STAIN COMPOSITION

1 . A stain composition comprising:

a carrier liquid having a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 50% by weight to about 90% by weight;

at least one silicate-based anti-ticking agent having a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 4.0% by weight to about 15% by weight;

at least one polymeric binder;

at least one colorant; and

at least one surfactant configured to at least partially suspend the at least one silicate-based anti-ticking agent in the carrier liquid.

2 . The stain composition of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the at least one silicate-based anti-ticking agent ranges from about 5.0% by weight to about 10.0% by weight.

3 . The stain composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one silicate-based anti-ticking agent comprises hydrous aluminum silicate.

4 . The stain composition of claim 3 , wherein the hydrous aluminum silicate has an average particle size of about 2.0 micrometers or less.

5 . The stain composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric binder comprises a polyurethane copolymer resin.

6 . The stain composition of claim 5 , wherein the polyurethane copolymer resin comprises ethylenically-unsaturated groups.

7 . The stain composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant has a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 0.1% by weight to about 5% by weight.

8 . The stain composition of claim 1 , and further comprising an adjuvant selected from the group consisting of moisturizing agents, rheology-modifying agents, heat stabilizers, leveling agents, sedimentation inhibitors, ultraviolet-light absorbers, biological agents, plasticizers, and combinations thereof.

9 . A stain composition comprising:

a carrier liquid having a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 50% by weight to about 90% by weight;

at least one silicate-based material having an average particle size of about 2.0 micrometers or less, wherein the at least one silicate-based material has a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 4% by weight to about 15% by weight;

a polyurethane copolymer resin;

at least one colorant; and

at least one surfactant configured to at least partially suspend the at least one silicate-based material in the carrier liquid.

10 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the average particle size of the at least one silicate-based material is about 1.0 micrometer or less.

11 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the polyurethane copolymer resin comprises ethylenically-unsaturated groups.

12 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the at least one silicate-based material comprises aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide.

13 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the concentration of the at least one silicate-based material ranges from about 5.0% by weight to about 10.0% by weight.

14 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the at least one surfactant has a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 0.1% by weight to about 5% weight.

15 . The stain composition of claim 9 , wherein the concentration of the carrier liquid ranges from about 70% by weight to about 80% by weight.

16 . A method of preparing a stain composition, the method comprising:

at least partially suspending at least one silicate-based material in a first carrier liquid to form an inert suspension;

suspending at least one surfactant in a second carrier liquid; and

mixing the inert suspension, at least one colorant and at least one polymeric binder with the second carrier liquid containing the at least one suspended surfactant to provide the stain composition, wherein the first carrier liquid and the second carrier liquid have a combined concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 50% by weight to about 90% by weight, and wherein the at least one silicate-based material has a concentration in the stain composition of ranging from about 4% by weight to about 15% by weight.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one silicate-based material has a concentration in the inert suspension of at least about 30% by weight.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the introduced inert suspension has a concentration in the stain composition ranging from about 1% by weight to about 25% by weight.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the concentration of the at least one silicate-based material ranges from about 5.0% by weight to about 10.0% by weight.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one silicate-based material comprises hydrous aluminum silicate.