# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  Matching tasmanian oak

## Thrillho

Hi 
This question is probably aimed more at Aussie members.  I have a staircase made of tassie oak.  Stairs are not coated with a finish, and appear as a pretty standard brown-yellow colour.  Im looking to build a couple of steps in an adjacent room to match the look.  However, all i see in tassie oak construction timber (at Bunnings etc.) is pinkish wood, which is notably different colourwise.   I know "Tasmanian Oak" consists of a few different species, but am i missing something here?  Apologies for such a basic question.  Help would be very much appreciated.

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## r3nov8or

I think you'll find what you want at a specialist timber/solid flooring merchant

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## phild01

Once again, it always help if we had an idea of the 'Australia' location!

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## johnc

They are both similar in that the branding is a generic one and are a number of species. If you can get a rack of the stuff you may be able to select pieces close to the colours you are chasing

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## Thrillho

Sorry if i was too vague.  Im in north east Melbourne.  My concern was that the colour difference was related to the ageing of the wood or something similar.  Really don't want to use the pink stuff as there is such an obvious difference.  I'll check out a specialist as suggested.

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## joynz

Yes, the colour difference is related to the ageing of the wood or at least of the surface (and natural variation).   
You have two options - use recycled timber from Hughes or similar or pick the nearest match in new timber and wait for age to take effect. 
I've done both.  Used new  to fill in a space where a wall was and also bought recycled to match the old floor boards.  Depends on whether you can get lengths without nails. 
I'd use new timber in your situation.

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## r3nov8or

> ...I have a staircase made of tassie oak.  Stairs are not coated with a finish...

   Also, are you sure there is no coating at all? IME Tas Oak goes grey and will become pitted and very diffucult to keep clean in household situations when not protected

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## johnc

Might it be Alpine Ash rather than Tassie oak, similar product but less pink product in Alpine ash, more light brown.

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## r3nov8or

In this country, it's all Eucalyptus, right?  :Smilie:  We just love to use the terms of various "homelands" (oak, ash etc)

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## johnc

Tassie Gum and Victorian Gum do not quite have the same upmarket ring as Ash and oak for the marketers and average punter, it is just a Eucalyptus blend of course, the international roast of wood blends.

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## Thrillho

> Also, are you sure there is no coating at all? IME Tas Oak goes grey and will become pitted and very diffucult to keep clean in household situations when not protected

  I think you might be correct to a degree.  The stair treads look like they have a very light film on them, from some coating (we bought the house under finished).  However, the strigers and balusters are not sanded or coated.  In any case, they are not very clean and will have to be sanded back later.

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## Thrillho

> Might it be Alpine Ash rather than Tassie oak, similar product but less pink product in Alpine ash, more light brown.

  This is interesting.  The stairs are certainly more light brown than pink.  I might try to take some pictures.

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