Maximize your lighting on the flooring, then take a photo. If you're purchasing new flooring, most companies will permit you to borrow samples to check color compatibility.
Just to insure I understand your query, are you installing new wood flooring and trying to match it against your 12 year old flooring? Is the new flooring abutting the old, or are you replacing a section of the old and need an exact match?
Note that many flooring companies have been adding titanium dioxide, which later appears as metallic streaks when exposed to light. This is particularly noticeable on darker colored wood floors.
If you're looking to stain new, raw wood to match the old, it can be done, but the process is extraordinarily tedious.
Very difficult to match existing color. One way you can go about it is to buy a piece of wood that is the same as what you’re trying to match (oak, heart pine, etc.). Cut it into pieces about 4”x4” and test various color stains on them. Apply your topcoat over the stain because topcoat darkens the color. Remember too that you can mix stain colors together to get the right color. Just be sure you mix oil based stain with oil based stain and water based stain with water based stain. If you’re not sure if a stain is oil or water put a drop in water. If it mixes in it is water, if it floats it is oil.
If you are patient you could take a piece of the flooring that isn't being used (extra material) and try various different shades until you find the one that works. But be aware that even a small difference in the stain could be noticable.
What is your existing floor color? How old is the floor, and has it received much sun?
It is provincial, matching up a floor about 12 years old to new flooring and hasn't seen a lot of sun.
Hi, Lynn,
Maximize your lighting on the flooring, then take a photo. If you're purchasing new flooring, most companies will permit you to borrow samples to check color compatibility.
Just to insure I understand your query, are you installing new wood flooring and trying to match it against your 12 year old flooring? Is the new flooring abutting the old, or are you replacing a section of the old and need an exact match?
Note that many flooring companies have been adding titanium dioxide, which later appears as metallic streaks when exposed to light. This is particularly noticeable on darker colored wood floors.
If you're looking to stain new, raw wood to match the old, it can be done, but the process is extraordinarily tedious.
Very difficult to match existing color. One way you can go about it is to buy a piece of wood that is the same as what you’re trying to match (oak, heart pine, etc.). Cut it into pieces about 4”x4” and test various color stains on them. Apply your topcoat over the stain because topcoat darkens the color. Remember too that you can mix stain colors together to get the right color. Just be sure you mix oil based stain with oil based stain and water based stain with water based stain. If you’re not sure if a stain is oil or water put a drop in water. If it mixes in it is water, if it floats it is oil.
it is not easy to do. matching exaclly is hard really hard
BETTER TO PUT IN A BORDER BETWEEN THE NEW AND OLD SO ANY DIFFERENCE IN COLOUR WILL BE MITTIGATED.
If you are patient you could take a piece of the flooring that isn't being used (extra material) and try various different shades until you find the one that works. But be aware that even a small difference in the stain could be noticable.
I know Home Depot does color matching for stain. It may be worth a shot.