Oil-based solvent stains have been around for over a century. If you have been in the industry for some time, then this may be the only type of stain you use.
These tried-and-true oil-based stains give you a deep, rich, and beautiful color.
But even if you love everything about oil-based stains, you recognize the movement away from high-VOC, oil-based products.
We’re living in a water-based world.
Products with high VOCs are regulated, limiting what and how much you can buy.
Meanwhile, homeowners are increasingly aware and concerned about the potential dangers of bringing toxic chemicals into their homes.
All of this is important to think about when you’re evaluating hardwood floor stains.
In this article, we compare the best stains for hardwood floors in 2025 with a deeper look at the newer, alternative wood floor stains available on the market. By the end, you will know how each stain compares in dry time, application, VOCs, coverage, and more, so you can choose the best stain and right color for your clients and business.
Floor Stain Comparison Chart
Use the chart below to quickly compare the most popular hardwood floor stains, including the type, coverage, dry time, VOCs, solids %, and applicators.
• 3/8" Microfiber roller
• Buffer
• Brush
• Microfiber roller
• Clean cloths
• White polishing pad
• Clean cloths
• Brush
• Clean cloths
• Brush
• Lint-free cloth
• White driver pad
• Trowel
• Buffer
• Roller
• Pad
Tried and True Hardwood Floor Stains
Bona DriFast and DuraSeal Quickcoat are two of our leading hardwood floor stains. These oil-based products provide exceptional coverage, even color consistency, and fast dry times.
Bona DriFast
Bona DriFast stands out as a premium oil-modified stain with incredible efficiency and versatility. Its quick 2-hour dry time (though some colors require longer) allows for fast project turnarounds.
Offering 26 intermixable colors, it provides near-limitless colors to match your client’s vision while delivering rich, even coverage that enhances the natural wood grain.
User and repair-friendly, DriFast gives you straightforward application and touch-ups.
It’s a reliable choice for achieving high-quality, durable results on wood flooring.
DuraSeal QuickCoat
Minwax
Minwax is another popular option that’s great for smaller, DIY projects because it has a long working time.
Contractors typically go with premium stains like DriFast, QuickCoat, Loba, HyperTone, and Chroma.
But Minwax is still a reliable performing stain at an affordable price.
You can also use it on furniture.
Penetrating Natural & Hardwax Oils
Although not technically stains, Rubio Monocoat and Bona Craft Oil 2K provide you with a gorgeous color and nice matte finish.
Use Bona Craft Oil 2K or Rubio to completely color and finish your floors. Read more about the difference between natural/hardwax oils and polyurethane.
Unlike Rubio, Craft Oil 2K is compatible with Bona finishes.
Overall, these products are excellent and eco-friendly.
Alternative Wood Floor Stains
Oil-based stains remain popular, but new types of stains are emerging and gaining traction.
These alternative stains not only speed up the finishing process but also work better with the finishes you already use.
As a business owner who runs the day to day, including how you train people to do the job, you know the importance of the products you use.
The best stain for you depends on the results you want, the work you do, your application preferences and style, and the system of products you currently use.
Alternative hardwood floor stains offer you different ways to stain the floor. The products here are newer additions to staining and are specially formulated to work with water-based products.
Loba Stain
Loba stain gives you a beautiful, even color with rich tones at lightning speed.
With an alcohol base, Loba Stain dries in one hour. It’s the fastest dry time in the industry.
Application is only a little different compared to what you’re used to. You can apply it by hand or with a buffer.
The main difference with this stain is that you must work in smaller sections because of how quickly it dries. This means you will be pouring stain onto the floor or beneath the pad more often while you’re staining.
However, thanks to the low liquid content, you won’t overload your rags or your pads with stain, so you won’t need to use nearly as many rags or switch out pads as often.
This reduces much of the mess and hassle.
After your first 100 sq. ft. you will understand how it works.
What about the VOC content? You will notice a strong smell in the first hour of working with this stain. But within that hour, the alcohol smell dissipates and off-gassing decreases by 75%.
Additionally, repairing imperfections is straightforward.
Add Loba Stain to a rag, let it dissipate, and then gently go over any buffer swirls, drips, or other areas and lightly blend. You can also add more of the product to thirsty areas and work it in.
If you’re responsible for training people to stain, then this product is especially valuable. Using this stain as part of the Loba system can make your business operate better in the long run.
When your team is trained in a more efficient method in terms of speed, repairs, and consistency, you can take on more jobs and still deliver the exceptional quality you’re known for.
Follow Loba Stain with 1 coat of sealer and 2 coats of finish. You can use the additives available for endless custom tones.
Basic Coatings HyperTone
Basic Coatings HyperTone is a water/oil hybrid stain formulated to work with Basic Coatings sealer and finish.
HyperTone has a 2-4 hour dry time (4-6 hours if you’re playing it safely) no matter which color you choose.
Heavily pigmented oil-based colors tend to take a long time to dry. With HyperTone, you no longer need to juggle inconsistent dry times, which vary by color.
Another feature of HyperTone is its vibrant color palette. You can achieve different colors that would otherwise be impossible using the available colorways of other stains.
Mix red, blue, yellow, and traditional flooring colors to produce the exact shade your client wants. The colors work well in residential and commercial spaces, and are especially useful on gym floors’ logos, stencils, and graphics.
One of HyperTone’s strengths is its effectiveness on hard-to-stain species, such as pine, fir, and maple. Compared to other stains, Hypertone gives you a less blotchy and more even coating on hard-to-stain species.
Application requires learning the process. The best way to lay down HyperTone is with two people – one rolling it on and the other wiping it off.
You will want to roll the product on liberally using a 3/8” finish roller. Make sure to maintain a wet edge and avoid overlapping during application. As long as you aren’t overlapping the stain when it’s wet, you will be good.
To extend the working time, you can use Basic Coatings Stain Glide, adding 25% per volume.
Another reason to consider HyperTone is adaptability.
Let’s say your client calls and says they don’t like the look of the floor. They tell you it’s not dark enough and wonder if there’s anything you can do.
The problem is that you have already sealed and finished the floor. Normally, you would have to strip it all the way down to raw wood and start over if your client is adamant about a darker color.
In this situation, you could screen the floor with 220G, add HyperTone stain to your finish, and tint coat the floor to darken it.
Like Loba and Chroma, HyperTone offers good repairability. You can use a maroon pad to even out any heavy areas. Work at it gently, and it will look almost as good as if you applied it flawlessly the first time.
Follow with a Basic Coatings sealer and finish if you want the benefits of going with a system.
Bona Chroma
You’re familiar with Bona’s high-quality oil stain, but have you tried Chroma?
Bona Chroma is a unique waterborne colorant that outperforms traditional stains while being safer and more efficient.
Unlike oil-based stains, Bona Chroma eliminates the need for water popping, reduces odor, and dries much faster. It’s eco-friendly, non-flammable, and forgiving during application.
Bona Chroma works seamlessly as part of the Bona Finish System, complementing Bona’s sealers and water-based finishes.
Like the other two alternative stains on this list, applying Chroma requires you to learn the application process. You will want to apply Chroma generously using a 3/8” roller.
Don’t let your cutting guy work too far away from the section you’re working on. After rolling it on you can move slowly with a buffer and slowly massage the color in.
Bona Chroma is ready for sealer and finish in just two hours under optimal conditions.
Like the other two alternative wood stains, there’s a learning curve that will stop many contractors from figuring out the process. But when you learn it, you will increase your versatility and efficiency on the jobsite.
Chroma gives you great color consistency with less chemicals. You can also make repairs by adding more product to reactivate it, then wipe off and wet sand it out.
Overall, many contractors appreciate the advantage of being able to apply a topcoat on the same day without needing to water pop.
Summary
Selecting the right wood floor stain improves the quality and efficiency of your projects.
Whether you choose one of the tried-and-true oil-based stains, a penetrating oil, or an alternative stain, you want to evaluate each product and determine the one that’s best for your clients and your business.
Bona DriFast and DuraSeal QuickCoat are two trusted oil-based stain options that give you reliable performance.
Bona Craft Oil 2K and Rubio Monocoat are two popular, eco-friendly oils that penetrate deep into wood fibers, enhancing the natural beauty of the wood.
Alternative stains may require some learning and adjustment in your application process, but once mastered, they can greatly enhance efficiency on the job site.
Loba provides a user-friendly solution with low odor and easy repairability, making it ideal for teams prioritizing efficiency and consistency.
HyperTone stands out for its vibrant color palette, consistent dry times, and the ability it gives you to tackle challenging wood species.
Bona Chroma delivers eco-friendly and fast-drying performance without the need for water-popping, making it a safer and more efficient choice for contractors.
The main hang up for contractors is the time and cost associated with learning a new product and process.
By mastering different stains and application processes, you can expand your toolkit, deliver exceptional results, and meet your clients’ exact specifications on residential, commercial, and specialty projects.
