In addition to what others have said, most Minwax stains are a mixture if
pigment and dye... Pigment is suspended in the solvent. When you apply stain
the raw wood, solvent is absorbed into the wood at differing rates.
Generally, more solvent is sucked into the pores of the wood. This leaves
more pigment trapped at the surface of the wood in these areas of greater
absorption. This can accentuate the grain in a beautiful way (oak, if you
like that look), or leave you with a blotchy mess (pine/maple). Additional
applications will not change the color much.

By contrast a toner (pigment in the top coat) will cover more evenly but
occlude more than accentuate the grain. Additional coats will build
additional (darker) color.

Always test on scrap.

-Steve

"TimR" wrote in message
news:uODQg.533$tO5.325@fed1read10...
Can someone describe the basic pros/cons between minwax regular wood stain
and then applying polyurethane...stain with polyurethane included
(poly...and the new water based minwax stains ? I'll be staining some
wood
veneer and also casing/baseboard moldings.

Thanks TR