Minwax Jacobean Stain Color Overview

ByChelsea @ Making Manzanita Updated on DIY, Painting
Minwax Jacobean stain is a beautiful dark brown color that would be stunning on a piece of furniture or DIY accent piece. This richly colored stain enhances the wood’s natural grain for a classic and timeless look! If you’re considering using an oil-based stain for your next project, this guide is for you!

This dark, richly colored stain brings out the beautiful natural wood grain on any type of wood it touches. It’s a universal classic with luxe vibes. You can’t go wrong with this dark wood stain color!

Wood stain has evolved from hardwood floors and furniture to fun DIY projects for decor items. It brings about a whole new level of versatility. Wood stain can be applied to furniture, doors, trim, molding, cabinetry, decor items, and more. 

Table of Contents

blocks of different wood with jacobean stain

This Minwax Jacobean stain color review contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.

Today, I’m sharing this amazing wood stain with you that I love – Minwax Jacobean.

Apply this color to any project for a moody, luxurious vibe. Plus, it’s practically universal with any paint color. Kick up the rich, moody, and sophisticated vibes with just a single coat!

Minwax Jacobean Stain Overview

I love the versatility of Minwax Jacobean wood stain. Not only does it enhance the wood’s natural beauty, but it can also be used on just about anything, including plywood!

This deep shade really kicks the vibe up a notch when applied to trim and molding, furniture pieces, and even decor items.

It adds an element of luxury but would still work with any decor style, including boho, farmhouse, industrial, modern, and traditional. 

We use wood stains on so many projects around here. We’ve even discovered a paint-over stain technique that gray washes the color for a completely different look. We used this technique on our advent calendar and cookbook stand with Minwax Dark Walnut stain, but Jacobean would work, too.

Where to buy Minwax Jacobean Stain

You can easily find this wood stain on Amazon, in home improvement stores, or in your local hardware store.

In terms of the “big box home improvement stores” (ie: Lowe’s and Home Depot), Lowe’s carries the Minwax brand and The Home Depot sells the competitor, Varathane stains.

So if you’re looking for Minwax Jacobean Stain at a big box home improvement store, check your Lowe’s!

Will the stain get darker with polyurethane?

Oil-based polyurethane can dramatically change the color of stained and unstained wood.

When applied to water-based or oil-based wood stains, oil-based poly will continue to darken the wood and stain as time goes on. 

Oil-based poly is best for darker types of wood that are warm enough to hide the yellowish-amber hue.

Water-based poly will remain clear for the lifetime of the project, so it’s safe to use over light woods, like maple, without worrying about yellowing. 

Wondering which to use? Here’s a detailed guide that explains the difference between polyurethane and polycrylic.

Is Minwax Jacobean cool or warm?

Jacobean falls into the warm color group. Because of the depth and richness of the color, this stain evokes cozy vibes with an element of sophistication.

It’s worth noting that the undertones and tints will vary depending on the type of wood you use.

Jacobean Stain Undertones

It’s hard to pinpoint the precise undertones for stain colors as they change based on the natural grain of the wood. 

With that said, we did several tests with the oil-based Jacobean stain. Dark brown and deep gray undertones were prevalent on each type of wood. 

As with any paint or stain color, the lighting and other items in the room will greatly impact the look and feel. Keep that in mind as you are deciding on what kind of vibe you want for the whole room.

How do different types of wood look with Jacobean stain?

Just like with paint colors, it is always a good idea to do a test stain first. You can easily do this on a piece of scrap wood that’s the same type of wood you are using for the project.

We tested the oil-based version of Jacobean on oak plywood, poplar, pine, fir, oak, and yellow birch.

showing jacobean stain color on oak plywood, poplar, pin, fir, oak, and yellow birch

Oak Plywood with Jacobean wood stain

I never imagined a piece of engineered wood could stain so beautifully. It is a lighter-toned result, but this would be beautiful as an accent piece.

This type of plywood was made from oak – a hardwood. Hardwood plywoods are great options for staining (like we did with this banquette) because of the pretty wood grain.

Projects with Oak Wood:

Poplar and Jacobean stain

Poplar isn’t the most beautiful piece of lumber, but it is stable and durable. Poplar was the least exciting piece of wood that we tested. 

The finished product was pretty underwhelming because of the lack of wood grain. If you are going for a high-end look, steer clear of poplar for staining.

Projects with Poplar Wood:

Pine with Jacobean stain

The combination of Jacobean and pine was a weathered, grayish result. Pine definitely dried much lighter than the other types of wood we tested.

Because there wasn’t much wood grain to enhance, I’m not sure this would be a good combo, especially for a refined look. 

Pine is known for absorbing stains unevenly, especially with high-pigmented stains. Keep that in mind if you choose to go this route.

Projects with Pine Wood:

Jacobean Stain on Fir

My favorite result! The wood grain really popped through the dark stain for a beautiful result.

Fir tends to have a reddish-brown tint, but that actually played really well with this dark stain.

This would be a great combo for furniture making and is a super strong piece of lumber.

Projects with Fir:

Jacobean Stain on Red Oak

Oak is a solid piece of lumber that’s commonly used in furniture. In the photo below, you can see the beautiful wood grain that pops through the rich stain color for a classic stained-wood look.

This combination would be beautiful for an office desk or shelving.

Projects with Oak Wood:

Yellow Birch stained with Jacobean

This test gave us a similar result to poplar. Woodworkers love Birch because it’s easy to work with, affordable, and readily available. It also planes and sands to a smooth finish. 

But, after this test, I’m not sure I would recommend pairing Jacobean and Yellow birch. While there was some wood grain peeping through, it was a little too subtle for my tastes but the color was beautiful.

Projects with Birch:

Coordinating paint colors for Jacobean Stain

Jacobean stain is practically universal when it comes to choosing paint colors. I would recommend a lighter gray or white shade to offset the intensity of the dark wood. I always love a good contrast!

Dark paint colors might make the room feel too closed in, so use caution when choosing a color outside of the neutrals.

Here are some neutral paint colors we love:

Darker hues like Midnight in NY, Black Bamboo, Graphic Charcoal, and Meteorological might be too intense when paired with Jacobean.

But if you’re going for that dark and moody thing, go for it. You do you, friend!

Don’t be afraid to mix different shades of stained wood and different types of wood in a room. It’s fun to incorporate these different elements into your whole house color scheme.

Stain Colors Similar to Jacobean

However, tints and undertones are also impacted by the type of wood being used, so this will vary with every application.

Jacobean vs. Espresso

Jacobean stain and Espresso are very similar in shade with Espresso having a slightly deeper tone.

showing jacobean vs. espresso stain color

Jacobean vs. Ebony

Out of all of the other comparisons, Ebony and Jacobean are two of the darkest stain colors. 

showing jacobean vs. ebony stain color

Jacobean has a little more brown to it than Ebony, which has a slightly grayer hue.

Jacobean vs. Dark Walnut

Jacobean is very similar to Dark Walnut but slightly darker. Both stain colors have dark brown hues with minor differences in tint and undertones.

showing jacobean vs. dark walnut stain color

I love how Minwax Jacobean gives off moody and luxurious vibes but is still comfortable enough to go with any decor style. Use this in any room for an elevated and sophisticated look!

Do you have any other questions about Jacobean stain?

Let me know in the comments below!

image of types of wood with jacobean stain with text overlay saying "minwax jacobean stain color guide"
Chelsea @ Making Manzanita

Chelsea is the founder of Making Manzanita - a DIY and renovation blog - where it's all about making your house a home you love one DIY at a time. Chelsea and her husband, Logan, have been renovating homes since 2015 and have seen the sweat equity pay off. They enjoy teaching readers how to renovate with confidence. As an influencer, Chelsea has collaborated with brands like The Home Depot, Etsy, Behr Paint, DAP Products, Walmart, Frog-Tape, and Kreg Tools. Making Manzanita has participated in One Room Challenge and was a finalist in the Fall 2019 Jeffrey Court Renovation Challenge.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

5 Comments

  1. I love how detailed your overview of the Minwax Jacobean stain is! The richness of the color and its versatility really stand out. I’m planning a new project and am definitely considering this stain now. Thanks for the great insights!

    Reply

  2. I applied two coats of minwax solid jacobean stain to a table. It is dark and has a green tint. What color stain could I apply on top to somewhat eliminate the green tent?

    Reply

  3. Staining a meranti(mohagany) front door and don’t want to have red come through and get a reddish brown color. Looking for dark walnut in color, cooler brown/black. If read you should use a stain with green understone. Debating on Jacobean, Ebony, and Dark walnut. Which one??

    Reply