Recs for medium, brown stains on red oak? Samples going down tomorrow!
mynovahome
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (19)
PROOak & Broad
5 years ago
mynovahome
5 years agoThis is how it looks now - in progress! New cabs will go to ceiling, bigger island, trash in island, new table, etc. :)
Related Discussions
Medium Brown Minwax Stain on Red Oak
Comments (7)Minwax has a colour called gunstock I think. That is a nice brown on oak floors. I think ours may have been white oak but it was a pleasing mid brown that made the grain in the oak look really beautiful. I think I would stay away from the grey flooring trend unless you can find a very light grey that work well for you. Gorgeous kitchen you've got going there. Please post photos as you progress through the project. Looks like its going to be gorgeous. I especially like the upper cabinets with the square glass doors. Did you wire those to have lights in them? If not, now is the time....See MoreHas anyone had success with a light brown/gray stain on red oak floor
Comments (46)@katiejeane i am glad i came across your post of red oak flooring. i have been trying for months to get the color right and love your home and floor. I have some questions and hope you dont mind me asking. do you get a lot of natural light? What sun exposure do you have? id love to see the floor up close to see the background color and grain. would you mind posting a picture? what poly did you apply and what finish: extra matte or satin? hoping you did not water pop or pretreat the floor to get the red out since we are not doing those things. you still love it and have no regrets? i have tried every combination that i have resorted to non-mixed colors of special walnut, and provincial, and mixed of medium brown/rustic, chestnut/rustic and going to try your mix of medium brown/weathered. what were your runner ups. So afraid to pick wrong again (first pick i selected weathered oak and what a distaster - way to pink on red oak). yoir guidance and insight are welcome. looking to put this part of the project behind me....See MoreRed Oak Medium-Dark Stain with Grey Undertones
Comments (6)OK...here we go. Red oak is, well, red. In fact it sands down to a lovely wheat colour. As soon as anything with 'white' in it is put down, the wheat colour turns to cinnamon/salmon/pink. And that's where Red Oak frustrates both the professionals and the homeowners. Red oak turns pink when gray is used. Why? Because gray is a mix of black and WHITE (oh dear...there it is again...white+red=pink). The other issue with white is it is OPAQUE (cannot see through it...no light passes through). That means the issue with 'gray' = it is NOT transparent (see through). It is TRANSLUCENT (like paper...you can see light pass through but you cannot see the light SOURCE). The more 'white' you add the more opaque the stain becomes....sigh. So there will be two issues you will be fighting: 1. White + red = pink 2. White = opaque (looks like watery paint) So the end result can be a pinky gray (with hints of lilac) that looks like painted wood. https://www.bona.com/en-CA/Professional1/Hardwood-Floors/Coatings/Stains/Bona-DriFast-Stain---Metropolitan/ All three of your choices CLEARLY SHOW (even in the small swatch on the screen) a pink cast to the red oak. The only one that kills the pink (most of it...but it is STILL THERE) is the Aged Pewter. How? Because it has very little white AND it has a green base to it (green kills red). Whew! You can get rid of the red in your red oak...for a price. You can have the wood bleached. That's another $2-$3/sf of an up charge (consider the average price of a sand/refinish = $5/sf). It adds several days to the project and it will damage the wood....but you will get the grey tones you are looking for without pulling all the pink/lilac/purple tones....See MoreHas anyone tried mixing in weathered oak to cool down red oak?
Comments (14)Neutral = gold(ish). Golden oak = yellow. Both of those colours are SUPER WARM. If you want COOL you need to get RID of yellow, orange and red. duraseal-quick-coat-stain-chart.jpg (1510×1762) (netdna-ssl.com) Have a look at the chart. Can you see green in any colours? Think 'celery' rather than emerald. Each colour has been applied to Red and White Oak (they sit side-by-each). Chestnut has green in it. Provincial also has some green but it turns warm on Red Oak (snick more gold tones). Coffee Brown Dark Walnut Antique Brown These all have green in them. Be VERY careful with Jacobean if you are looking for a 'soft' brown. Jacobean is FANTASTIC at turning the mineral streaks (the grain) DARK BROWN/Black. If you want a soft brown, the Jacobean is probably not what you want....See More
Carolae
5 years agoWe did Early American on red oak and are very happy with it! From the color chart, it looks less “orange” than Gunstock but perhaps you want a browner color. I think Provincial was one of our samples and it was too red, but you have to try it on your floor. Special Walnut is similar to Early American but Dark Walnut is darker. We put in some new flooring as well as refinished existing floors. I thought that the unfinished red oak was pretty but the flooring guy warned me that a clear stain on red oak would look pink. I think red oak can be tricky to work with but we do like the warmth it brings to the floor and the look of the grain.
mynovahome
5 years agortseattle
5 years agomynovahome
5 years agortseattle
5 years agomynovahome
5 years agoHere are our samples if it helps! Would love to see yours - sounds great! From left to right (or bottom to top) it's the Provincial/gray 50/50 mix, Provincial, Heritage Brown (that came out WAY darker than the little sample pic!!!) and Special Walnut. Special Walnut comes out really light here but I feel like it will darken when on the entire floor. Can't decide! It's why I had them come in and do samples so early!
rtseattle
5 years agomynovahome
5 years agortseattle
5 years agomynovahome
5 years agortseattle
5 years agoHi there cmbpmb, yes I think we have a decision! Here are photos: a view of my kitchen with original floor (red oak with no stain, Swedish finish). The floor was gorgeous when we first had it done 13 years ago, but yellowed/ambered over time and I did not love that.
rtseattle
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoHere are the samples after the floor was sanded. Duraseal: Dark Walnut, Special Walnut, Weathered Oak, 50/50 Special Walnut/Weathered Oak, 50/50 Dark Walnut/Weathered Oak. Stains listed top to bottom.
mynovahome
5 years agortseattle
5 years agoHU-138075218
last year
Related Stories
WOODWoodipedia: Make a Solid Choice With Oak
Forget those low-end products of old. Red and white oak today are beautiful, versatile and relatively inexpensive
Full Story
KITCHEN CABINETSPainted vs. Stained Kitchen Cabinets
Wondering whether to go for natural wood or a painted finish for your cabinets? These pros and cons can help
Full Story
KITCHEN CABINETSKitchen Cabinet Color: Should You Paint or Stain?
Learn about durability, looks, cost and more for wooden cabinet finishes to make the right choice for your kitchen
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGNCooking With Color: When to Use Red in the Kitchen
Candy Apple Red, Red Licorice and more for your kitchen walls, cabinets or island? The color choices are as delicious as they sound
Full Story
BROWNColor Guide: How to Work With Brown
It's all over nature and the decorating world too. From light latte to dark walnut, there's a brown for everyone
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGN8 Stunning Stain Colors for Kitchen Cabinets
Transform raw wood for custom-looking cabinetry with a stain that fills your need for color but lets the grain show through
Full Story
KITCHEN OF THE WEEKKitchen of the Week: Fans of Traditional Style Go For a ‘Mad Men’ Look
The TV show inspires a couple to turn their back on the style they knew and embrace a more fun and funkier vibe in their kitchen
Full Story
KITCHEN CABINETSKeeping Cabinet Color on the Down Low
Give just base cabinets a colorful coat for a kitchen sporting character and a spacious look
Full Story
HOMES AROUND THE WORLDThe Kitchen of Tomorrow Is Already Here
A new Houzz survey reveals global kitchen trends with staying power
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGNHow to Make Your Painted or Stained House Feel at Home in the Landscape
Use color and texture to create a pleasing connection between your house and garden
Full Story
rtseattle