Carpentry and Woodworking - How difficult is it to stain oak?

Hello, I pretty much don't have any experience staining anything. I am considering buying an unfinished oak kitchen sink base cabinet from Lowes.I'd like to try to get the base cabinet stained the same color as the cabinets I already have on the wall. My questions are: How difficult will it be to try to match the color stain I have on my wall cabinets with the base cabinet I'm considering buying? If I decide to try to tackle this should I use a wood conditioner first? I'd really like to do this as the exact kitchen sink base cabinet that I've wanted for a while has been clearanced to half off due to a crack on the one end of the cabinet. Just happens that end would be against the wall, therefore no one would see it. Any advice, opinions are greatly appreciated as usual! Thanks! Jack :thumbup:

Oak is a hard wood and does not need a wood conditioner that many use on soft woods like pine, fir, maple, and birch. Oak takes stain very well.

You will not get an exact match of the wall cabinet color, but you can come close. Take a cabinet door to a local paint store (not big box) and have them mix a stain to match. If you have a scrap of red oak, you can take it with you to see how it looks on the wood.

Here's a video link that shows the process of wiping on and wiping off stain. A staining pad is used here. Many prefer cheese cloth for wiping on stain. Others simply use an old rag.

How to Stain your Custom Oak Computer Desk: How to Build a Custom Computer Desk | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/video_2328723_stain-custom-oak-computer-desk.html)

Video on types of stains:

YouTube - How to Stain Wood : Types of Wood Stains (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeF3y4apS-o&feature=PlayList&p=581F397BE01A6097&playnext=1&index=1)

Some info on polyurethane varnish. Keep in mind that water-based poly is non-yellowing and will not amber with age. Polyurethane varnish (http://www.kitchen-cabinets-and-hardware.com/polyurethane-varnish.html)

You shouldn't need any conditioner on oak. Are the rest of your cabinets oak?

You can experiment with your stain and poly on the hidden end to make sure you get your color matched correctly. If you take a finished drawer down to your local paint store, they should be able to help you pick out [or mix] the correct stain.

Thanks! Yes the cabinets I already have are oak. I just may buy the cabinet if they still have it and give it a try. Thanks again! Jack

Just wanted to let everyone I stained my oak sink base cabinet and another base drawer cabinet today and it turned out great! Couldn't have been much easier. I think I was hesitant because last time I stained a cheapo bench I bought it turned out crappy. I even used wood conditioner and stained the bench a cherry color. I know the bench was pine so maybe that had something to do with it? Anyway, thanks to all! Next on the agenda is to try to cut my laminate counter top that's going on the cabinets. Then I have to cut the hole in the countertop for the sink. Learning as I'm going! Any advice on my future endeavers is always appreciated! Thanks again! :thumbup: Jack

Pine can be problematic when using dark stains. Hardwoods generally accept stain well:thumbup:

I've not dealt much with laminate/formica but I've always seen the guys on the job use masking tape over the area they plan to cut - I assume they know what they are doing:D