- 1). Dip a stick into the can of stain. Scrape along the bottom and pull the stick back up. If you see a substance on the stick like mud or dark sawdust, it is solvent-based stain. If your stick comes up with a dark honey-colored resin that drips off the end of the stick, it is oil stain.
- 2). Wipe stain onto the surface of the wood with a cloth. Let it sit on the wood for five minutes and wipe it off. Let the wood sit for 30 minutes. If you see small dots of stain leaching back to the surface and pooling slightly, it is oil stain.
- 3). Wipe the stain onto the surface of some wood. Let it dry for 30 minutes. Lean your head down and position your eyes so that light reflects off the surface of the wood. If the wood reflects light at different intervals and highlights grain patterns with a fluid-like reflectiveness, it is oil stain. If the wood is dull and looks like paint, it is solvent-based stain.
- 4). Spread the stain out heavily on a piece of wood. Wait one hour. If the stain is still wet, it is oil stain.
- 5). Read the ingredients on the can. Oil stains are often marked with the terms "Danish," "tung," "lemon," "walnut" or "linseed." If you see any of these terms, you are using oil stain.
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