I am not sure if I should have posted this in finishing... apologies, if so.

I have had 6" Ash Floors installed and my intention is to stain them a medium/dark grayish-brown color.

I had given the flooring guy a sample of what I was looking for but he wasn't able to replicate it. He referred the job to another guy who just deals with staining floors (not installing). I saw his samples this morning and they weren't great.

The issue is that there is HUGE contrast of dark and light on the grain of the wood. The grain looks black in comparison to the rest of the stained boards.

I had suggested prior to him doing the sample that he try an opaque stain to reduce the contrast of the grain. He think he used a minwax stain but not sure how opaque it was.

I am wondering if he can use a combo of paint and stain to even out the look of the floors.

I am starting to think I chose the wrong wood but its installed so I have to go from here. My place is very small and thus I want a more uniform look otherwise it will be too busy in such a tiny space.

Any ideas? I am open to experimental type stuff and hope to achieve a really good look but don't want to see so much of the grain.

thanks

Do Rubio Monocoat with either a pre-color oil pretreatment.

you will get the exact look you want if you do a fuming with your color brown oil of choice or doing a precolor

Do some research on the Rubio's Creative zone.

If that doesn't suit you, try a transtint dye application first then apply your stain.

paint wont so it with a stain.Ive done that many times to help tint finishes, but for staining, you will still see grain and by the time you thicken it too much its a painted look.

General finishes makes some premixed alcohol stain which are basically dyes..they will color your floor evenly or more evenly I should say..You can do multiple applications with each getting more and more covered.

tint can also be added to the finish for the final touch.

they can be topcoated as well if that if your thing