For a natural wood look, choose oak for your indoor staircase

The kind of wood that you use in the newels and balusters of your central staircase will go a long way in determining the aesthetic direction of your main entryway. It all depends on what mood you want guests to experience when they enter your home.

Oak is probably the most popular wood variety in many central stairways as it is considered by many interior designers the easiest variety to work with and to stain.

This variety can be carved with ease, allowing homeowners to take advantage of intricate designs that do the heavy lifting in elevating the grandeur of the space. As well, this wood possesses a natural richness that makes it stand out whether it is stained or not.

If you do decide to stain an oak newel, baluster or hand rail, the grains of the wood will pop out and the natural red coloring of this variety will bring warmth and depth to the space that can't be achieved when using a different species.

Perhaps the greatest advantage oak gives a homeowner is the fact that it is more durable than other varieties and will stand the test of time. Properly stained and maintained oak staircases can last generations in a home without being replaced as this variety is less prone to damage from pests.

Because oak is so versatile, it can be paired with many other materials to make a staircase that is both dynamic and pleasing to the eye. A darker stain will complement wrought iron balusters when oak is used to create the posts of a staircase, while stainless steel will look wonderful with a clean oak handrail.

If you would like a natural wood look on your indoor staircase, you can't go wrong with oak, as it simply gives you more options.