Staining / varnishing new banisters and posts to match

[bishbosh1]

I'd appreciate any help from you all...we have had a loft extension which involves another flight of stairs with new posts (pine) and handrail (hardwood). The existing banisters and posts on the lower floors match and are a very dark oak like colour and varnished. Obviously I'd like to get them old and new to be one colour and finish. I have tried on some test wood, various woodstains and varnishes and I can't get the new post and banister types to match each other let alone the original. Can any one help on the best methods on the following

a) getting old banisters recoloured/varnished - do I need to take back to bare wood and if so how- I have tried sanding and the sandpaper just gets a grunge film on it?

b) getting all the wood to the same colour finish?

c) any suggestions on makes -e.g. is sikkens the best to use here?

Many thanks in advance...

 

[matz]

its a complicated job, you need a french polisher. Not a diy process really. Lots of factors involved not least potential fading of newly applied stains/ stained finishes...