Adding new hardwood floors to your home is exciting—until you realize your existing wood floors don’t match the new section. Whether you’re extending flooring into another room, repairing damaged boards, or combining old and new hardwood, color-matching wood stain is key to getting a clean, consistent look.
At Danzco Hardwood Floors, we’ve helped homeowners all over Baltimore, Catonsville, Ellicott City, Columbia, Pikesville, and Owings Mills blend new and old flooring so well, you can’t tell where one stops and the other begins.
Here’s how we do it—and what you should know before starting your own project.
🎨 Why Stain Matching Matters
When stain tones are even slightly off, the transition between new and old flooring becomes obvious. That small difference in color or sheen can stand out like a patch job and disrupt the entire aesthetic of your space.
In homes with open floor plans—like many found in Columbia or Towson—this is especially noticeable. Seamless color blending helps your space feel unified and professionally finished.
🪵 Factors That Affect Stain Matching
Matching stain isn’t just about choosing the “right color” from a chart. Several factors affect how wood absorbs stain, and they need to be considered together.
1. Wood Species
Oak, maple, cherry, pine, and other woods absorb stain differently. Even if you choose the same stain color, red oak and white oak will look different once finished.
2. Age of the Wood
Older floors often darken or yellow slightly over time, depending on their finish and exposure to sunlight. This natural aging gives them a patina that can’t be recreated with stain alone.
3. Grain Pattern & Texture
Hand-scraped or distressed floors will reflect stain differently than smooth sanded ones. The grain direction, knots, and texture also play a big role in how color appears.
4. Sheen Level
A floor with a satin finish will look different from one with a gloss finish—even if the stain color is identical. Matching the sheen is just as important as matching the stain.
🧪 The Danzco Approach to Matching Wood Tones
We never guess. We sample.
Here’s how we help homeowners across Elkridge, Randallstown, and Baltimore get the best stain match possible:
✔️ Step 1: Identify Your Existing Finish
We examine your existing floors to identify the wood species, current stain, and finish type. If you’re not sure what was used, that’s okay—we can test samples and analyze it on site.
✔️ Step 2: Source Matching Wood
To match properly, the new boards need to be the same wood species and grade as the existing floor. We take care to source quality materials that align with the original planks in both look and quality.
✔️ Step 3: Create Onsite Samples
We apply real stain samples directly onto sanded test planks in your home. You get to see how each option looks in your lighting and setting—not just under showroom lights.
✔️ Step 4: Adjust and Blend
If the match isn’t perfect, we adjust. We may blend two or more stains, tweak the sanding process, or adjust the topcoat sheen to get the tone just right.
🔄 Should You Refinish the Entire Floor?
Sometimes, blending is nearly impossible due to extreme aging or outdated finishes. In those cases, you may consider refinishing your existing floors along with staining the new section. This provides a truly uniform look across the space.
It’s a great option for homeowners in Ellicott City or Owings Mills who are already thinking about freshening up older wood floors.
🛑 Avoid These Common Mistakes
- Skipping test stains. Trusting a color chart alone often leads to mismatches.
- Using a different wood type. Even the same stain will look off on different species.
- Ignoring natural light. Always view samples in your home’s actual lighting.
- Forgetting about sheen. Matte, satin, or gloss finishes affect how stain color is perceived.
📍 Serving Maryland with Precision and Care
Based in Catonsville, MD, Danzco Hardwood Flooring specializes in custom installations, repairs, and restorations for homeowners across Baltimore, Columbia, Pikesville, Elkridge, and surrounding areas. We’ve been helping families like yours since 1988.
Our team understands that every home is different—and matching stain is more art than science. That’s why we use a proven system that delivers seamless results time and again.
📞 Ready to Blend Your Floors Beautifully?
Don’t settle for close enough. Let our experts create a stain match that brings your floors together like they were always meant to be one.
Call Danzco Hardwood Floors at (410) 788-5919 or visit
👉 www.danzcohardwoodfloors.com to schedule your free consultation.
We’ll come to your home, test real samples, and make sure your new flooring fits in perfectly with the old—like it’s been there the whole time.
