General Finishes Nutmeg review

Nutmeg General Finishes · Gel Stain

Nutmeg on pine, oak, maple and cabinets

How a stain looks depends as much on the wood species as the can: pine and maple are prone to blotching, oak's open grain amplifies whatever penetrates it, and cabinet doors have their own even-coverage requirements. Photographed swatches for Nutmeg on each species are still being shot; the notes below are what to expect from this stain's formula.

Pine

Nutmeg is a gel stain, which sits on the surface instead of soaking in, so it's the standard fix for pine's usual blotching problem.

Oak

On oak, a gel stain like Nutmeg mutes some of the dramatic grain contrast a thin oil stain gives, trading grain pop for a more even, controlled color.

Maple

Maple's tight grain is exactly where a gel stain earns its reputation: Nutmeg rides on top instead of penetrating unevenly, which is the difference between a blotchy maple project and a clean one.

Cabinets / exterior

Nutmeg is a common cabinet-refinishing choice for this reason: gel stains give the most even, repeatable color across many doors, which matters more than grain drama on a large flat surface.

Coats and drying

Coats: One thin coat is usual; add a second for more depth.
Application: Wipe on and wipe off with a lint-free cloth, or leave a thin layer for more color.
Drying: Typically slower to dry than an oil stain, often overnight before a topcoat.

General guidance only: the label on your can sets the real times. The color on this page is an on-screen approximation of the published swatch, and screens vary, so confirm on a test board of your own wood.

warm medium-dark brown.

A warm medium-dark brown gel stain, the same tone family as Minwax Nutmeg but applied without the blotching risk of an oil stain.

Closest match in other brands

Ranked by Delta-E (perceptual color distance) between Nutmeg and every stain from other brands on this site: nearest first.

Nutmeg Minwax · Wood Finish Padre Brown Behr · Premium Semi-Transparent Shagbark Sherwin-Williams · SuperDeck Solid