Staining Hardwood Floors

Staining is the process of changing the color of the wood. It is similar to painting, with the exception that it cannot be easily changed. Staining is a permanent process, but can be changed through a rigorous process. We’ll learn more about how to stain hardwood floors later on. To start, let’s explore the reasons why you should stain your hardwood floors. 

You should consider staining your hardwood floors if:

• You want a darker wood look. Most natural wood is light in color, so if you’re looking for a dark, rich color, you’ll most likely only be able to achieve that with a dark stain. 
• You want to enhance the natural wood. Stain can bring out the rich tones and textures of natural wood. 
• You want to bring new life to the old wood. Hardwood that is old can become dull and scratched. Staining the wood can bring new color and shine to your old, yet durable hardwood flooring.
• You want a specific look or style. Some wood looks and styles aren’t natural, such as washed tones and colors like grey. In order to obtain a certain wood look, you’ll have to stain your floors. Certain, often more trendy, woods are expensive, purchasing a cheaper wood and staining it can give you the look you want. 

Stains come in a variety of colors, typically imitating popular types of wood. For tones of red, consider choosing shades of cherry or mahogany. For tones of grey, consider choosing shades of weathered grey and oak. There are even colors in the orange, yellow and blue families. The different types and shades of stains can oftentimes feel overwhelming, especially if you have never stained wood before. You can learn more about the different types of wood stains here. 

Now that you’ve decided to stain your floors and have selected the shade you want, it’s time to prep your old floors and start staining. Before you get started, make sure you have all the tools and equipment required to complete the job. 

Tools You’ll Need:

• Sander. This electric sander is used to sand the floors before you stain to strip the hardwood of previous stains, coats and layers.
• Buffer. This piece of equipment is used to smooth out the surface of the wood after sanding.
• Palm sander. This type of sander fits in your hand and is used to get along the edges of the flooring. 
• Cans of stain. Have enough stain on hand when applying to the floors. Proper staining techniques require consistency, so you won’t want to run out of stain halfway through the project. 
• Applicator. This looks similar to a wet mop, except it is a long pole with a dry cloth pad attached at the bottom. This tool is how you will apply the stain. 

Applying stain to hardwood floors sounds like a simple process, however, it requires a lot of skill and time. As an overview, you’ll need to strip your current floors of all stains and coats. Then, you’ll need to get along the edges using the palm sander. Buffing the floor will help smooth the surface. You’ll need to clean the floors to remove dust and dirt before applying the stain. In this stage, it’s important to make sure the floors are rid of any impurities or objects before staining. Lastly, you’ll evenly apply the stain across the floors, working with the grain of the wood and apply any and all protective coats or layers. For a detailed approach to staining hardwood floors, check out this article. 

Remember, Zack Hardwood Flooring is here for all your hardwood needs. Give us a call or stop in to your local showroom!