How to stain Pine so it matches Blackbutt?

[gjhugs]

I have pine stringers on a newly constructed staircase. The treads are blackbutt with intergrain non-slip treatment. I want to stain/varnish the pine so it approximates the blackbutt colour. The balusters and newel posts will be painted white. Any suggestions?

[gjhugs]

Thus is the photo I should have uploaded with my previous post ...showing the pine and blackbutt. I want to stain the pine so that it matches the blackbutt treads.

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @gjhugs,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you join us.

Getting an exact match would be somewhat difficult as I'm not aware of a stain that is specifically aimed at replicating the colour of Blackbutt. 

My suggestion would be to pick up a Feast Watson 50ml Oak Prooftint Interior Stain and a Feast Watson 50ml Old Baltic Prooftint Interior Stain to colour-match your timber as best as possible before committing to a colour.

Apply two to three coats first, over a clean, dry, hidden section or offcut timber piece to make sure you're happy with the colour before committing to the full staircase.

Once you are happy with the colour, you can apply the same number of coats to the pine stringers and seal them using a clear varnish of your preferred finish.

Remember to follow all manufacturer's instructions and to wear all relevant personal protective equipment including gloves and a mask when carrying out this work.

You might also like to check out How To Choose Decking Oil, Paint Or Stain and How To Stain A Deck for some guidance on the staining process.

Let me know if you require any further advice.

Jacob

[gjhugs]

There is a tintable Cabot's stain called Sassefras that is very close so that's what I'm going with. Am considering whether to prime the pine first. Tests have shown little difference between primed and unpriced and priming means waiging 24 hours before I can apply the stain.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @gjhugs,

The Cabot's stain primer is predominantly used to ensure that the stain absorbs evenly. If you are not experiencing any issues then the primer wouldn't be necessary. Just make sure you do your test over a large enough area to get a good idea of the outcome.

Mitchell