A Smarter Way to Stain Wood

NextGen takes a fresh approach to wood staining by separating the colorant from the stain itself, giving you greater control over color and intensity.

Simply add your NextGen Colorant to NextGen Clear Base Stain, mix, and apply. It’s that easy!!

Want to create your own custom shade?  NextGen colorants can be mixed and blended, opening up a world of color possibilities.

Why buy multiple cans of pre-mixed stain? With NextGen, one clear base works with an entire collection of colors, saving money. reducing waste, and giving you more flexibility with every project.

Beyond Ordinary Wood Stain

NextGen gives you more ways to color, customize, and create – all with one simple system.

• Beautiful Wood Stains – Enhance the beauty of wood with color you can control.
• Custom Color Mixing & Matching – Blend NextGen colorants into our clear stain to create your own shades.
• Adjustable Color Intensity –  Make colors lighter or darker by adjusting the amount of colorant you use.
• Create Custom Wood Toners – Tint compatible clear finishes with the same colorant you use for the stain.
• Create a One Step Stain & Finish – Add to a compatible finish to create a tinted all in one stain.
• Touch-Up & Color Matching – Mix with a small amount of compatible finish to create a touch-up paint
• Custom Colored Wood Filler – Mix with our powder wood filler to create a custom wood filler that matches your stain.

A Little Mixing. A lot More Possibilities.

Meet Sandstone – A warm, natural color with timeless appeal.

Sandstone was inspired by the soft, earthy tones of natural sandstone. It brings warmth and understated elegance to wood furniture and cabinetry.

How To Use/ Mix NextGen Water Based Wood Stain

Our stain kits include  2 oz of NextGen Colorant, 32 ounces of  NextGen Clear Base Stain, mixing cup, stirring stick and directions.

1. We designed NextGen to be easy for all skill levels !  Our standard stain mixing ratio is 2 oz of colorant in 32 oz of stain.  That’s our standard and the mix we use on our color samples. If you only need 8 oz of stain, then you would dispense 1/2 ounce (roughly) of colorant into a mixing cup along with 8 oz of clear base stain and mix.  If you want less color, add less colorant. If you want more color, add more colorant. Its your stain – your way.  The 2 oz of color in 32 oz of stain is just a guideline.
2. After mixing your stain, let it rest at least 15 minutes for color dispersion. Before applying, stir gradually and we like to use a stain applicator pad but you can also use a lint free rag to apply your stain.
3. During application, we suggest wiping on a generous amount of stain.  A pre-stain conditioner is NOT typically required with NextGen stain, but on some wood species depending on your desired outcome, it can be applied prior to staining. Its important to keep the surface wet with stain.  If the stain begins to dry,  re-wet the surface with more stain, and then it can be wiped off. Work in sections. DO NOT apply water Based products in direct sunlight or windy conditions.
4. Wipe off the stain in a traditional manner, finishing with the grain and using an absorbent clean cloth. We like to remove 2/3 of the stain and finish with dry brushing. ALL stain removal (rag or dry brushing)  must be primarily with the grain as your finishing up. The first wipe or two can be any direction, but always finish with the grain.
5. If you prefer more color, a second or even third coat can be applied after allowing the stain to dry 6 hours or more.
6. Allow the stain to dry 24 hours before applying finish.  Most finishes can be used over NextGen stain as long as the stain is completely dry. Always test first.

Unsure of the color ?

Why not order a single 2 x 3 real wood sample, or purchase a full sample set with all our NextGen stain colors?  Each sample is our NextGen stain colorant mixed at a ratio of 2oz colorant in 32 oz of clear stain.  Each sample is on 1/8″ basswood. Each sample is sealed with polyurethane and includes a color description and recipe on the back. Just choose the sample in “options” at the top of this page.