Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!
--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:25:43 -0500, Steve Barker wrote:

Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!

White Oak is notorious for taking stain poorly. If you wanted the new
floor to match the Red Oak, you probably should have put down Red Oak.

--
Tony Sivori

On 7/7/2012 12:25 AM, Steve Barker wrote:
Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!


Sanding then blending a couple of stains is the only way I've done it,
but I've never stained white oak, only red.

Find a store that will take back unused or barely used stain. Buy three
or four colours and try to blend and match. Maybe pick up some white
oak vaneer at a supplier if you don't have any scrap to practice on.

Good luck!

On Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:25:43 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!

I cannot answer or give advice on materials.

Anyway, start with a light stain. You can always darken it. Get too
dark and you can't go back (without more work).

On Jul 6, 11:25*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. *The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). *Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? *I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!
--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Use tinted poly and put on enough to match. Stain is too tricky and
too permanent.

Joe

On 7/7/2012 12:25 AM, Steve Barker wrote:
Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!

Take a chip of the red oak and a piece of your white oak down to a good
paint store....find the oldest guy working there and ask him to match
your color, then try the color on your white oak. Bear in mind, the
white might darken/yellow over time on exposure to sunlight. I would
favor the exact color, if you get a match, and not worry too much about
a little lighter or darker. The finish on your floor must look pretty
glassy....shellac not too soft for traffic? It is similar to old piano
finishes.

On 7/7/2012 10:03 PM, Joe wrote:
On Jul 6, 11:25 pm, Steve Barker wrote:
Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!
--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Use tinted poly and put on enough to match. Stain is too tricky and
too permanent.

Joe


Joe, thanks for the input. Here is the update i put in the woodworking
group:

On 7/7/2012 11:08 PM, Steve Barker wrote:

VERY long day, so very long story short:

Spoke to the gal in the flooring dept at HD, she assured me they do NOT
sell white oak flooring. Sooooooooo, Got the managers name, went up in
person with the unused portion (16 out of 27 bundles) and he not only
agreed, they should never have had a pallet of white oak in the store,
but he gave me credit for all 27 bundles, PLUS a 30% discount on a nice
new Bostitch floor stapler. Took a while to jump through all the hoops,
as they only had 9 bundles of red in stock as opposed to the 94 they
showed on the computer. Had to stop by the other store on the way home
for the balance. Good news: No more money spent 'cept the nail gun,
and Bad news: I have to rip up a 12x15 room full of 2 1/4" flooring. G
But it'll be the way we want it in the end. We've only been working
on this house 6 years as it is. By the time we got headed for the
store, my wife and I had already agreed we'd tear it out even if we had
to buy it again. Live and learn. Read labels, double and triple check
what they bring to the door.

Thanks for all the input.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On 7/8/2012 7:04 AM, Norminn wrote:
On 7/7/2012 12:25 AM, Steve Barker wrote:
Got some white oak flooring laid, now need to make it match some
existing red oak i have already. The red oak has been finished with
BLO, and 4 coats of shellac, and one coat of waxless shellac. (in case i
wanted to poly later). Anyone got any suggestions as to how to come
close to making this white oak look like the red? I realize the grain
structure is completely different.

thanks in advance!

Take a chip of the red oak and a piece of your white oak down to a good
paint store....find the oldest guy working there and ask him to match
your color, then try the color on your white oak. Bear in mind, the
white might darken/yellow over time on exposure to sunlight. I would
favor the exact color, if you get a match, and not worry too much about
a little lighter or darker. The finish on your floor must look pretty
glassy....shellac not too soft for traffic? It is similar to old piano
finishes.


Norman, thanks for the reply. Here is the update i posted in the
woodworking group last night:

On 7/7/2012 11:08 PM, Steve Barker wrote:

VERY long day, so very long story short:

Spoke to the gal in the flooring dept at HD, she assured me they do NOT
sell white oak flooring. Sooooooooo, Got the managers name, went up in
person with the unused portion (16 out of 27 bundles) and he not only
agreed, they should never have had a pallet of white oak in the store,
but he gave me credit for all 27 bundles, PLUS a 30% discount on a nice
new Bostitch floor stapler. Took a while to jump through all the hoops,
as they only had 9 bundles of red in stock as opposed to the 94 they
showed on the computer. Had to stop by the other store on the way home
for the balance. Good news: No more money spent 'cept the nail gun,
and Bad news: I have to rip up a 12x15 room full of 2 1/4" flooring. G
But it'll be the way we want it in the end. We've only been working
on this house 6 years as it is. By the time we got headed for the
store, my wife and I had already agreed we'd tear it out even if we had
to buy it again. Live and learn. Read labels, double and triple check
what they bring to the door.

Thanks for all the input.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email