The top coat very well add to the color. You may want to add that depending on what you are using.

Thanks millworkman. I want a true mid tone brown that’s not too dark. I guess if other folks have stained their red oak floors 50/50 dark walnut & special walnut, and like how the came out, Please add some pictures so I can have some confidence in the decision.

I would use provincial over the red oak.

Thanks for the advise. Provincial is my safe choice, but will it be to orange/yellow?

The floors are Early American stain on red oak. I want a darker shade of this as it pulls too many yellow/orange tones.

Use Provincial and apply a water base finish over it to avoid the yellowing.

What brand of stain a s finish would you recommend?

What brand of stain and finish would you recommend?

G & S Floor Service what brand of stain and finish would you recommend?

for the look and feel you are trying to achieve. bona or loba stains and finishes are widely available.

Unfortunately my flooring contractor does not use water based finishes. They only use Minwax / oil based poly finishes.

I asked if there is a way to tone down the “orange” tones that I am seeing in the Provincial sample that has 3 coats of oil poly.

They said they can try to darken it a bit with a tinted polyshade.

Has anyone had any experience doing this….and does it work?

All currently have 3 coats of oil based poly on them.

A: Provincial

B: 1/2 Special Walnut and 1/2 Dark Walnut

C: 2/3 Special Walnut and 1/3 Dark Walnut

Pictures of those.

Have tgem water pop for pretreatment. color will get darker. red should go away.

I tried a new mixture and like how it is looking.
It is on Red Oak.

The Minwax stain combo is:

70% Special Walnut + 30% Jacobean

I also have 3 coats of oil based poly on top as well.

Let me know what you think?

Here is the pic

If anyone is interested here is what Minwax 70% Special Walnut
30% Jacobean
Looks like on red oak floors.

Here are the pictures

G & S Floor Service or millworkman
Any chance darker stains with oil based poly will lighten / brighten in color overtime?
If so, how much time?

I’m having my floors stained now with 50/50 Special/Dark walnut and will share photos once finished. In the meantime, here is a photo of the stain before the poly. These are red oak floors.

Did you go with 50/50 special/dark walnut? How does it look? I need to decide tonight. Looking at provincial or provincial and medium brown but concerned it looks too golden. Pictures are appreciated.

Both colors will work, just use a water base poly over it to avoid the amber color cast.

Thank you! I'm thinking I might have them try another mix this morning before they start, maybe 50/50 jacobean/nuetral, 30% jacobean and 70% dark walnut, or 50/50 special walnut and dark walnut, or rustic beige/provincial. Would one be better for a medium with no yellow/red, gray undertones?

How do they make 75% special walnut and 25% jacobean lighter?

3 (75%) parts special walnut and 1 (25%) part jacobean mixed. Then cut it with natural. 4 ( 100%) parts natural would be a 1:1 mix. So, you are reducing the stain color by half. Adjust as needed.

@G & S Floor Service thank you! That is super helpful. I haven't been getting that guidence and it helps with the decision. So if I like the 75% special walnut and 25% jacobean but want it lighter, does adding 50% natural not only lighten, but dull the stain? What would you recommend?

@Steve S confirming your pictures above are 3 parts special walnut and 1 part jacobean?

@G & S Floor Service so color came out with a lot of pink tones...only one coat of stain has gone on the floor with nothing on it yet....any suggestions? Should I add another coat of stain, go a shade darker, use oil based sealer...?

Which brand stain are you using? What type of finish you plan to apply over it?

It is duraseal 1/3 espresso, 1/3 weathered oak, 1/3 gray. Will putting the same stain over it make it darker/less red, or can I put a darker stain over it? for example 1/2 espresso, 1/4 weathered oak, 1/4 gray? Or switch out espresso for jacobean (more green) in either scenario and put it over? Or will it make it too dark?

You want to avoid applying a second coat of stain. It will cause adhesion issues. What you can do is add some of the stain to a oil base poly, then apply it.

Another option is to use poly shade in a similar color. You can apply 2-3 coats of the poly shade to achieve your desired color. Poly shade is oil base.

Contractor should have water popped the floor prior to applying the stain. The color would come out darker.

@G & S Floor ServiceThanks for the feedback, we decided to resand and restain, makes more sense. Going with Jacobean or Dark Walnut, or combo of those two.

Yes,
3 parts Special Walnut.
1 part Jacobean
Then 3 coats of minwax poly.

I am now having my railings stained and will have a painting company try the same formula. Hopefully it matches.

The before