white oak floor stains

4 years ago

The first two photos are our white oak floors #1 I thought I wanted to go a darker gray, but I really like the last photo. How do I get a similar color like the last photo?

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PRO

PPF.

4 years ago

You should be working with your finisher on this. You don't want them experimenting with unfamiliar products on your floor.

Minwax is available everywhere, but it's far from the best (or even better) product.

Whatever you use, you will want to see a sample on several boards, ideally ones from your install.

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Comments (14)

DLM2000-GW
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
On my phone and traveling so it's hard for me to see your inspiration color clearly - is this in the range of what your were thinking?

Edited to add these floors are white oak #1 select.
SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
Bona Nordic seal + Traffic HD finish. Your refinisher needs to be SUPER COMFORTABLE with Bona and Nordic Seal to get the look you want. Do NOT use an oil based or an oil modified polyurethane. They turn yellow/orange over time.
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SJ McCarthy, I do have photos of the cracking and rising floor boards. And of the spotty finish, streaks, and drips. The boards have sat untouched and unfinished in our AC home for the last nine months, and within days of the oil and water applications the cracking and rising occurred. It’s been less than ten days since the floor has been finished. The guy who did the work was the owner of a highly rated flooring refinishing company in my area. We agreed to use a water-based finish which is on my contract as Poloplaz 1k water-based floor finish with a matte sheen. When he arrive he talked me into using an oil-based product instead, stating that it would keep the natural color as it is, but also preserve the wood. I apologize for repeating myself here -- I was so fearful of the oil yellowing the white oak which I stated many times to him, but he assured me if it did yellow it wouldn’t be for fifteen to twenty years. He said he would be using a clear, natural, expensive oil-based polyurethane finish that was newly opened. I'm not sure of the brand but I do have a photo of the yellow oil drip down the side of one of the white panels around the stairs. The next day after the oil application he added the matte flat water-based finish and I absolutely know what product he used because after the second coat was applied I followed him out to his truck voicing my concerns about the color/finish of the floor and he showed me the container… Bona Traffic HD extra matte. That’s when he blamed the product for the streaky look of the finish. He said he doesn’t like using this Bona product for quality reasons but because I insisted on a matte finish he didn’t have a choice. He said he could use a different product but it would leave a shine and not have the matte look I wanted. Thankfully the guy did not apply the 'natural poly' over the factory finished Shaw floors. My contract with him states that he would apply it over the entire dining area, and I was charged for it, but at the last minute the decision to not do it was made. The guy is not affiliated with my general contractor because I wanted to hire a flooring ‘professional’ who truly understood hardwood floor finishes. I was incredibly anxious and very select about what I wanted in the finish and it took me a while to find and then trust someone. Unfortunately I paid him in full. Contractors, here at least, are allowed to have a lien against your home if you withhold payment and because I'm not familiar with what that truly means legally for me, as the homeowner, I paid. Thank you for your information regarding an inspector from NWFA -- it's a great idea and I will most certainly make a few phone calls. Recent research has informed me that an oil-based polyurethane needs to cure for at least two weeks to 60 days before adding a water-based finish, do you know if that statement is true? And if so then the pro not waiting for the curing time before applying the water-based finish likely and knowingly voided the warranty on the Bona product -- he's been in business a long time so he would know. Also, is a natural polyurethane the same as an oil-based polyurethane? I'm just making sure I understand everything before speaking with an inspector. Thank you so very much for your advice and time, SJ McCarthy, I really appreciate all of your help.
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N Cho
Original Author
4 years ago
@DLM2000 thank you, but a different tone lighter than that.
N Cho
Original Author
4 years ago
@ SJ McCarthy that’s good to know. They use Minwax Stain and I think it’s water based.
Or would this color be easier?
SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
Gray is one of the toughest colours to get right. It is SUPER EASY to get it wrong. The inspiration photo you showed of the super light, slightly white floor, is MUCH easier when using Bona Nordic Seal. Your wood is already a close match...the Nordic Seal adds a snick more 'white' to the floor to offer that Scandinavian look.

Guys who work mainly with Minwax have a hard time switching to Bona. And the FINISH is what matters for gray. A cheap oil based finish will turn ORANGE. A cheap oil modified will turn sunshine yellow. And gray is anything but it is NOT orange and it is NOT yellow.

Find out the FINISH brand FIRST...and work backwards to the colour you want. Worse comes to worse you can always finish your floor in a high-end water based polyurethane (use a clear sealant to stop the tannin pull that white oak is famous for) to achieve a floor that is the natural 'raw' look that you have right now. Your wood is only a heart beat away from the colour in your inspiration photo. Loba 2K Supra AT (using WS EasyPrime) could offer a magnificent 'raw wood' finish without adding stain.

The Bona Nordic Seal + HD Traffic will offer a slightly whiter version of your floor + SUPER TOUGH finish. But these high-end options have a slightly higher price tag and the systems the refinishers need to LEARN make this difficult for some homeowners to take and for many refinishers to offer.

Lets start with the name of the FINISH the pro is using on your floor.
btydrvn
4 years ago
It seems it could be the color variations in your floor that will not allow a match?...the more solid colors may be bleached for uniformity?
PRO
Johnson Flooring Co Inc
4 years ago
Those floors are probably treated with something like Rubio Fumed Active Stain, then stained white and coated with urethane. The Fumed turns White Oak gray and can be thinned with water to lessen the effect. The last picture may have an oil finish.
N Cho
Original Author
4 years ago
I love this stain. Anyone know how I can achieve it with white oak floors and using Minwax stains? They’re coming tomorrow to test samples.
SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
@N Cho - My gut is telling me that is either vinyl or laminate. The stair treads do not match the floor. That's a decent indication one material does not match the other.

The strong grey of the floors is usually achieved in a factory. It can be very difficult to get this colour with a site finished floor. A SUPERIOR craftsman who would be recognised as a 'stain master' *might be able to achieve this. Might. And even a master with stains would be hard pressed to get such a 'clean' looking gray. Which is why I think this is a man made material such as vinyl or laminate.

Again, a stain master would be more likely to work with higher end materials than Minwax. Which brings me to the question once again: what is your FINISH (the hard stuff that sits on top of the stain)?

An oil based polyurethane or oil modified product will turn yellow/orange. A water based product will maintain the colour without turning yellow...but white oak needs a sealant when working with water based finishes. Not always...but most of the time. All of these things you and your refinisher need to know.
PRO
Johnson Flooring Co Inc
4 years ago
SJ McCarthy is correct. If you brought me a sample like that to match, I'd ask which part you wanted your floor to look like. You might get a floor to pick up some of those colors, but not to look exactly like that picture.
N Cho
Original Author
4 years ago
SJ McCarthy they’re using Bona waterbased polyurethane.
Here’s the sample we narrowed it down to. The one on the left and the bottom right are the same, but applied differently.
Will the water based polyurethane keep the floor as is or will it lighten some?
PRO
Johnson Flooring Co Inc
4 years ago
When a clear finish is applied it generally brings out the wood color a bit. You should definitely evaluate it with a coat of finish that has dried.
Anna D'Arco DeLeo
2 years ago
It looks .Ike it might be natural water base by Bona. We just had the guy come out today and do samples

white oak floor stains

PPF.

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DLM2000-GW

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