There are so many great color choices when it comes to hardwood flooring . Options will vary from natural wood to dark browns and black. There is a stain color that will work for all spaces and just remember these tips as you go through the process.
- Always have your floor finisher put sample options on the floor. It is important that you see your stain choice on the floor and wood itself.
- These are the basic colors offered, but blending is a great way to go custom
- A custom blend is easy to do. If you can’t decide on one color have your finisher mix some different stains together for a custom look. You should not be charged extra for this. Special Walnut and Jacobean mixed 50/50 looks great!!
- Great Special Walnut/ Jacobean blend on a 4″ White Oak
- Are you going to have a more traditional design, if so think about the colors Early American, Special Walnut and Gun-stock- these are all really great looking and timeless.
- Dark wood is in!! 7 out of 10 of our new hardwood floors are dark and people love the look it offers. Some great colors are Dark Walnut, Royal Mahogany and Jacobean.
- Variation is a great feature of your floor, stain will effect this aspect.
- Remember that scratches and dust show extra with on darker stained floors. Maintenance is more difficult with darker colors.
- Love my floors, but they are hard to keep looking good.
- Don’t be afraid of a semi-gloss finish. This will be more hard than a satin finish and will “dull” out over time.
Remember you don't have to stain the wood, sometimes the natural beauty is all you need.
- Use a premium stain, such as Minwax. You will also want to use a very high grade finish such as Polo-plaz.
- Great look on a semi gloss floor, plus increased durability.
- A dark stain will need an extra day of finishing time to allow for the stain to really soak into the wood and no bleeding occurs through the finish.
- Timeless and warm, the hearth is nice too!!
- When matching existing flooring, go a shade darker and this will make for a better match.
- Species of wood effects the way the floor will take stain—this goes back to having a sample made. Oak stained Gun-stock will appear much different than Walnut stained the same color.
- This will go with any decor or style
- Be consistent and have one color—unless areas are separated visually, but even then I would recommend consistency.
As always try to make the color and floor be a reflection of you.
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to receive other inspiring and informative posts.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe in a reader
Join Textures email list and receive our FREE e-book, Inspiring Do-It-Yourself Ideas to Enhance Your Life & Home, a collection of creative and easy-to-do decorating tips and designs. Plus, when you register you'll automatically be entered to win our monthly giveaway. This month we're giving away a Minwax® Blend-Fil® Pencil for hiding unsightly hardwood flooring and furniture scratches. The winner received the color of their choice. 
These are great tips on hardwoods. We did satin on our heart pine and love it! I found the link to this on on http://www.facebook.com/beautifulhomeideas. Check it out too for great ideas every day.
Never knew that about going a shade darker when matching stain. Very helpful.
Enjoyed the article on staining, and Jacobean is one of my favorites. You might try a thin coat of Red Oak over a Jacobean base. It brings out some reddish brown highlights and seems to add a lot of depth. You will get lots of compliments. Great site.
Tom – thanks for the tips!
I love the ideas on your site. I have been looking for new home ideas and I have found several new patterns for carpet and I live your flooring and decor ideas. Thanks
Denise
Curious to know if anyone has a fool proof stain color and opacity to keep my wife happy. She has threatened to drink the stain if the color doesn’t suit her….
I was looking through some of your articles here on http://www.laminateflooringreviews.net/underpad-attached-odessa-mahogany-laminate-flooring/ and I believe this website is really instructive! Keep writting,