Hi gailbs - We apologize for the delay in responding. A solid stain is as completely opaque as paint is and will cover the color of the cedar. The main difference between a solid stain and paint is the mil thickness. When applied in two coats paint will have a dry film thickness of approximately 4-5 mils whereas two coats of a solid stain will have a dry film thickness of 1-2 mils.

The solid stain has a thinner dry film thickness and will enable the texture of the wood to show through, but it does not allow the color of the wood to show through. A paint will tend to cover texture of the wood.

The fade of a solid stain, as with paint, will be affected by the sun exposure and color choice. Exterior colorant should always be used when tinting for outdoors.

We recommend that a test sample be performed to verify the color, as the substrate is not the only variable in color. Surrounding building, plants and exposure to light all play a part in color perception and should be taken into account prior to final color selection.

Happy staining!