Ever wonder what different stains look like on different species of wood? Me. All the time. It’s why we went through ALL the stain samples when trying to match the wood floor in our bathroom. So when it came time to pick a dark stain color for the kitchen bookcase, I got a little overwhelmed by the options. Then I thought, why not create stain swatches to compare the different dark stain colors on douglas fir?! Then I could find the best stain color for douglas fir projects.
Today is part one of a series I’m starting where I’ll explore what different stain colors look like on various wood species. The goal is to help both you and me find the right stain for our projects. I’ll be breaking up each post by wood species and a set of stains. Today we’re covering dark stains on douglas fir wood, but I’ll later explore lighter stains. So stay tuned for a complete guide to stain colors for pine, oak, cedar, and more.
Characteristics of Douglas Fir That Affect Staining
Douglas fir falls into the category of soft woods, woods that are lighter, less dense, and easier to work with than hardwood varieties. Softwoods come from coniferous trees like pine, cedar, spruce, and fir).
Even though fir is a soft wood, it is known for its strength and durability and is often used as structural lumber for house building. It’s not the most popular wood of choice for professional woodworkers. Douglas fir floors, however, are relatively common.
Like many woods, fir varies in color and grain depending on the age and location of the tree. The color is usually a light brown with hints of yellow and red while the grain of the wood is moderate and generally pretty straight.
There are inherent limitations to getting the stained wood look you desire from Douglas fir. Because of the red and yellow colors in the wood, it reads warmer with just about any stain applied, sometimes looking red to orange. Fir leans towards blotchiness when staining which wood conditioner can help with.
Stain Colors
The dark stain colors I’m using for this comparison post are all Minwax oil-based stains. Maybe someday I’ll explore gel stain or Polyshades, but not today.
Minwax is a very reliable stain company that is readily available to many. It’s the most stocked stain sample section in our local hardware store. Here’s the list of dark Minwax stain colors we’ll explore on fir. All links go to the Minwax website.
- Dark Walnut
- Early American
- Ebony
- English Chestnut
- Espresso
- Honey
- Jacobean
- Mocha
- Provincial
- Red Mahogany
- Red Oak
- Special Walnut
- True Black
I don’t know if I’m ashamed or impressed that I only had to pick up three new-to-me pots of stain to do this project. The amount of stain samples I’ve acquired while renovating our bathroom was pretty extensive.
Staining Steps
The process I used for making the stain swatches is as follows. Note, I made two swatches per stain color, one using wood conditioner and one without.
Make The Swatches
I dove into the scrap wood pile and found enough wood to make my stain samples then cut each swatch big enough to see the natural wood grain. I gave each solid wood block a light sanding of the douglas fir surface using 100 grit sandpaper. Then I wiped each sample down with a clean cloth.
Apply Wood Conditioner
On half of the swatches, I applied Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. Wood conditioners can help the wood absorb uniform stain color without blotchiness. Some woods, fir is one of them, don’t accept consistent color stain, while other stained woods have uniform color without conditioner.
One Coat Of Stain
I applied one coat of oil stain to each of the swatches in my choice of color. You can apply additional coats for darker colors, but for this experiment, one coat was enough. The type of stain I used was the wood finish oil-based penetrating stain by Minwax. The stain was applied with a foam brush and wiped with a clean rag.
Apply Polyurethane Top Coat
Finally, I finished each swatch with a clear coat. I used a water-based clear finish, Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish in Clear Matte. I’ve found projects finished with water-based top coats tend to stay true to their color over time while some oil-based top coats yellow a little over time. Since I wanted to use these swatches over time, I preferred the water-based. I applied two coats in total and waited for the recommended time for drying after the first coat.
Dark Stain Colors On Douglas Fir
Now for the good stuff. Let’s explore all the different wood stain colors on douglas fir.
Dark Walnut Stain On Fir
Dark Walnut stain is one of the colors loved by interior designers and I can see why. The color is beautiful, dark, and rich. I love the look of this stain on fir. It is one color where you can see a difference between using the wood conditioner and not using it. There’s an unevenness to the color when the stain is applied directly to the wood without conditioner.
Early American Stain On Fir
Early American stain color has a rustic look to it. We loved this color in our old house and used it on just about everything from staining douglas fir beams to furniture. We even made it a light color for the craft room by mixing it with mineral spirits. This is another color that shows uneven stain color absorption without the use of a wood conditioner.
Ebony Stain On Fir
Ebony is a deep, dark stain color that is exceptionally popular. It was one of three front runners for staining our bathroom vanity. The look of ebony on fir is (insert chef’s kiss here).
English Chestnut Stain On Fir
English Chestnut wood stain works so well with douglas fir. The wood’s color mix including reds and yellows is enhanced with English Chestnut. This one is a top pick for me when it comes to choosing the best stain for fir. And again, notice the difference between using and not using wood conditioner. The color tone is much more even with the conditioner.
Espresso Stain On Fir
Espresso stain is a deep brown color with subtle hints of black, resembling the dark shade of espresso coffee. Depending on the wood type, Espresso ranges from chocolate brown to almost black. One coat of the stain of fir results in a deep brown. This is another stain and wood combo that looks better when using wood conditioner.
Honey Stain On Fir
Honey wood stain is a golden-toned hue that results in a beautiful, rich finish. The amber hue may be one of my all-time favorite wood stains and holds when used on fir. The stain works well with fir, resulting in a medium-brown finish with yellow undertones. I love how the color adds warmth without reaching the far end of the dark stain spectrum.
Jacobean Stain On Fir
Jacobean wood stain is a rich, dark brown stain with more cool undertones than the other stain colors. It’s considered a more classic and formal stain color and falls on the darker side of the spectrum.
Mocha Stain On Fir
Mocha wood stain is a medium to dark brown shade with warm undertones, named for its resemblance to a mocha coffee drink. Mmmm…now I need coffee. The dark stain adds depth to the wood while allowing the natural grain of the douglas fir wood to shine through. It’s darker than Honey or Special Walnut, but lighter than Espresso or Ebony. It’s another stain color and wood combo that shows the difference between using and not using wood conditioner on fir.
Provincial Stain On Fir
Provincial wood stain is another shade widely loved by interior designers. It creates a warm, medium-brown finish and enhances the natural grain of the wood. It’s a classic shade and a popular choice for flooring, furniture, and cabinetry. I love the warm undertones of this shade and how you can see the red in the fir wood come through.
Red Mahogany Stain On Fir
Red Mahogany is a deep brown stain color with a warm look. When applied to douglas fir, you can see the red undertones of the stain coming through. It has a luxurious, rich, almost velvety finish to it. This is a popular stain color for flooring, furniture, and cabinetry. When used with wood conditioner, Red Mahogany has a deeper, more even tone on fir than when the stain is applied directly to the wood.
Red Oak Stain On Fir
Red Oak is a medium to dark stain color with striking red undertones to it. The red color is very noticeable when applied to the douglas fir species of wood. The warm, reddish-brown hue is common with traditional interiors. This shade enhances the natural beauty and grain patterns of fir and works very well with it, especially when paired with wood conditioner.
Special Walnut Stain On Fir
Special Walnut is another stain color that has my heart, especially when paired with douglas fir. It’s a medium-brown shade with subtle, warm to neutral undertones. This timeless shade looks great with a variety of wood types and when paired with wood conditioner, helps even the tone and grain of fir.
True Black Stain On Fir
True Black is a very dark stain and the darkest that Minwax provides. Despite the deep black finish, the stain still allows the wood grain texture to shine through. It’s a bold color that when applied to fir, reads more of a dark brown than a true black. True Black might be my favorite dark stain color on fir, or at least one of the top contenders.
Comparing The Colors
Now, shall we compare all of the medium to dark stain colors when applied to douglas fir?! Let’s look! These are all of the samples that used the wood conditioner.
- Row 1: Dark Walnut, Early American, Ebony, English Chestnut
- Row 2: Espresso, Honey, Jacobean, Mocha
- Row 3: Provincial, Red Mahogany, Red Oak, Special Walnut
- Row 4: True Black
Darkest Of The Dark Stain Colors On Fir
Let’s look at the darkest of the dark stains to compare.
- Row 1: Dark Walnut, Espresso, Ebony
- Row 2: True Black, Jacobean, Mocha
Of the darkest stain colors on fir, I would say True Black is the darkest, followed closely by Ebony, both of which have less red undertones in the color. Jacobean and Mocha are similarly dark with more red.
Lightest Of The Dark Stain Colors On Fir
And now onto comparing the four lightest dark stains when used on douglas fir.
- Special Walnut, Early American, English Chestnut, Honey
Of the four, I would pick Special Walnut in a heartbeat. I love the warmness of it with the slight red undertones. It may just be the best stain color for douglas fir. There’s such subtleness amongst the four medium-dark stain shades on fir, all of which bring out the warmth of the wood.
Reddest Of The Dark Stain Colors On Fir
And now onto the three reddest shades of the dark stain colors on fir.
- Red Mahogany, Provincial, Red Oak
All three of these shades bring out the slight redness found in fir, ranging from the darkest Red Mahogany to the lighter Red Oak. Of the three, Provincial feels like it has the least amount of red to it while remaining a rich, deep brown tone.
What’s Your Color of Choice?!
Now that we’ve compared all of the dark stain colors on douglas fir, what’s your favorite color?!
If I learned one thing through this experiment, it’s that douglas fir has a lot more warmth and red undertones than I originally suspected. I’ve always kind of hated how orange-ie our kitchen island turned out. We used Early American on it and while we loved the color when used on pine, the same wasn’t true for using it on fir. Now I understand why.
No matter what, doug fir will forever have my heart for all the rustic, chunky, heavy-duty furniture-building projects we tackle. Now I understand better how to stain it to get the look I want. And now, after all that staining, I’m off to douse myself in mineral spirits (kidding) and attempt to clean the perma-stain off my hands.
With that, I bid you adieu and wish you luck staining your douglas fir project, whether it is beams, bookcases (like we’re currently working on), kitchen cabinets, or floors. May the odds be ever in your favor for choosing the best stain color for douglas fir that fits your needs.
