Paint hides the grain completely; stain simply colors the grain. Stain often brings out the character of the wood grain particularly in species such as poplar or oak. It soaks into open pores and exposes beauty otherwise not as noticeable. Stained hardwood attempts match other items in a room or theme.
Our painted frames are most often made of primed MDF (composite fiberboard) which offers a very uniform surface perfect for paint – primer. We always recommend hardwood for framing heavy items such as glass. Hardwood can be painted and offers higher strength than the composite fiberboard. Hardwood is also a better choice than MDF in an area of high humidity.