skip to main content

Can I stain a red oak butcher block island a dark gray?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I have a 3' x 7' butcher block island. We are sprucing up our kitchen. My counters are white marble with a gray vein and the back splash is a white painted brick. I plan to keep those. I am replacing my floors with a natural warm colored wide french oak that has a hint of gray. I would like to keep my butcher block but I want to know if I can stain it a darker gray?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Jamie Ludwig
5 years ago
I think a dark grey sounds like it would work nicely.
PRO
Suzette Sherman Design
5 years ago
As a designer the question is not a color question it is a safety and overall look after wear and tear question. Do you prep on that counter with a knife and for food prep? I would have two concerns; 1) would the stain be toxic when exposed to types of foods and food juices? 2) would the knife marks and wear & tear show the real color and how would that look over time? I have never seen butcher block countertops stained and suspect for a good reason. I have used butcher block in walnut to achieve a different darker look. But yours is the type of questions that a designer would then go to an truly experienced and knowledgable woodworking expert to have a discussion.

Perhaps there is a qualified woodworker who is willing to answer this?
Related Discussions
Dark stain on Red Oak v. White Oak Flooring
Q
Comments (6)
I went with white oak also because I didn't want red undertones. My flooring co said red oak will usually have red undetones regardless of what color stain is applied. Mine are stained with a mix of 75% Jacobean and 25% Coffee Black (similar to Dark Walnut from the more common stain company). I love them! Not so dark that the show every single speck of dust or cat hair. That sounds like a cleaning nightmare to me! And shout out to Nini whose floor is my inspiration. She graciously supplied her formula to me so I could try to replicate her beautiful floors!
...See More
Dark brown butcher block? Spekva?
Q
Comments (11)
Jbrodie--Yes, the plank top would probably be thinner than the Spekva top but you can still get them quite thick. The difference is that plank style is face grain whereas butcherblock is commonly edge grain or, the more expensive version, end grain. Plank style is more like a furniture top, usually with interesting edge profiles, and, IMO, much 'prettier' owing to the edge profiles &, because of the face grain, focus on the graining of the wood. Keep in mind that if you're looking at raw wood that the color of the finished/ oiled top is going to be quite a lot darker. Grothouse, Expo & DeVos all do the plank style. A good cabinet shop, locally, may be able to do it as well but their wood selection will probably be a lot more limited than what you'll be able to get from the companies that specialize in wood countertops. (A lot of wood shops won't have a wide enough thickness planer to do a large top...) Link to DeVos explains the different construction techniques: Here is a link that might be useful: DeVos
...See More
Red Oak Floor Stain: Go Lighter! {Classic Gray & Special Walnut blend}
Q
Comments (27)
@Amy Molina thank you for advising. your color really is beautiful!!! i just selected last monday chestnut/classic. it did not appear to have any of that red orange showing through - just a nice neutral brown color. in my opinion, it is like a special walnut but greatly improved. special walnut was a yuck! color on my floor showing orange and the grains too bold. classic gray is the ticket to modernize a color if looking for a brown. its just finding the right brown that is tricky. now i am just hoping i selected a dark enough brown - yoir looks great! they come and do ours tomorrow in the official color.
...See More
Deciding on a Dark Stain for Red Oak Floors...Dark Walnut or Jacobean?
Q
Comments (3)
It looks like you already have a medium stain (?Provincial?) on there so you are aware it will be lighter than any of the options you are looking at. Because you want to get away from 'red/orange' tones (as seen in your photo), I HIGHLY recommend you work with the Jacobean side of things. Just like in the make-up industry, floor stains use GREEN based stains to 'hide' or cover red tinges. Jacobean is green based. Jacobean is often used to create a mix of colour. The green base of Jacobean is used (50:50 or 25:75) to get rid of the red AND to darken a colour. This is normal. It is done all the time (by skilled refinishers). I'm not fond of Ebony. It can go down VERY dark (so dark it looks like black paint). Dark walnut might pull a bit to reddy-orange (browns are made up of reds and oranges and blues, etc). Be prepared to ask for a custom mix. And to stay away from orange all together you MUST WORK with a water based polyurethane. That means you MUST HAVE a coat of finish applied to the samples BEFORE you choose. This is normal. It is natural. It is 'industry standard'. Never, ever pick a stain colour without a coat of your finish (in your gloss level) over top. And make sure you view the stain patches through ALL 5 lighting situations. I like to see stain patches put down on Friday (with a coat of finish) and then the homeowners view it over the weekend. You tell the refinisher what you want on Saturday. The full staining process starts on Monday. That's the IDEAL way to do this.
...See More
nancypickett
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you Suzette. I rarely cut on mine now, but I sure wouldn't want it toxic. I would love to know what a qualified woodworker would say.
jhmarie
5 years ago
It is difficult to get red oak grey - there have been dilemma's posted here about it not going well. Definitely would need a woodwork specialist that can show you past results.

Many find that gray/white kitchens benefit from some natural wood - floor or butcher block counter. Otherwise the gray / white can be too cold. Also, gray look wood is very trendy and I've noticed in my area it is trending out. If you must stain, consider deepening the wood to a darker color if the light is not working with your other colors. The deeper color might blend better then natural, yet lend some warmth to the area.
nancypickett
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you. That might be a possibility. Right now, it doesn't look good with my new floors.

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN Beautiful Dark Gray Cabinets in a Light-Filled English Kitchen

By Sarah Alcroft

Simplicity, symmetry and attention to detail characterize this modern-meets-Victorian kitchen

KITCHEN OF THE WEEK Dark Gray Sophistication in a Shaker-Style Kitchen

Rich paint used throughout this compact London space helps create a kitchen that’s contemporary and inviting

WOODWORKING How to Clean and Care for Your Butcher Block

By R. Olson Design

Keep butcher block counters and boards looking sharp as a knife — and sanitized for safe food prep — with this advice from a pro woodworker

KITCHEN DESIGN Butcher Block Makes the Cut for Holiday Kitchen Prep

Countertops and cutting boards will likely take a beating over the holidays. These butcher blocks have the chops to perform under pressure

COLOR Dreaming in Color: 8 Gorgeous Gray Bedrooms

By Jennifer Ott Design

With this versatile hue, you can go dark and bold or slip into something more soothing

KITCHEN DESIGN New This Week: How Dark Can Your Kitchen Go?

By Mitchell Parker

These 3 kitchens wow with dark cabinetry and drama

LIFE The Polite House: How Can I Kindly Get Party Guests to Use Coasters?

Here’s how to handle the age-old entertaining conundrum to protect your furniture — and friendships

KITCHEN OF THE WEEK Kitchen of the Week: We Can’t Stop Staring at This Bright Blue Island

By Jeannie Matteucci

A single mom updates her childhood kitchen, so she and her daughter have a functional and stylish space

VACATION HOMES We Can Dream: Maori-Inspired Island Home With Views of Land and Sea

By Joanna Tovia

This family vacation house near Auckland, New Zealand, is designed to blend in with its surroundings

MOST POPULAR 50 Shades of Gray

By Rachel Grace

Gray is hotter than ever, thanks to a hit novel full of risks and dark secrets. Tell us: Which paint shade possesses you?

Sponsored

More Discussions

Shelf above toilet centered to the wall or toilet?

13

House numbers - which of these 4 choices? EDITED: DONE

52

Which Zellige tile should I use?

28

New Countertop Alert!!

13

Help with exterior!

11