So, my project is simple. Replace some gross carpeted stairs with some nice oak treads and risers. I'm looking at 22 steps with four landings between the very bottom and very top. My plan is to use engineered flooring on the landings, and stain the treads and risers to match. Problem is, I can't seem to match it. I've included a photo of the floor and a stained piece of test oak that I've been using. The flooring is on the right and the test piece of tread is on the left. The test piece has four coats of Minwax Red Mahogany. As you can see, it's quite a bit lighter than the flooring. Anyone know how I might be able to get the treads and risers to match? I've been given a couple pieces of advice (i.e. use dye then stain, use 2 in 1 stain with poly, use gel stain because it's darker) etc etc, but I'm not sure which is the best course of action. Hopefully somebody here can provide some advice.

You will never get it to match exactly because of the grain structure. Your best bet is to bring a piece of the flooring along with some unfinished but sanded oak to an actual paint store and leave it with them for a day and see what they come up with. That's what I do and usually comes out closer then I can do.

Does Lowes or Home Depot even do that?

That is why I indicated an actual paint store. I use Sherwin Williams.

Ah, alright, I didn't know we had any of those. So they do that then? I can take them a piece this weekend.

Why are you using a click prefinished hardwood? Go find another manufacturer for flooring and not a click. You should be able to match that easy. Go to a place like Prosource. They usually have more sample than most places. Looks like gunstock to me.

Why? Because I went to four places and nobody had unfinished flooring. That ship has sailed now my friend.

Take it back. You can buy prefinished red oak with gunstock stain all day long that will match that tread perfectly. The tread is on the left right? That wood you got does not even look like oak. lol

I don't want gunstock though. I don't like how it looks.

Besides, I'm not sure they'll take it back?

Oh, and the guy at Sherman Williams was less than helpful.

Maybe I should try asking a forum about staining. Coming here might have been a mistake.

Probably right, that flooring and tred grain dont even come close to matching.

The flooring looks like a rotary peeled veneer, which soaks the stain up like staining a piece of plywood. All you can do is try to get the feild of the treads the same color but the grain will always soak in more stain and be darker. You can try a pre-stain conditioner first. I learned this from my SW rep.

You can mix some stain with the polyurethane , and adjust the amount of stain till you get it right. try on the back of the threads.

[url][/url]http://bocawoodfloors.com/

You can mix some stain with the polyurethane , and adjust the amount of stain till you get it right. try on the back of the threads.

brush the stain on evenly...leave it heavy to dry for 2 days before attempting any coatings..

do not wipe away excess...use a quality brush and brush until it has an even opaque appearcne..thsi will be the closet you will get...as for actual color..pictures dont help with that..if it needs more brown ,red..etc..that you will need to determine