How to match table stain to chairs?

diana64

I am staining an oak table, which was striped back and sanded. I chose Cabots Walnut interior stain and applied one coat. The table looks lovely but is too warm and rosy and does not match the chairs. The chairs are new and the timber was described as walnut in colour. Must I strip back and start again or can I apply another colour stain over the top. I thought perhaps black or dark chocolate would give the colour I want.  Can you see ftom the photo tge difference between the table top and chair leg?

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @diana64. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about matching stains.

Are you hoping to match the colour of the table to the chair? If so, I don’t think adding a black or dark chocolate stain will get you that same look. From the photo, the chair appears to be either solid walnut or finished to mimic walnut with a light, non-gloss oil or matte coating, while the table has been stained, giving it that warmer, rosier tone.

It’s very difficult to use stains to perfectly match the colour of a different timber species, and in some cases, it’s just not achievable. You could probably get closer to the chair’s tone by sanding back the walnut stain on the table and then applying a clear, matte water-based polyurethane instead. That would bring out the oak’s natural, more neutral tones and reduce the red warmth. How successful that approach is would depend a little on what the bare oak looks like once the stain is removed.

If you have a non-stained section of the table, perhaps beneath it, you could try a matt clear coat to see if it gets you closer to the chairs finish.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell