need help picking a floor stain

5 years ago

We are getting our floor redone and would love some help picking out the stain
We are thinking between duracel provincial and early American what are your thoughts

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Comments (3)

PRO
Oak & Broad
5 years ago
zandrew0906 , those are both very popular colors. I would suggest having your contractor make some sample spots for you to compare on the actual floor. Please make sure to share your decision and pictures with the forum when its finished!!
zandrew0906 thanked Oak & Broad
SJ McCarthy
5 years ago
I would keep the stain as light as possible (inside your preferred colour range of course). Anything darker than your current floor will darken your interior. You already have dark cabinets and your dining room furniture looks dark/black as well. Your walls are a yellow/beige which will darken as you darken the floors.

If you are thinking of adding more lighting/changing out the lighting/bulbs, I highly recommend you do it before you refinish the floors/paint.

If the floors are your ONLY project for the next 7 years or so, then make sure you are fully aware of how a dark floor darkens a home. If you have TREMENDOUS amounts of natural lighting, you are welcome to go as dark as you wish. But if your natural light is limited (small windows, north facing property, old home with dark trim, etc) then your floors will not need to go too dark before they become "dramatic". And let's face it. People love dark floors because they are "dramatic". They lend a sense of "Wow" to a regular interior.

A mid-tone or even lighter stain can have the same effect in a small, poorly light/dark home. Which is precisely why your flooring professional will offer 3-5 different stain patches (with a coat of finish on top...never pick a colour without a layer of finish on top...NEVER) for you to pick from. Just some food for thought.
zandrew0906 thanked SJ McCarthy
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Carolae
5 years ago
We have red oak floors that were refinished last year with Early American. We love the way they came out- not too dark so they contrast nicely with darker wood furniture. You definitely need to test a few colors after the floors are sanded down. If you are having them done professionally, the person should apply a few sample stains for you side by side so you can compare colors and see what looks best on your floors.

Here is a photo of our floor.