I purchased from Huron Hardwood. I had a very pleasant experience and am thrilled with the wood (4 inch white oak planks). We had a lot of wood left over because we had almost no waste. One of the things I liked about it is the fact that everytime I called I talked to the same person. The President of the company. Very seldom did I get a voice mail when I called. After I purchased, I had questions (a lot of them), and he treated me as well after he had my money as he did before. The only bad part was the delivery - which was not their fault. The delivery is via a semi-trailer truck, which couldn't get up our driveway. And something you should also be aware of is that there is a 3% upcharge if you pay with VISA/Mastercard, which must be through PayPal. The alternative is bank draft or check.

I don't see anything wrong with your idea as long as the lighter color stain is a complimentary shade that blends well with the flooring and everything else going on in the house.

You are seeing what we refer to as 'dishout'...and it is a sanding issue. Walnut is very difficult to sand flat. Each of us have a favorite sanding method to get a flat result. I use a machine, similar to a terrazzo grinder, called a Lagler Trio, as the final machine; it never fails in giving an absolute flat result. You will notice dishout and any other sanding anomaly on these dark floors. You will also notice every scratch, dust particle, pet hair and piece of lint.

When it comes to hardwood, trends are something to ignore! Why? Because hardwood is pretty much a lifetime purchase, and unless yours is damaged in some way, you're probably not going to replace it. So, light wood vs. dark wood, wide planks vs. narrow planks -- that stuff's all going to come and go. With that in mind -- as well as the very real concerns about cleaning dark wood -- I'll vote for a nice, neutral midtone every time. Not too much contrast, not too red, and (unless it's a beach house) not too pale. I think this is the wood that's most likely to give you good service and stand the test of time.