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A HIGH percentage of stain buying lA.decisions are based solely on color. Yet while selecting color is extremely subjective. there are important objective factors that influence color perception which salespeople can use to sell stain. These factors include the stain product itself, the wood or substrate texture, subcoats and light source.

According to Cabot Stains, the appearance of every stain product will be affected by the color of the wood or substrate. Naturally, clears, translucent, semi-transparent and semi-solid stains are most affected. Porous wood, such as rough cut lumber, absorbs more stain, permitting more of the substrate to show through.

Additionally, the initial coat of a two-coat system typically appears darker than the second coat. The second coat tends to be smoother and to reflect the light source more uniformly. This reflected light may even appear to cause the coating to have a slightly higher sheen, changing the color the eye perceives.

The color of primers or subcoats will also influence the final topcoat color of a stain. For instance, a light, pastel color applied over a darker subcoat will appear different than over a light subcoat.

Colors look different under different light sources, since the pigments in coatings absorb or reflect different wavelengths of light. Buyers should observe the color under the proper light source; in other words, exterior stains should be viewed under daylight conditions.

Dealers should offer color samples such as color cards and stained or painted wood chips, but remind customers that these aids only offer an approximation of the true color. They should never rely just on a small chip to make their final color decision. A color chosen from a 1"x1" sample will look a lot darker when applied to a large surface. And, store-matched colors likely won't provide an exact match to manufacturers' ready-mix colors.

For best results, a sample of the chosen color should be brushed out on the surface to which it will be applied. Since colors change as they dry, color decisions should be made after the product completely dries. This is especial- ly true of latex or water-based products.

Pigments used in exterior coatings must resist the effects of light, heat or chemicals and contribute to good color retention. When tinting exterior stains, colorants must be for use in exterior applications.

Store-matched colors

likely won't provide an exact match to manufacturers' ready-mix colors.

Low viscosity, semi-transparent oil-based stains should not be tinted with universal (glycol-type) tint colors unless the oil product has been formulated with a special wetting agent to accept these colorants. Universal colorants which are not properly dispersed may cause color streaking when the products are applied.

Low-end, oil-based, white stains with high levels of extender pigments (fillers) such as talc should not be tinted to pastel shades. They may prematurely fade or chalk, causing a loss of color.

Finally, Cabot suggests, sell quality. Premium quality stains which use the finest, purest ingredients will perform better, hold their color and fade less. Quality may cost more at first, but the highest cost of any staining job is the labor involved in surface preparation and product application. High-quality stains require less frequent applications, providing cost savings in the long run.

who concentrate on wall insulation to reduce air infiltration may be missing the mark, according to a recent study on whole house air infiltration.

Dr. Gren Yuill, a professor of architectural engineering at Penn State University, concluded that the majority of air infiltration occurs not in the walls, but in the floor and ceiling of a house, and can be significantlY reduced by caulking and sealing.

Additionally, his study showed that various wall system air tightening techniques, such as installing a housewrap, taping insulating sheathing joints or caulking and sealing, can have a notable impact in reducing air infiltration in a house.

Finally, the test found that wall cavity insulation had virtually no effect on the air tightening of a house' While wall cavity insulation does play an important role in providing resistance to heat loss or heat gain, it does not significantly reduce air infiltration.

"The results may surprise some people about where most air infiltration occurs in a house," said Yuill. "We found it was not the wall system, but the floor and ceiling that account for the majority of air leakage in a house. While it is still important to incorporate air tightening techniques in the wall system, the floor and ceiling should receive the most attention."

According to Owens Corning's Tim Grether, the tests showed that "a systems approach to insulating is essential. Thermal performance, air infiltration protection and moisture control are all important in achieving a high-performance insulating system that conserves energy, saves on heating and cooling costs and makes a