Okay, my friends, it is time to talk about stair treads. If you, too, have been convinced that you absolutely must use white oak in your home renovation and you want your stairs to match your flooring, this post is for you! In this post, we will tell you how to stain white oak stair treads, which is actually fairly simple!
In full disclosure, my latest set of treads nearly caused what my husband lovingly refers to as a complete meltdown. It had been a rough week, and I was tired. So, I THOUGHT I had matched the stain on the treads perfectly to the flooring, only to bring the flooring piece and a tread out into the sunlight again (after two coats on all the treads) and find out that it was a hint off and that I needed to add some red.
Truthfully, the hardest part is nailing down the stain (or stain mixture) that matches the flooring. Once you have that part behind you, the staining will feel like a walk in the park. The good news is that not only is white oak beautiful, but the pores in white oak are fairly large, making it take stain very well.
Preparation
Before you start, let’s make sure you have all your supplies. For this project, you’ll need the following tools and materials:
- a hand-sander and sandpaper. You will want 100-grit and 120-grit (remember, the larger the number, the finer the grit).
- a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
- medium-sized quality paint brushes.
- soft, lint-free cloths (100% cotton t-shirts cut into rags work well).
- your choice of stain (read on for help in choosing your stain if you want it to match the rest of your flooring!)
- your choice of sealant. Water-based polyurethane is easy to work with, durable, and cleans up well.
Begin by sanding the stair treads. Use coarser sandpaper and work your way to finer grit. Always sand in the same direction as the grain. Run your hand over the stairs to ensure they are smooth. It makes a big difference in the appearance of the stain.
Please don’t mind the appearance of our garage. I would like to tell you that it does not normally look this way, but that would be a lie.
Next, clean up any sawdust with the vacuum cleaner. Wipe stairs with a soft, dry cloth to make sure all the dust is gone. Optional: you can use a pre-stain wood conditioner if you want to. This product temporarily seals the wood, causing it to absorb the stain more uniformly. It’s especially helpful for softer woods like pine, maple, and birch, but it can be helpful on white oak as well.
If you want to use a pre-stain conditioner, apply a liberal coat with a brush or cloth, working in the direction of the wood grain. Allow to penetrate the wood for five to fifteen minutes, and then remove the excess. You want to apply the stain within a few hours, or the benefits of the pre-stain conditioner will wear off.
Now you’re ready to stain!
How to Stain White Oak Stair Treads
Step One
Stir the stain gently. Don’t shake it–you don’t want bubbles to form. Make sure you scrape any pigment off the bottom of the can as you stir.
Step Two
Apply your first coat. Use a paintbrush or a lint-free rag to apply stain in the direction of the wood grain. Start with a thin layer–you can always apply more if you want to. Let the stain sit for the desired amount of time. The longer it sits, the darker the stain will be. Wipe off the excess. Allow the stain to dry according to the directions on the can.
Step Three
Apply a second coat of stain in the same manner and allow it to dry completely. Assuming you’re happy with the color, you can move on to the finishing coat. If you still want a darker or richer look, apply a third coat of stain.
Step Four
Apply a polyurethane finish to protect the stair treads. Satin is a great look that isn’t too glossy. Don’t shake the polyurethane! Any bubbles you get will transfer onto your stairs and mar the finish. Apply a thin coat with a paintbrush or cloth and overlap the edges.
Step Five
After the polyurethane has dried, sand very gently with a 120-grit sandpaper. This removes any wood fibers that are out of place. Sand in the direction of the grain. Make sure you read the instructions for the polyurethane you chose. Some, like the one I chose, did does not direct you to sand between coats. Wipe off the steps.
Step Six
Apply a second coat and sand again. Again, verify this step applies to the stain you chose for your treads!
Step Seven
Apply your last coat of polyurethane and this time, don’t sand it down. Allow it to dry completely before using the stairs.
And that’s it! Your stairs are stained, sealed, and beautiful!
How to Choose a Stain: Matching Stair Treads to Pre-Stained Engineered Hardwood Floors
If your floors are pre-stained engineered wood, like mine, it can be a little tricky to find a good match for your stair treads, but do not fret! With a little patience (and some grit (pun intended)), you should be able to mix up a stain that matches your white oak flooring. In our current renovation, we are installing Parma by ADM Flooring, which is a warm, sort of malty-colored white oak engineered flooring.
To match the flooring’s color, I purchased several different 8-oz. containers of Minwax Varathane stains. I tried several different individual stains and a couple of combinations. I did my testing on the underside of one of the stair treads.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when trying to match stain to engineered hardwood:
- First, if you are installing stair treads, try to use the same type of wood that you have on the floor. It’s much easier to match an oak to an oak than an oak to a pine, for example.
- Look at your floor closely. What does the finish look like? Does it have any opaqueness to it? If so, you may want to use a semi-transparent stain to get as close as possible to the look you want.
- Test different stains and applications on a piece of scrap wood (the same type of wood as your stair treads!) until you get the right shade and tint.
- Or take a piece of your flooring to a good paint and stain store. They can often help you find your closest match or mix a custom stain that will match.
- When you’re ready to go, apply your stain very slowly, using a cloth instead of a brush, to control the amount you apply.
If you just can’t quite find a good match, you still have options. You can stain your stair treads a contrasting color or paint them classic black and white or a pop of color. Or you could get as close as possible to the treads and decorate the risers with tile, wallpaper, or contrasting paint to draw the eye away from the almost-but-not-quite match between the treads and the flooring.
Listen, I know most of you are already fully aware of this, but there is no doubt that home renovation is full of wins, challenges, and missteps. The sooner you accept that you will have challenges and learn to expect them, the easier (and less teary) the renovation process will be!
Summary
White oak stair treads are gorgeous and look great when they are stained. You can do this job with a little careful sanding and application of stain and polyurethane. It’s tricky–but not impossible–to match the stair treads to pre-stained engineered hardwood floors. Some trial-and-error testing of colors and finishes, some help from the paint and stain store, and some careful application will usually get you a great match. You’ll enjoy your floors and stairs even more because of the work you put into making them look beautiful!
