A wood stain consists of colorants dissolved and/or suspended in a solvent. Wood stains disappear over a period of time. A sealer coat is used over the stain or on unstained wood. Its purpose is to "seal" the pores of the wood to give you a smooth, even surface for the top coats of varnish or lacquer. The sealer coat will also prevent the stain from bleeding into successive coats of finish materials.
