Choosing an Interior Wood Stain Color

Choosing an interior wood stain color is as difficult as a paint color. Unfortunately, it is really difficult to undue your choice. Follow these guidelines so your new stain color will be as beautiful as you expect it to be.

• Identify Your Wood Species - If you don't know already you need to identify your wood species that will be stained. This is important as each species will produce a different color from the same stain. Each tree species has its own inherent color, porosity and density. Each of these affects the final look.
• Get Inspired - Unless you have a perfect picture in your mind you will need inspiration. The best places for this are magazines and cabinet brochures. Builder or remodel magazines are really good for inspiration.
  
  Use these for inspiration only. The finishes in high end homes or on cabinets are difficult or impossible to obtain without knowing what products were used. Plus, many of these finishes are not wood stains but wood dyes. The purpose of the magazines and brochures is to determine a direction when choosing your interior wood stain color.
• Samples, Samples and More Samples – You need to see your new interior wood stain colors before committing to the whole project. Reversing the stain color is very difficult.
  
  The exact type of wood is needed for your samples. Either order or purchase a few feet more or save sizable scraps. Doing this will save you money and heartache. Apply each stain to a 6-8 inch area and allow to dry completely. Use a pre-stain conditioner for woods that require this treatment.
  
  Once you have narrowed your choices, apply more stain to larger pieces of wood. After it has dried apply your chosen finish. The clear protective wood finish will change the stains color a little bit. Often adding an amber color.
  
  Compare these samples to other things used in a room. If you are staining doors, casing and base then compare the color to the walls and flooring. This isn't like painting. You just can't restain for a new color, from a pro's point of view the cost is to high. If you don't like the color(s) simply start over and make new samples. This is much easier and cheaper.

Be careful as you choose your interior wood stain color. This article was inspired from a submitted question; Staining new wood - Two different colors. The challenges that can follow from choosing a stain color can seem daunting especially when the colors are wrong. The real solution is samples. This is the only way to know exactly what the color is and how it will look.