skip to main content

Home Decorating

Refinishing vintage red oak hardwood

11 years ago

I am having these floors refinished, but I am concerned about how they will look with a natural finish, which the flooring refinisher recommended. What do you guys think?

I don't plan on painting the wood trim. I'm looking for some opinions on whether refinished unstained floors will look too light and incongruent here. Also, perhaps someone who is familiar with wood floors may know what color stain this is...or is it just aged amber varnish?

This is the previous landlord's apartment in a 1919 building I've recently purchased, and that family had lived here since 1947 as the second property owners. It was "updated" in the 70's, with loads of paneling sheets and plenty of dropped ceilings. It was fun to find the original velvet flocked metallic wallpaper underneath the gray paneling :)

{{!gwi}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

DLM2000-GW
11 years ago
Gorgeous - they will be stunning in a natural finish and show the natural variations in the planks. Hard to tell if they've previously been stained or if that's natural oxidation that darkened them. What a fun project to peel away the layers in your new home!!! Please share more as you do things.
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
11 years ago
I just sanded down my quartersawn red oak hardwood in preparation for some work and the natural color was in no way "light"- there was still plenty of color. That color will only be enhanced by your topcoat.
It may look wrong with radiators and old wood paneling but once you bring that place into the 21st century it will look amazeballs.
Related Discussions
engineer hardwood or refinish oak
Q
Comments (5)
I would see if there is a way to take care of the squeaky floors from either in a basement, or under the house in a crawl space. No, you really cant go over them, and expect the squeaks to stop, you will still have squeaky floors. I am also pretty sure, your hardwood you already have is a better quality than an engineered floor would be, so if it is able to be refinished, I would absolutely go that way.
...See More
Trying to figure out what color to stain my red oak hardwood floors. M
Q
Comments (6)
A light or no stain on red oak will give you pink floors, so best to go with a medium brown. A medium tone is also classic - as styles swing back and forth from light to dark I think it's best to be in the middle. Who wants to refinish their floors every 5-10 years? This way you won't have to do it again until they need it instead of when fashions change. Just don't go too cool on the brown - they shouldn't look gray. Gray floors are definitely out on the coasts - if this hasn't happened yet where you live it is on its way.
...See More
should I refinish these red oak hardwood floors?'
Q
Comments (4)
I would get rid of all the dreary gray before deciding on the floors. Beyond that, the finish appears to be in reasonably good condition. Personally, I would be loathe to change the finish before it really needs it...which reduces the usable life of the floors. Maybe large area rug/s instead? Which leads to the question: Is this engineered flooring or solid 3/4" tongue and groove? If engineered, the wear layer thickness may limit you to either no chance of refinishing or either 1 or 2 refinishes at most. If anything goes wrong with the stain color on a refinish, you may have to either live with it or tear out and replace.
...See More
new hardwood should I do white oak or match my red oak downstairs
Q
Comments (4)
There are refinishing products to lessen the red in oak. Ciranova has a Pink Blocker L ink. Bona has Red Out. Here's another- You can finish with zero gloss water poly that does not yellow the wood. Cranova has Ecofix Plus and Woodlook Plus. Bona has Traffic HD and Nordic. The look that is popular is flat cut Western European quercus robur Oak. This species is denser without the open grain of domestic red and white oak. You can see lots of sources for this product, including Monarch Plank Link. And Forestry Timber. Link. 7 to 12" wide engineered planks can show off the wood structure of flat cut. You can't get that with solid wood planks 4" wide. How do you get the best looking floor? Here's a plan. Test your red oak to see if when sanded and dered and finished with water ploy, you like the look. Now comes the hard to evaluate part. I'd consider carefully pulling the 1st floor wood and lightening and refinishing it for use upstairs. Then get a wide flat cut rustic or prime European Oak engineered plank for the 1st floor. DIY may help in budgeting. The Flooret direct to consumer $5.50 7" wide Silvan option may help. Link. Stairs are Silvan Lyon.
...See More
deeinohio
11 years ago
We also just redid our red oak floors in natural, and we have dark woodwork. I love the contrast.

I think you're eight that your current floors are just amber from age.

Your floors will be gorgeous!

Dee
gsciencechick
11 years ago
I wish we could refinish our red oak floors! Just so much going on including senior kitty who would need to be displaced.

Good luck, and I can't wait to see the refinished results!
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
It looks like there are some pale spots on the floor from wear or whatever near the doorway. That should give you a hint of what the color will be when sanded completely down. I suspect it will be too light and you may want to go with a stain to bring it back to this rich tone. If there are areas that you know will be covered where you could do a small test of natural vs stain, that would be great....
sail_away
11 years ago
We recently had our WHITE oak floors refinished, as well as added more hardwood on the first floor. We chose to have them natural, although at first we were afraid it would be too pale. The floor guys applied the oil-based finish to a large area to show us how it would look and we love it! The finish definitely adds depth, warmth, and color to the floors and really brings out the grain. I love the way the natural finisih makes each board stand out, yet come together for a beautiful, cohesive look. There are a few very pale (almost white) boards, but not many---if they all had looked like that, I would not have been pleased; but mixed in with the majority much warmer boards they look fine and don't bother me at all--it looks lovely, and the variance in how each board took the stain is part of the beauty. To me, it really emphasizes the beauty of the hardwood floor.
lazy_gardens
11 years ago
Have them "screened" (scuff-sanded to take just the varnish off) and then clear-coated. It will retain most of the color.

Drum sanding removed the top 1/16 or more of the surface and you lose the patina and old color.
chardie
11 years ago
I had my white oak floors sanded and just had a clear finish put on them. They look great. My house is c. 1875, but I don't know when these floors were put in over the original pine boards.

Here is a link that might be useful: refinished white oak floors
tradewind_64
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you so very much for your replies, everyone. I am meeting with the floor refinisher again tomorrow, so I made notes based on the thoughts you guys expressed here and I will get a chance to address them tomorrow. I am very appreciative :)

chardie, your floors_are_gorgeous. Mercy!

Related Stories

GREAT HOME PROJECTS What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors

Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor — and the one mistake you should avoid

WOOD Woodipedia: Make a Solid Choice With Oak

By Marci Crestani

Forget those low-end products of old. Red and white oak today are beautiful, versatile and relatively inexpensive

FLOORS How to Paint Your Hardwood Floors

By Ventana Construction LLC

Know how to apply nail polish? Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Hardwood Floors

By Bonnie McCarthy

Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Find out how to keep them that way

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Simplicity and Serenity in a Vintage-Modern Remodel

By Caela McKeever

A thoughtful collaboration between client, designer and contractor beautifully blends period charm with modern Japanese style in Seattle

REMODELING GUIDES Contractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors

By Buckminster Green LLC

Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank

KITCHEN DESIGN Cooking With Color: When to Use Red in the Kitchen

By Jennifer Ott Design

Candy Apple Red, Red Licorice and more for your kitchen walls, cabinets or island? The color choices are as delicious as they sound

COLOR 10 Reasons to Fall in Love With Red Dining Chairs

By Laura Gaskill

The sexy color sits surprisingly well with many kinds of tables: modern and rustic, indoor and out, high-end and low-budget

MATERIALS What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor

By Mitchell Parker

We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring

MATERIALS Woodipedia: Maple Is a Marvel Around the House

By Marci Crestani

A heavy hardwood with lots of potential, maple appeals to modern sensibilities and won't break your budget

Sponsored

More Discussions

Help with Studio Apt

52

Interior bedroom door ideas?

18

How to arrange these furniture

13

Free Standing Gas Range

6

Feedback on spraying grasscloth with water repellant.

1