Color Matching Old Wood with Custom Stain Blends (Our First Time Mixing Stains!)

Color Matching Old Wood With Custom Stain Blends

When we wrapped up the repair phase of this antique table restoration, we knew the next step was going to be a little more… scientific. We had one last challenge staring us in the face: color matching the new wood to the original White Oak apron.

If you’ve ever tried to match stain on old furniture, you already know—it’s rarely as simple as grabbing a can off the shelf. This table has lived a long life, and the original wood has been blasted, stripped, sanded, weathered, and aged in ways that new Red Oak simply hasn’t. So, we rolled up our sleeves and dove into our very first attempt at

mixing custom stain colors.

Testing Off‑the‑Shelf Stains (Spoiler: None Matched)

We started by taping off a scrap board into sections and trying several stains straight from the can:

• Golden Oak (way too light)

• Mission Oak gel stain (too warm)

• A few others with gray undertones

• Even a layer of black on top

None of them came close. The original apron had a muted, aged gray‑brown tone that was surprisingly hard to replicate. So, it was time to flip the board over and start mixing.

Choosing Our Base Colors

We grabbed three Minwax oil‑based stains:

• Driftwood – looks like muddy creek water, very subtle

• Special Walnut – a warm chocolate brown

• True Black – extremely pigmented, almost like a permanent marker

Our plan was to use Driftwood as the base and adjust the warmth and depth with Special Walnut and True Black.

Custom Blend Experiments

Blend No. 1: Driftwood + Special Walnut

We mixed 8 mL of Driftwood with 2 mL of Special Walnut. It warmed the wood slightly, but it still wasn’t dark or gray enough.

Blend No. 1b: Adding a Few Drops of Black

Just two drops of True Black made a noticeable difference—richer, grayer—but still not quite there.

Blend No. 2: Driftwood + More Walnut + More Black

This one went too far. The black settled heavily into the grain and overpowered everything.

Blend No. 3: Special Walnut + Black (No Driftwood)

Six parts Special Walnut + two parts True Black - This blend was darker and grayer, and after a second coat, it started getting closer.

A quick wipe with mineral spirits helped reveal what the stain would look like once finished, and that trick alone made a huge difference in judging the color.

Trying to “Mute” the Warmth

Because the original table is White Oak and our replacement pieces are Red Oak, the undertones were fighting each other. We experimented with a white stain/poly mix underneath to mute the warmth, but it actually made things yellower. That test was a bust.

The Winning Combination

After several rounds, the blend that came closest was:

6 parts Special Walnut + 4 parts True Black

It had the depth, the muted gray tone, and the richness we needed—without turning the grain jet‑black.

We tested it on one of the repaired legs, and while it’s not a perfect match (and probably never will be), it blends beautifully with the original wood. A few more coats will help it settle in even more.

Final Thoughts

For our first attempt at mixing custom wood stains, we expected frustration—but honestly, it was fun. Trial and error is part of the woodworking journey, and this experiment taught us so much about how stains behave on different species of wood.

If you’re restoring old furniture and struggling with color matching, don’t be afraid to experiment. Start small, take notes, and let the wood guide you.

Thanks for joining us today. If our process of mixing stains for color matching was helpful, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out the rest of our antique table restoration series. You can also find us on Facebook.

Happy woodworking!