Mismatched baseboard woods

HGraham

The baseboards on the staircase in my house are all mahogany and have been finished (a very long time ago) in clear lacquer. However, where the staircase baseboard joins the second floor baseboard, they are painted white which continues throughout the second floor. It's a pretty ugly transition so today I began stripping the paint only to find that the upstairs baseboards are all pine. The pattern matches exactly, but now I'm at a loss as to what to do. My only thought is to leave the natural finish on the mahogany and stain the pine to a fairly similar color, although the grain is going to give it away to anyone who looks closely. I'd appreciate any ideas or hopefully past experience with a similar situation. Thanks!

MgMopar

I think your choice is how much you want it to match (for your self). I have pine and oak trim that almost have a perfect match in color with the treatments I gave them. I really don't think anyone notices. I started with the oak but wanted to finish and pine was in the budget. All the doors are oak and trim is in both. I have learned don't point out what you don't have perfect and only the fewal seem to notice.

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Mgmopar

SandyK

Before you finish that pine, put a wood conditioner on it. That will help some with the "piney" look - gives it more of a consistent graining.

chrisn

Are you ever really going to strip all the pine clean enough to stain? I have never been able to strip anything that clean. You might be better off replacing the pine with new stained wood.