I'm trying to match stain on pine stairs to a gunstock red oak floor and no matter what kind of a stain i try the color does not come that close to what the floor is. I understand that they are two different kinds of wood and that they will not look the same
does any one have any tips for getting it close or know of a stain that will be the closest to it?

Years back I was over at out Bruce Distributor to pick up some stain for their butterscotch color. They handed me a quart of custom mixed stain from Pittsburgh Paint. They told me the stain was backordered with Bruce, so they had Pittsburgh match the sample, and put it in stock. That color, at the time, was a nightmare to match, and that Pittsburgh stain was dead on. I'm not sure if Pittsburgh Paint is still out there. But maybe one of these big paint companies can mix you up some stain. I would definetely take the different wood species along with you, in case they can tweek it.

That is what I usually do. I bring a piece of the wood I am trying to match along with a piece of unfinished wood that the stain will be applied to and leave it for a day. I use Sherwin Williams and they usually give me a couple of options that are very close.

thank you for the reply's i will definitely go that route