We have just completed installing 1450sf of 3 1/4" wide 3/4 " thick natural pre finished white oak flooring in our new home. Today our stair treads arrived, and they as well as our hand rails are unfinished Red oak. The supplier claims that he can only get red oak treads. If we use a clear finish on the red oak treads will they look odd with white oak flooring? Is there a stain that will give Red oak the same color tint as white oak? Any suggestions on this situation would be greatly appreciated.

IMO, and because I have worked with oak for over 25 yrs, I can always see the difference between red and white oak. Even when stained, I usually can tell if the wood is red or white oak. I can't tell you what would look better, red oak handrails with white oak treads and white oak floors OR red oak railings with red oak treads and white oak floors. Something somewhere isn't going to match. Since the floors are already finished in a natural finish, changing the color isn't going to work. I don't know, try going to a paint store and see if they can mix some light stain that would mask some of the pink in that red oak. I'm thinking a light pine color perhaps. You'll have to experiment. Good luck and if you find a stain color that nails it, come back and tell us. I'd like to know what it is.