Can you stain MDF?

[suestew]

Hi all, we have had a new staircase built, the actual main stair case is MDF and the spindles & hand rail are pine or redwood. I wanted to stain the hand rail and the part of the step you stand on, with the rest in white thought it would be a nice contrast but am worried that the two woods are different and won't look the same shade. Can anyone advise?

kind of like 2nd photo on this http://www.amdolcevita.com/p/basement.html

Thanks

 

[big-all]

not only wont they look the same shade one will look like wood and the other wont as it has no grain or carrictor

 

[suestew]

Yeah I was thinking that oh well will just have to be the hand rail then....

 

[misterhelpful]

Some stains and coloured varnishes can be used on MDF but it's a bit hit and miss as to which do and it will never have the look of real wood as big-all says. It might be worth trying the stain you intend to use on the handrail on a scrap of MDF to see what it looks like though.