NEED HELP DECIDING ON STAIRCASE STAIN

6 years ago

Hello,

My father and I are nearly done with the renovation of our family home and need help deciding what would be best for our staircase. Below are images of the house as it is now. The first floor is comprised of linoleum flooring and are a brownish / grey color. The second floor is European Oak (https://hallmarkfloors.com/product/twain-oak/) that has brownish hues.

Our dilemma is deciding on a stain color. At first we were trying to match the first floor colors, but after talking to several floor professionals, we were informed it would be very difficult to match due to the linoleum being a engineered / printed look (makes sense). So our thought now is to either preserve the unfinished natural white oak look and apply something like Bona Birch with Satin finish (see image below for inspiration), or try and stain the stair treads and handrail to match as closely as possible to the floors on the second floor. Any suggestions or ideas, even if it is different from what I laid out, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance, Houzz community.

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Comments (5)

Aglitter
6 years ago
We have a few flooring experts that frequent these forums, so maybe one of them will see this and help you out. It does sound like a problem. You could always consider placing a stair runner if things don't turn out as hoped to help ease the transition.
Chris P
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you @back2work. Never thought about masking it if it doesn't turn out the way we want. That is certainly an option.

Also correction, the flooring on our first floor are vinyl planks, not linoleum.
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Aglitter
6 years ago
Even if you do get some tips, the key to getting the finish you hope for is just practicing. You can take spare stock and sand it down several times with different procedures until you get a match. Be sure to compare with the topcoat on as that will change the color. If you are trying to tone down redness, you'll want a stain with some green in it.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
IMO the stairs going from main to upper floor should match the main floor flooring since you see the stairs with the main flooring as a guest.
PRO
Calvetta Bros. Floor Show
6 years ago
We've been in the business since 1999 and think that a great option would be to put a runner down the steps. Even adding a patterned carpet could add some flair to the space. Not to mention, adding carpet to stairs helps prevent slips and falls. You can see some ideas at calvettabrothers.com. Good luck in your decision!