The Best Wood Stains for Red Oak

Today I am sharing the best wood stains for red oak! I have 20 different colors and photos of how each color looks on red oak so you can choose the right stain color for you!

Red Oak is very similar to Oak but it has a bit more red in it (obviously right). The stain colors will come out similar but there will be some very subtle differences to the final product.

If you have been around the blog for a while and read any of my paint posts you will know that undertones really determine how a color will look and the same can be said for stain colors. The undertones here are in the wood and the stain colors look different on different types of wood.

Nine different stain colors featured on red oak with text overlay.

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Table of Contents

The Best Light Stain Colors for Red Oak

I feel like Oak is one of the best types of wood for different stain colors. If you want a light color you can get it, a dark one too.

For the light stain colors, I really like all the options below. You can get a super light one and one that is a touch darker. It’s really all in what you are looking for.

Four different light stain colors on red oak with text overlay.

The Best Medium Stain Colors for Red Oak

Red Oak really shines with the medium stain colors. There is just a depth of color here that you don’t see in something like pine.

Again I think these are all really nice options here. And I notice a mistake in my photo, it’s Minwax Red Mahogany, not Varathane. I corrected it in the link below.

Three different stain colors on read oak that are medium in tone with text overlay.

The Best Dark Stain Colors for Red Oak

These dark colors are just stunning! Jacobean is probably my favorite stain color but Minwax Dark Walnut is a close second! But Espresso is just as gorgeous, just a touch lighter than the other two.

Three dark stain colors on red oak with text overlay.

The Best Black Stain Colors for Red Oak

Varathane Classic Black is the only one I really can see a good amount of black in. I think the red in the oak really cancels out the black in the other two. You just don’t see it as much.

Three different black stain colors and how they look on red oak with text overlay.

The Best Gray Stain Colors for Red Oak

Red Oak isn’t my favorite material for trying to get a gray stained look. As you can see below, none of these really take on a decent gray hew.

Five different gray stain colors and how they look on red oak with text overalay.

The Best White Stain Colors for Red Oak

I definitely like Varathane Antique White better than Minwax Simply White. (Again I made a stupid mistake and got the name mixed up on my image.)

You can really see splotches of white in the Antique White. If you really like this just make sure you use a good wood conditioner and you shouldn’t get the splotchiness that I got.