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Replacing the trim around our new bedroom windows was painful. We tried multiple types and colors of stain but never really came close to matching the existing. The only saving grace there was the new pieces didn’t lay against the old and with distance there’s room for variation.

Not so this new living room flooring project. New baseboard had to butt up to old at the two kitchen entrances and the hallway… not to mention the fireplace and built in bookcases.

It was a major challenge.

The husband and I made three trips to three different stores and bought three different colors but nothing worked.

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The piece on the left is what we needed to match. Most never came close. And mind you baseboard moulding is sold by the foot so every test piece that fails?

Ka-Ching! 💰

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We had to stain over 100 feet and I wanted it to look nice.

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Three more stores, three more rejects. I couldn’t understand it, we’d bring in my sample piece and match it perfectly to theirs only to find it wasn’t close when we got home and applied it.

Then we went to Sherwin Williams. Turns out they’ve bought the Minwax company… and guess what?

They can color match stain.

What!!! Why did no one ever tell me this was possible?

They also told us the reason we could never match our color was because all the store samples are done on oak and baseboard moulding is typically pine.

What!! Why did no one ever tell me this?

After stifling my anger at the stain industry, we purchased a can of perfectly tinted stain and happily started the process.

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Have finger, will travel.

Yes, the stain looks red but when gently applied with a rag and my forefinger instead of heavy handing it with a brush, it was almost perfect.

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Sadly my old Grateful Dead tee shirt gave its life to the cause.

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Two coats of stain, two coats of amber poly and one giant air bubble in the plastic later, we were done.

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