy consistency. If that's not the case, stirring it for up to 5 minutes should get it to the right texture. Additionally, it can be thinned with up to 4oz. of water per gallon to extend the working time. To fix any texture on the surface, let it dry for 24 hours before sanding it smooth and making surethe wood is clean and dry. Condition any bare wood and touch up the spot. Let the stain sit for 2-3 minutes before wiping it away. If needed, apply a thin coat for uniformity. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we want your project to turn out successfully. I've sent you a private message to learn more and assist you further. I hope to hear from you soon!
89434
Review 1
Votes 2
Skill LevelDIY - Beginner

Ugly corner curio to beautiful whiskey hub!!

a year ago
I recently purchased a curio online and was disappointed to receive what appeared to be one of the ugliest pieces of furniture I had ever seen. After using Behr's wood stain in dark walnut to salvage the poor sad curio, I was absolutely amazed by the finished product. The piece turned out to be beautiful and has become one of my most cherished items in my dining room. I am extremely grateful to Behr for making the project easy and creating the perfect color for my home!!

Yes, I recommend this product.

Helpful?
18706
Review 1
Votes 3
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Would not use again

a year ago
Stained oak board with this water base stain. And it is terrible. I have stained quite a bit in the past usually with oil base and oak has always come out beautiful not this time. I swear for a second I was satining pine. Took 2 coats and some tinkering to get it just ok.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Christina, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to review our Fast-Drying Water-Based Wood Stain. I'm sorry to hear the stain did not perform how you expected, and I want to help. I went ahead and sent you an email to get more info about your project and find the best way to help. Thanks again for reaching out, and I hope to hear back from you soon! -Christina
Review 1
Votes 9

Behr water base stain

a year ago
My dining table is a butcher bloke with black metal legs. I spent 5 hours sanding it down. I then bought BEHR pre stain conditioner, water base stain and water base polyurethane. Read all instructions and followed them exactly. My table looks awful. Unfortunately I read the reviews after I did all the work. These products are terrible. It does dry to fast so there is no chance of applying the stain evenly. I will certainly stay away from BEHR products from now on.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
a year ago
Ronald, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, thank you for reviewing our water-based stain. I’m sorry that the stain was drying too fast, and you were unable to apply the stain evenly. I can understand your disappointment with he time and effort that goes into a project like this. One tip; when the stain is drying too fast, you can add up to a ½ ounce of water to a quart can and it will increase the working time of the stain. Also, I wanted to mention we don’t recommend using our products in areas that come into direct contact with food because they aren’t deemed food-safe by the FDA. I’ve also reached out to you via email to learn more about your project and assist you with this further. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us, and I hope to hear from you soon! -Ronald
Review 1
Votes 5
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Don’t work as instructions say

2 years ago
Put on first coat let sit for 3 minutes and it was sticky let it dry for an hour and went to apply second coat and second coat started removing first coat went to wipe with rag and it removed the whole second coat then it got tacky looks terrible took wet towel and wiped it all off down to first coat don’t use the water based stain

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
2 years ago
Christina, Behr Customer Care
Hi there, Thanks for your review. I'm sorry to hear the stain was tacky and that the second coat peeled off the first coat. This isn't the experience we want our customers to have. We recommend applying this stain in thin coats. You can let the stain sit on the surface for 5-10 minutes and then use a clean cloth to wipe off all excess stain that has not penetrated the surface. If additional coats are needed, you can repeat this process after an hour of dry time. I've also sent you an email to get more info about your project and further assist. Thanks again for reaching out, and I hope to hear from you soon! -Christina
60608
Review 1
Votes 4
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Worst waste of my time ever

2 years ago
I have spent hours prepping by removing old varnish from a mahogany table. I followed the instructions exactly. I purchased $100 worth of products from behr. Expecting better quality than what I received. I pre-treated with the Behr wood conditioner I should have listened to the reviews and not even wasted my time. I let it dry for 20 minutes. Then I applied the stain and it is a mess and sloppy and goopy and now I have to spend another 3 to 4 hours standing and removing all the garbage that this product left on my table. It looks like a disaster. I did extensive research and watched all the how to videos from Behr. This product does not do what it is advertised to do. I will never again use any of their products and will make sure to warn all my friends against ever buying from this company.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
2 years ago
Franeelly, Behr Customer Care
Hello, thank you for your review. I'm terribly sorry to hear about your poor experience with our Fast Drying Water-Based Wood Stain. Your satisfaction is important to us, and that is not what we want our customers to go through. I'm concerned that you mentioned the stain was messy and goopy. That is not what we expect of our products, and I can understand your disappointment, which is why I want to help turn this around. I've reached out to you directly to learn more about your project and help get this back on track. I hope to hear from you soon!
07874
Review 1
Vote 1
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Water based stain

2 years ago
Please stay away from the water based stain ! You will waste a lot of time and money trying to recover from what this product will do to you !

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
2 years ago
Franeelly, Behr Customer Care
Thank you for your review. I'm terribly sorry to hear about your poor experience with our Fast-Drying Water-Based Wood Stain. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we want you to be happy with your project. I've reached out to you directly via email to learn more about your project and assist you further. We hope to hear from you soon!
21830
Review 1
Votes 4
Skill LevelDIY - Advanced

Horrible!

2 years ago
Behr got me. I used the water based poly a few weeks ago and it was awesome and dried so quick saving a ton of time. Thought I would give the water based stain a whirl. Absolute junk, blotchy mess from the start. Doesn’t spread easily, dries way to fast so blending is not even possible. And yes I used the Behr water based wood conditioner. And even though I let it dry for 5 hours (recommended minimum of 1) it still bled when I put the water based poly on. Ruined the project I was working on. Dear Behr please don’t respond with suggestions on how to use the product, this review is strictly so people don’t ruin hundreds of dollars in lumber.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
Response from Behr:
2 years ago
Giovanna, Behr Customer Care
Hello, thank you for your review and honest feedback about the Water-Based Wood Stain. I'm sorry to hear about the blotchy finish, and I can understand your disappointment when the products didn't work for your project. I'll reach out to you in a private email to find the best way to help. Have a great day! -Giovanna
17112
Review 1
Votes 0
Skill LevelDIY - Intermediate

Streaky and Doesn't Wipe Well

2 years ago
I used two different stains for my home improvement project. One was Varathane and one was Behr. The Varathane table came out beautifully. The bench I stained with Behr looks streaky and horrible. It dried almost instantly. Noticing this, I tried to wipe excess stain after 3 minutes. It was a sticky mess. I won't be using Behr stain again, which is shame because I like Behr paint.

No, I do not recommend this product.

Helpful?
39 – 68 of 142 Reviews