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Are you tired of the orange undertones of pine wood and want it to resemble oak? I felt the same way, and I really wanted my pantry floating shelves and my countertop to look like oak. But buying oak wood was definitely not in the budget, so I started researching and experimenting with different stain combos. 10 different stains later, and two months of trial and error, I finally found a stain combination that I love! I wanted to share my process with you, so you can achieve a similar look.
While I would love to always purchase oak for my projects, but the price of oak is way out of my budget, especially if it is a large project, which is why I had to get creative with pine.
Before starting on this I definitely recommend you watch my YouTube Video to see exactly how I applied the whitewash and the stains.
Here is What You Will Need
- 220 Grit Sand paper or sanding sponge ( I prefer sanding sponges, because they are easier to handle)
- 80 Grit Sand paper or sanding sponge (optional if your wood surface is extremely rough)
- Cloth or a clean old towel
- (3) Foam Brush or Stain Brush
- Pre-Stain Conditioner
- Minwax White Wood Stain
- Minwax Rustic Beige
- Minwax Special Walnut
- Polycrylic Clear Gloss
- Paint brush for the clear coat
Time To Stain Pine To Look Like Oak
Step 1: Sand The Wood
To get an even, non-blotchy finish, use your orbital sander to sand your pine surface down until it is smooth. Sanding will help to smooth out any rough patches and prepare the surface for staining. If your surface is really rough, start with 80 grit sandpaper and then final sand with 220 grit. Wipe away all the dust with a damp cloth.
Below you can see a picture of what can happen if you don’t stain the wood properly.
Step 2: Apply a Pre-Stain Conditioner
This is another crucial step, especially if you are using pine. Pine is a softwood that absorbs everything quickly, sot o avoid a blotchy finish, use a pre-stain wood conditioner. This will help to seal the wood and prevent it from absorbing too much stain in certain areas, which can result in an uneven blotchy finish. I used the Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner and applied a generous amount with a foam brush, you can also use a cloth or paint brush, leaving it on for about 15 minutes. Once the 15 minute has passed, wipe any excess pre-stain conditioner off with a clean dry cloth.
Step 3: Whitewash The Wood
To help tone down the orange undertones of pine, I used a white wash technique with this Minwax white wood stain (this might also work with diluting white paint, I haven’t tried that yet but might test this out soon). I tried a few different methods, but what worked best for me was diluting the white wash with water until it had a milk consistency. You can see how much I added to the water in my video.
Before applying the whitewash make sure to wipe any excess pre stain conditioner. I applied the white wash generously to the entire piece of wood using a foam brush and let it sit for about 2-3 minute. If the wood is still too orange after the first coat, you can repeat the process as desired.
Step 4: Apply The Rustic Beige Stain
I used the Minwax rustic beige stain to achieve the oak-like color I was after. The name of the stain can be misleading because it doesn’t look beige, but rather grey. I actually only purchased this because I found it in the clearance section of Lowe’s for $2.50! and it ended up being the perfect stain. To get the perfect color, make sure you apply the stain in small sections and wipe it away immediately. You don’t want the stain to be too dark (if this happens you can apply the white wash mixture again and wipe immediately, to try to tone it down.
What the Rustic beige stain looks like before wiping the excess off
Step 5: Apply the Special Walnut Stain
Finally, apply the special walnut stain from Minwax. Make sure to apply this in small sections as well, and wipe it away immediately.
What it look like after white washing and applying your stain.
Step 6: Finish With a Top Coat
Once the stain has dried, apply a topcoat to protect the wood and add a glossy finish. I used Polycyrlic clear gloss for this. Apply the topcoat in even strokes, following the grain of the wood, and allow it to dry completely, this paint brush is great for applying clear polycrylic coats streak free. I would recommend applying at least 3 coats.
Remenber, every piece of wood is different, you can adjust the amount of stain you apply in each step based on the piece of wood.
Transforming pine wood to look like oak can be a bit of a process that involves choosing the right stain, applying a pre-stain conditioner, sanding the wood, applying the stain, and finishing with a topcoat. By prepping your surface properly and using a combination of stains and white wash techniques, you can turn your pine wood into a beautiful oak-like color. I hope this helps you with your next DIY project!
Below is a close up picture of my DIY Coat Rack & Floating Shelves area, that I used the exact same stain combo on.
Below is a close up of my produce drawers with the same stain combo.
