Can plywood be stained to match hardwood?

[Raymond DeLaurier]

We bought a house and had to remove the stairway carpet. We found that the wood under the carpet was a section of plywood while the rest of the step is oak stained hardwood. Is it possible to match the stain so that it looks reasonably similar? The grain on the hardwood is very dark. It looks enhanced with a medium or dark walnut stain. I sanded one section and tried to enhance the grain but it didn't work. Picture attached. Thanks for any help.

 

[Irv]

Now you know why the stairway was carpeted. I don't think you are ever going to get that to look right, unless your definition of "right" is awfully loose.

Edit: that seems like a very naughty thing to do to a perfectly good stairway. Are you sure there's not a stash of gold or something hidden under there?

 

[dovetail]

No thats never going to match up right, the plywood looks like it is possibly birch veneered which takes stain completely different than oak. If it were me I would but a runner back on the stairs. Whoever did it that way was a real piece of work. The other option is to remove the treads and risers and install new ones.

 

[Irv]

Tearing up a good stair tread and then patching it in a non-professional manner would make me very suspicious. You sure somebody's grandma isn't buried under there? Proceeds of a bank heist? Guns?