In choosing the best possible wood stain color, it’s important to think of flooring as an essential aspect of your décor. Although personal preferences are important, they should not be the deciding factor and style limitations, existing colors and room size should be given equal consideration. But the good news is that hardwood flooring can be had in a host of styles, colors, and surface finishes, so you can be sure there’s a perfect one to match your interiors.
Consider the type of wood:
The wood species will play a crucial role in your selection of hardwood stains. Oak offers the most color options and is the easiest wood to stain. In contrast, floors made of conifers, birch or maple are difficult to stain evenly, so it is best to leave them natural. Maple and birch have tiny pores and tight grains, making it difficult for pigment to absorb, but this can be resolved by using a modified sanding and conditioning technique to make them attractive and extremely durable.
Traffic and lighting:
Lighter, more natural hardwood stain colors will generally reveal knots and spirals in the wood, and can really open up a room that doesn’t get much light and is small. Although natural wood imperfections will show up in light-stained hardwood colors, the unavoidable pet hair, dust, and scratches will blend in perfectly. However, darker stains will camouflage the wood’s natural imperfections, but will reveal pet hair, dust, and scratches, especially if the room gets a lot of light.
Consider your decor:
Hardwood floor stains are available in countless colors, so you will definitely have a lot of options to choose from. You can even create unique and custom stains and regardless of how old your floor is, you can achieve a whole new look with a new finish. Lighter stains tend to add shine to informal areas and are ideal for country-themed interiors. When choosing your tint color, also consider the level of translucency it offers. Choose a light stained hardwood floor color that is more opaque if you don’t want to see every turn and knot in the wood.
For homes with more traditional decor, medium hardwood stain colors like Shotgun, Sedona Red, and Auburn are great classic choices. These pigments tend to create a rich, warm feel while complementing the existing types of wood you may have in your home. Dark stains have become increasingly popular lately and are a perfect complement to modern interiors.
Using dark tints can make other colors in the room pop, and shades like mahogany, ebony, and jacobin can create a rich, elegant look and direct appeal to your favorite furniture. Remember, the color of wood stain you choose should not be identical to the color of your furniture or walls, but rather choose colors that contrast and complement each other.