skip to main content

Our new site finished white oak floors are a mess. Please help.

6 years ago

I haven't posted on this forum before and hope someone can help me. We had almost 5000 sq ft of select and better 2 1/4" white oak flooring installed in our new build. It is stained gray and coated with water based satin product (I don't know what was used). In addition to extensive dish out, the floors are badly scuffed. Dragging a light cardboard box across the floor is enough to leave a mark. They were finished several months ago so I'm assuming the floors are cured. I doubt our builder will do anything to remedy, although he assured me the floors would be finished with 4 coats of high traffic product.

I don't have the stomach to fix the dish out but, before we move in, I would like to have the floors recoated with something that will cure harder than what we have. Can someone recommend a good product? Can oil based product be applied on top of water based? Do we need to go to a higher gloss? Any insight on how to solve this problem is really appreciated. TIA.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

User
6 years ago
By dish, do you mean individual planks are cupped?

It seems there may be several reasons. How long was the acclimation time? Were the planks separated and stickered during acclimation? Glued down, stapled, or free floating? What was the humidity level during acclimation and install and what is the level now? How was the installed flooring sanded(to what grit)? What kind and how was the stain applied and how long was it allowed to dry? How long between coats of finish?

Photos may help.
cheri127
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I don't know what the sanding process was or how long the drying between stain and each top coat was. It's a new build. My understanding is that the process took about a week. It's not cupping or buckling. More like undulations. I'm not down there now, but I will be tomorrow and will take pictures. Thanks!
Related Discussions
Our Rift & Quartered white oak floors -Pictures
Q
Comments (3)
mwrede, I LOVE your floors and the stain your chose. I can't believe what a great price you got and if I lived in NC and not in expensive northern NJ, I would go for the exact same floor with the exact same company since it is beautiful, priced right and will be stable since it is quartersawn and rift white oak flooring. After my busy season, I will call Graff Bros. directly to see if they have a competitive price on stained engineered white oak rift and sawn flooring since I love the look but I need engineered due to the cement floor and the location of my home. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful pictures and the price!
...See More
Live sawn white oak for new build on finished basement.
Q
Comments (6)
We LOVE wide plank hardwood. Here's the thing with wide plank hardwood...It should be milled properly, it should be acclimated accordingly and it should be install correctly in the perfect indoor environment. I can appreciate your contractors telling you/ warning you of the potential risks associated with wide planks. It's actually a good thing they did that because now you know how to prevent and what mechanics need to be installed in your home in order to prevent any damage to the wood. (ie. HVAC system with a humidifier and dehumidifier, etc) 6" or 7" is pretty wide. We have worked with companies where 6 or 7" is the narrowest they milled and they only specialize in wide planks of over 9". Oh, something else to consider is having the flooring end matched. *Sometimes* with wider plank hardwoods, they aren't milled with the end match. So definitely speak with your contractor about that. We personally like having the flooring end matched.
...See More
Strange black "tire marks" on new white oak hardwood floors. HELP!
Q
Comments (38)
You are correct in that using a drum sander is not at all DIY friendly. But it's the only way to correctly sand a floor down to smooth and ready to finish. You will take years trying to do the same thing with an orbital. The rental rate for the sander is going to be more than hiring the right pro with the right equipment.
...See More
I keep ruining our new wood floors- help please
Q
Comments (8)
The stain is just that...stain. The FINISH is the stuff sitting on top that gives it a sheen. Stain is always matte. Your finish looks to be a satin or a semi-gloss. It is *possible you can find a 'finish pen' (a small metal tube with a brush tip that is full of polyurethane/urethane) and give your finish a touch up. A flooring professional will have a 'job minimum' for a quick visit. That is to say they will charge you 4 hours of work for a 15 minute visit. If they bill out at $50/hr (a common hourly amount) and then charge you 4 hours for the visit. Go and visit a Home Depot, Rona, Lowe's etc and visit the flooring section. See if they have a finish pen in satin and semi-gloss. Purchase both of them. Try out the satin on the stain. Let it dry. See if the finish matches. If it doesn't then try the semi-gloss. Repeat the repair. If you botch it up completely you can always call the flooring company to repair the spot. At that point you will get a little bit more than a 15 minute visit....which makes it worth the while. As for dark wood floors...they are HE!! to live with. They always look dusty. They show the lighter wood if you have a large dent or a heavy scratch (that gets through to the wood). They are the least forgiving of all the wood colours. A natural wood colour (ie. no stain at all) or a medium toned floor (like mushroom brown) would have been the most forgiving wood floors you can imagine. And yes wood dents. A pot. A pan. A mug. All will dent wood if dropped from a standing position. It's what wood does. The dents are removed the next time you do a full sand and refinish (in 25 years from now). Other things crack/break. They need to be removed and repaired.
...See More
PRO
G & S Floor Service
6 years ago
Dish out is common on plain sawn oak, if, you do not have the right equipment, sandpaper and sanding sequence. More softwood is removed than hardwood, creating the undulation. A resanding is needed with a hard plating sanding driver, multi-head, power drive or trio to remedy the issue.

Scuffing - will depend on the quality of the product and their process. Did they split the finishing process - sand and applied a couple of coats and returned at later date to finalize the project - contamination? Was there a stain applied - insufficient dry time? Did they, thin the product to save some money? What brand and product line did they use? Something happen to affect the performance of the product. Dragging a light cardboard box shouldn't cause too much damage, unless the scuffs are caused by staples. What was in the box - tv, toys, clothes?
cheri127 thanked G & S Floor Service
cheri127
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the responses. I'm waiting to hear from the builder and will report back when I can answer some of these questions.
Chessie
6 years ago
Pictures?

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES Are You Gutsy Enough to Paint Your Floor White?

By KitchenLab Interiors

Sleek and glossy or softened by wear, white floors charm

KITCHEN DESIGN Bleached White Oak Cabinets Star in This Two-Tone Kitchen

By Jeannie Matteucci

The cabinets and a new layout transform a once-dark New Jersey kitchen into a light and bright space

LIVING ROOMS Curtains, Please: See Our Contest Winner's Finished Dream Living Room

By Becky Harris

Check out the gorgeously designed and furnished new space now that the paint is dry and all the pieces are in place

REMODELING GUIDES Your Floor: An Introduction to Solid-Plank Wood Floors

Get the Pros and Cons of Oak, Ash, Pine, Maple and Solid Bamboo

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Keep Your White Kitchen White

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Sure, white kitchens are beautiful — when they’re sparkling clean. Here’s how to keep them that way

MOST POPULAR Must-Try Color Combo: White With Warm Off-White

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Avoid going too traditional and too clean by introducing an off-white palette that brings a touch of warmth and elegance

REMODELING GUIDES Designer Confessions: Torn Between Wood Floors

By KitchenLab Interiors

19 Photos to Help You Choose a Wood Floor Finish

KITCHEN DESIGN White Kitchen Cabinets and an Open Layout

By Jeannie Matteucci

A designer helps a couple create an updated condo kitchen that takes advantage of the unit’s sunny top-floor location

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Creamy White, Wood and Brass in an Open Plan

By Jeannie Matteucci

A design-build firm helps a Minnesota couple create a roomy L-shaped kitchen with off-white cabinets and a walnut island

KITCHEN APPLIANCES Which Appliance Finish Should You Choose for Your Kitchen?

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Find out which design situations call for stainless steel, black, paneled, white and colored appliances

Sponsored

More Discussions

Need help finding a floor porcelain tile to match wall tile background

17

Help! Dilemma With Red Oak Hardwood Flooring

15

What type of floor is this

6

Seal OSB after tile removal before plywood subfloor?

2

site finished engineered-is this a good deal?

1