Handyman: Stain's the thing for oak threshold By Peter Hotton GLOBE CORRESPONDENT Updated Oct 26, 2012 8:38 a.m. Q: I just replaced my threshold at the back door leading to the porch.

Dark-colored stains absorb more heat, which can make your deck surface uncomfortably hot underfoot during warmer months. It can also potentially lead to faster fading and cracking.

You should use white oak when you're aiming for a light or raw look and alder when you want some stain variation since it's more flexible, Lainas says. Since walnut is dark, it will only stain ...

Staining a deck is usually a relatively affordable process, but with rising labor and material costs it can become a bit more costly. The national cost to stain a deck averages about $800 for a ...

How to choose your wood stain color. You finishing color will also depend on the layers of stain you apply, as one stain coat is more translucent than two or three.