How to Mix Stains on a Door

Purchase the appropriate colors of stain for your door. If the door is a medium oak shade, for example, purchase stains labeled for use with light oak and dark oak. If you aren’t sure of the type of wood used to make your door, note whether the door has reddish, grayish, yellowish or brownish tones and choose stains with similar hues.

Purchase the appropriate type of stain for your door. Water-based stains are the least expensive and look beautiful on hardwood, but may appear blotchy on soft woods such as pine. If you have a softwood door, use pigmented oil stain.

Fill soft wood with a wood filler prior to applying stain to prevent blotching. Use a bristle brush to pack wood filler into the pores, going across the grain and then with the grain. Allow the wood filler to dry before testing or applying stain.

Add increments of dark and light stain with an eye dropper. Keep track of how much of each stain you add so you can replicate the proportions later if necessary.

Wipe stain on a small, hidden area of the door, using a rag. Go across the grain and then with the grain. If you are satisfied with the results, wipe the entire door with the stain. If you are unsatisfied, continue mixing stain and testing until you achieve the desired results.