Staining a Wood Floor

People love the natural look of wood and this is why the product is so popular. Sometimes, however, the decor calls for something slightly different to match with the other features of a room.

Wood stains are used all the time by homeowners for moldings, chairs and refinishing jobs. These penetrating agents bring out the grain and give a three-dimensional look to the wood. This process can also be done with wood floors. Many new homes will have the floors already stained before they are finished. This can be one of many tints from a whitening to a hint of green. Pre-finished hardwood flooring already comes tinted and this is why this product is so popular.

To stain an old wood floor you will have to strip it of wax first and then sand it. The floor should dry for a few days before starting the sanding process then you will see what you have. For example, the sun may have bleached the finish in the traffic areas whereas the edges of the flooring and the parts under the furniture may be darker. In this case you have to be very careful in matching the colors.

For the best results hire a professional to sand the floor. This way you will get a uniform surface with no drum sander marks or other imperfections that amateurs sometimes leave. If the flooring is thick the sander can get below any UV damage. The really cautious among us will get a pro to do the whole thing but if you are the slightest bit handy, and have an artistic eye, you can accomplish the task.

1. Vacuum: Make sure there is not a crumb on the surface.

2. Match: If you can get a piece of the flooring from the closet, or other area that will not be noticed, take it to the paint store to test the stain. The stain will go on the old wood in a different shade than a newer piece. You might consider a sealer to put on first. This will go deep into the wood and make a level playing field for the stain so that some parts do not receive more than others. Ask a painting pro about this.

3. Application: Mix the stain evenly. You can roll, brush or pour the stain on the floor but make sure you get an even coat on the floor. Start at the far corner and work back to the door leave for five to ten minutes and then wipe with clean, lint-free rags. The length of time the stain sits on ther floor will determine the darkness.

4. Finishing: Use an electric floor buffer with a #2 steel wool disc and buff to get an even look for the floor. Vacuum the floor before applying the finish. The finish should be a urethane-based one if the stain is oil-based. If the stain is water-based then the finish can be a water-based product. You can apply three finishes. Lightly sand, vacuum and  damp mop between each. Let the floor a day between coats and let the floor dry aftre damp-mopping.

Waxing Your Floor

Commercial establishments and schools have miles of linoleum, rubber and vinyl floors to maintain and the preferred finish is usually a wax procedure. In the past waxing was real wax made from bees wax and then petroleum products.

In the past wood floors were always waxed and now, with the new coatings, many homeowners just wet them and leave them. But others like the look and feel of a newly-waxed floor and for them there are a new bacth of waxes available.

1. Supplies For Removing Old Wax: To properly wax a new floor you must remove the old. It is like an old paint that new colors will not hide. Go to the hardware or flooring store with the infomration about your type of floor and get the right wax and wax stripper for it. If the area is large you might want to rent a floor scrubber to help. Have on a hand a pail, broom, mop, an old tooth brush (for small areas), gloves and rags.

2. Preparation: Remove all furniture and get your supplies close to the job. Now open the windows to ventilate the place.

3. Experiment: Test out the stripper in a small area usually covered by furniture. This is in case something goes wrong (you bought the wrong stuff!).

4. Pattern: Start at the end of the room farthest from the doorway and move toward it. Work in small areas so that you will get a good handle on the job.

5. Spread: Coat the area and leave fr a few minutes. Then scrub by hand or use the machine. For grooves and tight areas use the brushes and even a putty knife.

6. Wipe: With the rags wipe the are clean. Do not use the same rags twice.

7. Wax: Start at the far end of the room and pour the wax material on the floor. With a new mop work the the wax in and back up toward the door in the same as when you stripped the wax.  Let dry for about 40 minutes and buff with a power buffer. Then repeat 2 more times.

8. Maintenance: Every few months you can apply a thin coat of wax and buff.

Old Hardwood Floors

In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a movement to put wall-to-wall carpet on every surface. Even bathrooms, kitchens and basements were getting “furry’ with deep shag carpets, along with vans and cars.

The older hardwood floors were thin-stripped surfaces that sometimes sported wonderful patterns with different species of wood. Herring bone designs were common as were framed floors where a strip of darker wood bordered the  room. Not only that the wood came from old growth forests and featured heartwood and quarter-sawn planks. These boards are made by first cutting a peeled log into quarters and then a series of parallel cuts are made at right-angles to the tree’s rings. This makes the grain consistent from warping and knots and so is favored by the flooring and furniture-making businesses.

One of the reasons that hardwood floors were covered by carpet was that caring for the older floors was a big job. The finishes were waxed and marked and stained easily. Waxed floors were kept up by applying a thin layer of paste wax every three to six months. However, to keep the floor looking good it havd to be cleaned and buffed almost weekly. Then, after a few years, the floors began to look dingy and so had to stripped to the wood surface and re-waxed. These were all big jobs.

Full-home carpets, of course, went out of vogue but by that time many of the homes had been re-sold a few times. More than a few of these new homeowners lifted up the carpet to find a treasure under the weave. By this time new restoration and finishing practices made the high-maintenance floor an untapped jewel and the home increased in value almost overnight.

Sometimes these floors are discovered under a couple (or three) of layers of linoleum or vinyl flooring. In all cases a professional floor refinisher should be brought in because there are adhesives, nail holes and void that have to be addressed before the floor can be refinished. For traditionalists, the floor can be sanded to its original sheen and then waxed as it was when it was first put down. However, the good news is that the new waxes are tougher and do not need as much polishing as the floors with the old waxes.

In addition, a floor refinisher can fill long spaces between the planks or sand own rounded strips that cupped because of a moisture problem below. A check underneath (usally in the basement) ashould be made before an refinishing is done because rotten subfloor, if present, should be replaced.

Floor Finishing With Urethane

There are two types of urethane finishes water and oil-based. Both are durable but many prefer the oil-base because it is the standard which has been proven over time.

Stir: Before you plan to apply the urethane stir it with a proper paint stick. Do not shake or you might get bubbles in the urethane. Take the stick and lift the boot layers to the top to get the thicker portions into the mix.

Spread: A lamb’s wool applicator works best for this. Pour the urethane in a short line at the beginning of the area you want to coat. Using a broom handle screwed into the applicator push the urethane ahead of the applicator at an angle so that the urethane runs on on the side you are working toward. Only go in one direction and then start again at the beginning of the row. Keep the edge going because premature drying will cause a ridge.

Edges: use a brush to smooth out the edges and around obstacles.

Sand: Lightly sand between coats and wipe with a rag containing turpentine.

Drying: Read the instruction on the can for drying. It is best not to walk on the floor for 48 hours after the last application. In addition, do not move heavy furniture in for 4 days.

Refinishing Old Hardwood

To refinish a hardwood floor takes a lot of expertise and is not a job for the casual do-it-yourselfer. The reason for this is that a hardwood floor is a feature in the home that automatically draws the eyes to it and flaws are easily picked up, especially when the light reflects on it.

Sanders: For those who want to do it then go to your local renter and get a sander. the best time is a belt sander because a drum sander requires an expert touch. Too many novices have ended up with grooves in the floor because of the wrong setting or sanding motion. In addition get an edger for the edges and hard-to reach places.

Taping and Sealing: After removing furniture tape vapor seal up on all entrances to the room. If you have an outside entrance all the better because you can seal off the home and go in and out through this portal. Remove vents and grates and tape over the holes to prevent dust from getting into the duct system.

1st Sanding: Use 36 grit and work along the grain up and down rows. Only overlap by 1 plank and never leave it in one spot for too long. Now sand the edges.

2nd Sanding: Vacuum and then sand again trying to remove any blemishes left over.

3rd Sanding: Use 80 grit and go diagonally, not horizontally, across the grain.

4th Sanding: Use 100 grit and go along the grain again.

Buffing: Use 100 grit sanding screen then vacuum.

Finishing: You can use oil or water-based urethane. Oil is more durable but water resists yellowing. Use a wide paint brush against the walls and an applicator with a broom handle for the floors. Let dry for 12 hours and then buff smooth. Apply 2nd coat then let dry and sand. A 3rd coat is all you need.

Move Back: Allow 3 days for furniture and 1 month for an area rug.