Deck stain as general purpose interior stain ?

[Stephen Tashiro]

For interior projects like a shelf, can oil based deck stains be used like any other oil based stain before applying varnish or other clear finishes ?

The web has lots of warnings about not varnishing over stained decks and exterior furniture, but that isn't my question. I have left over deck stain. It gives both treated and non-treated wood a pleasing color. I've tried using it as an ordinary interior wood stain on a few tiny projects and, so far, nothing bad as happened to the oil based polyurethane varnish applied over it.

[Wayne Lomman]

Paint companies always set strict rules so you can't sue them if the coating does not work, so don't worry about the warnings for exterior finishes.

It should continue to work OK to use the decking stain in the way you have tried. The key is to ensure the stain is properly dry before applying a clear coat as it will most likely be a drying oil that can be a bit slow to cure. This will be the main difference between using deck stain as opposed to purpose designed interior stain. I would not do this routinely as customers don't pay me to take chances with their timber work, but for myself I often experiment to see what works. I was taught staining and polishing by Bill Moore who did his trade restoring furniture for the British royal family. The ways he mixed stains was sheer artistry and broke most of the accepted rules but that is why his dining room chairs sold for $500 each back in 1985.

[Robert Engel]

Can't imagine a reason why not other than there could be volatiles you don't want to be breathing.