you have red oak? did you use a stain w/a red(or warm) undertone? that's prob why.

you should have used more of a neutral or ashy, green based brown stain. (green cancels red)

what products/colors were used, and what does your floor person say? (or is this a DIY)

when you say 'cut twice w/neutral', what exactly is that? list what you did.

you either have to sand or strip off that stain if you change the color

Thank you. It is a professional job and they used Bona dry fast stain with 2 parts neutral and 1 part medium brown. (However I think it looks like they accidentally did early american cut with neutral instead because looks closer to that sample.). They are coming Monday to come up with a solution to fix it some how. They suggested doing another coat of stain with Jacobean but I’m worried that it will be much darker and the orange will still come through.☹️ Thanks for the help!

I did take a pic of the samples they put down...

The one I picked was the bottom middle.

Is that red oak in your pic with the white and natural? If so I am impressed! I wish I had know about that before we stained. That is the look I was going for. This is the pic I showed them that I really liked...

I realize that is probably not red oak but I had hoped they could do something close. Now we just have to figure out the easiest/cheapest solution to fix it.😬. thank you again so much for your help! You obviously know your stuff!😊

I have red oak flooring that we refinished with Boma Driftwood a year ago. Originally I was thinking of going with Pewter and I'm so happy I did not as the Driftwood is plenty dark for me. I'd expect that this is darker/grayer than you want to go, but I'll share that the red/orange is definitely gone and the floors look great. Every single person who walks into the house comments on how much they love the floors.

We did bona jacobean and it has reddish undertones although its its not that dark.

I do NOT like a second coat of stain. Stain sinks into the wood with the RESIDUE being wiped off. A single application allows the FINISH (the expensive stuff that is the protective layer) to grab the WOOD.

If you add ANOTHER coat of stain, you run the risk the STAIN will sit ON TOP of the wood. That means it is taking up the 'grab' the finish needs to stay in place (ie. NOT peeling). When the stain SITS on top, the polyurethane has NOTHING to grab on to but stain. And that stain won't stay put. It can and often will lead to full adhesion failure. Yes. Failure.

To tone down the red, you needed to work with something that was NOT yellow (ahem neutral) or orange (brown). I'm sorry to say but medium brown is an orange based brown (brown is technically the darkest form of orange.

As for your inspiration photo, those floors show YELLOW in them (look to the right side where the light reflection is blocked...plenty of yellow).

So...the fix? Sand it down and try again. Stay away from YELLOW. You want GREEN. Green tones down red...everyone in the cosmetic industry knows this. Green blemish cream BLOCKS the look of red splotchy skin.

If you are unable to see undertones (it takes time...some people take years to 'see them'), get someone you know to come over and help you 'see' the undertones.

Please be prepared for the 'sanding and starting over' option. I NEVER TRUST a second coat of stain. There is too much chance of failure.

is there a stain color you’d recommend that would give the look in my inspiration photo?😬

Sure...do you like yellow? Your inspiration photo shows yellow floors not brown. I suggest you find another photo of a floor and then figure out what you want. My question: did you view the finish swatches with a coat of finish over top? What's the finish supposed to be?

They said that they put 2 coats of Amber seal over the top. This morning they coated just the bathroom with the Amber seal to see if that will make it look better. So far not so good. I am wondering if resanding then putting Bona intense seal would give the look in the photo possibly?😬

Sigh...."2 coats of Amber Seal". There is your orange. In the 'wood world' amber means orange. The very thing you were trying to avoid is the VERY THING they put down.

Get rid of the amber seal (down to bare wood) and go again. The amber is causing orange tones.

For the vast majority of flooring professionals they PREFER the look of orange/yellow. That's why YOUR vision does not mesh with THEIR vision.

I thought that would be a problem too. I was surprised when they said that because I said so often that I wanted to avoid orange or tone down the orange. I love the tones in my inspiration photo above. I just wish I knew how to beat estimate that. I’m even fine with a little pink coming through. Just anything to avoid the overall orange look I have now.

Oh...yah...another 'fun fact' is up to 30% of men (boys too...it's the gender not the age) have some form of colour blindness. One of the more 'common' colour issues: green: orange. It is possible that you can see the orange whereas they cannot. Literally they cannot see what you see.

Hang in there. You will get what you want. I would go to a flooring store and pick up some samples (Home Depot has little swatches for $0.99) that you WANT your floor to look like. Show those to the refinisher and then ask for a mix of stains if the regular stains don't do it for you.

Hi, is there a stain that you think has green undertones in it? Also - from above - what did you do (restraining my red oak floors).

i have the original parquet flooring (square) see photo. I despise orange and yellows in this floor and want to have floors sanded and stained. green......to neutralize great tip! Now....what stain colors would you recommend? Prefer water based top coat sealer

Looking to go darker but not too dark as this is a small apartment with 1 light source of a sliding balcony. Goal to reduce the pattern in floor, like the clean, more uniformed look. Decor: blend in with whites, beiges, blues, neutral palettes with lighter rugs Thx can’t wait to get your opinion 😀👍🏻

you want a green based brown stained. (Ashy brown) So, nothing with a red under tone.

If you look at the bottom left, see the Antique Brown? no red. it's more of a green undertone. It's on the example in the first pic

Looks pretty. What about top coat. Matte or satin finish? I’m assuming just a clear coat of Sealant. Can I do a water based Vs Oil based poly? Like the color. parquet is so busy. Hope it will tone that part down 🙏

all depends what you want. I like the Bona system.

your orange/yellow tone is probably from the current oil based topcoat that has turned an amber color over the past decades.

I think once you get that sanded down to bare wood, it will look beautiful redone!

I would hire out for this since finishing (and sanding) parquet can be tricky. you don't want to ruin the grain.

as for topcoats, there are many! you could do matte w/the bona system. (I'd prob go this route. it's more expensive, but those floors will look beautiful and last another lifetime)

I posted the Bona color up above. you can research it.

here's Bona on Red Oak. natural

or, look into Rubio mono coat.

for color: (these are all traditional finishes. stain, top coat)

here's dark walnut

more of a red based wood tone w/a satin top coat

dark walnut

gray base

@Sarabird77 - I had the exact same issue when we refinished our floors last year. The example you shared was the color we we’re going for and ended up with an orangey color stain and would eventually like to change it. Would you mind sharing the final color you picked and some after pictures?

Use no stain - keep it natural under the polyurethane or whatever else you finish it with. Stains detract from the beautiful grain of natural wood. I think it never goes out of style, and keeps the room looking light, bright but warm.

the tone may change a bit over time, but I still think it looks best...

Totally agree with Lynn G. A natural floor looks beautiful! All those stains just mask the soft beauty of the wood. Leaving the bare wood color will also go much better with any decorating style you may have. Classic.

Agree with Lynn et Rieckwtrcir. 70 year old quarter sawn oak floor. Natural. Beautiful. And floors have a limit as to how many times they can be sanded. Thank goodness the floors had been protected under ugly carpet when we purchased the home.

We used clear water based polyurethane on our red oak floors. The oil based will turn orange over time. The water based is supposed to be more durable also.

I realize this is an old post and you have probably resolved the issue by now but, you can add stain to poly. Then when you coat the floor the stain sits on top instead of soaking in and you change the shade of the wood that way. This works also when blending different woods from repairs.... old floorers trick. Try hidden areas like in closets to experiment on.

@bygeorgi - This is helpful advice! I'm glad there is a potential solve without have to strip and stain the floors again.

I installed red oak in our second house after years of living with orange carpet, as I finished staining my husband had just arrived home from work and was standing outside waiting for me. I came out laughing and told him he’d never believe what color it was...that same 🤬 orange I hated so much. Current oak floors will be sanded and finished in a year or two...will be very very careful choosing the finish!

I have parquet white oak species wood that are in the shape of squares Not planks. I believe white oak has a Yellow and orange undertone. I live in an apartment building and many resand original flooring .The dark walnut stain they use still shows dark with pecan highlights especially when light hits it .... Yuck!! I want to eliminate that undertone completely so the floor is neutral. Don’t realize it then affects the wall colors and all your furniture. Big decision and can be costly if not done right.

Three Words you need to know to get rid of Orange tones in wood:

Water Based Polyurethane

The ORANGE (we call it ambering) comes DIRECTLY from the OIL BASED poly. The OIL BASE makes EVERYTHING orange (used to be called solvent based but then people go scared...so the industry changed the name on the can...not the formula in the can...much cheaper).

If you apply oil based poly to a white piece of paper...it turns orange. Yep. It has NOTHING to do with the WOOD...it has EVERYTHING to do with the OIL base.

3 words: Water Based Polyurethane.

Thank you 😊 any brand you recommend?

Two...they are neck and neck with quality and performance. Remember: the HIGH END STUFF is 3x as expensive (material) than the DIY level that many wood flooring dudes use (the oil based stuff). Not always...but mostly...like 95% of the time.

Using either of these two 'big boys' will add $1-$2/sf onto the cost of a regular job.

1. Bona (Manufacturer) Traffic HD (the TOP OF THE TOP line of product) = amazing product

1.a. Loba (Manufacturer) 2K Supra AT (top line product) = very impressive product...harder to find

Either one of these TOP performers will do. Bona is easier to find BUT HARDER to learn how to use (you want someone who is Bona certified).

Loba is harder to FIND but easier to use (any wood flooring pro can learn this with their first attempt).

Start interviewing professional hardwood flooring refinishers. Ask them their FAVOURITE lines to work with. Listen for one or the other product.

You have to stain and then clear coat with varnish!!

No use polyurethane... you mix the stain into the poly to get even color without getting into the wood. that is the best way to blend different species and colors of wood. And using poly is too easy, drys faster, easy clean up, don't yellow, and you still great results as long as you put on enough coats and give proper drying time.

^^I have a few concerns with the statement above. One of the TOUGHEST polyurethane applications in the flooring industry is the 'tinted polyurethane' application. It is difficult to work with over an entire floor. The finisher has to be a MASTER with the T-bar...cannot allow overlapping strokes or heavy wakes. The most common issue = uneven colour application because the finisher has problem controlling overlaps and poor mixing.

This is a great post and info, I am glad I came across it! I have Timborana hardwood floors that I've hated for years now. I love the wood grain, but I can't stand the color anymore... yes it's red, and it shows absolutely everything (foot prints, paw prints, hair, etc). I came across this post as I have been looking for a green undertone stain color. I am trying to figure out what to do. Those pieces are the back side of this flooring so it shows the natural color. On the right is the sample done by the flooring guy.

This is the color that I really like, not too dark, not too light.

This is a sample piece that my flooring guy sanded down and tried 4 different alternatives. I was shocked on how light it turned out.

Not sure what the top color is, but I don't like it (too yellow). The second one I think is just the natural finishing coat. The third one has more white mixed with the finishing coat and the bottom one just a little white. I am really debating if I should go with one of those 3 options, there is such a difference in color between boards, I am not sure what it will look like. I am wondering if I should ask him for something a little darker, not sure if something like the picture above could be achieve in any way. Of course Timborana has a lot more wood grain.

Any suggestions? and then I have to choose tiles to go beside the wood floor 🙄

I would start your own dilemma post, McG

Oh Dear McG...Timborana is the real name for Brazilian Oak. Sigh...that's a problem. A big problem.

Like MOST EXOTIC HARDWOODS (exotic means it lives outside of N. America or Europe) it is PHOTOSENSITIVE. Timborana STARTS out a beautiful pale wheat colour with cinnamon tones.

But it DARKENS (called photosensitivity) as it is exposed to UV LIGHT. UV light is found in almost every source of light. Overhead lights, normal light bulbs, sunlight, etc. I think moonlight is free of it...but it's hard to live by moon light.

That means your floor will DARKEN and REDDEN as it gets older. The colour you hate today is the colour you are GOING to end up with tomorrow. I promise.

If you hate this wood then go ahead and get rid of it. It is the only way you will get around this. You want a floor that looks like European Oak (with a smoked or fumed finish). The European Oak silver colouring is diametrically opposed to the super red tones of Timborana.

Either love it or remove it.

SJ McCarthy, thank you so much for your reply. As much as I love the wood grain from this flooring, we will be replacing it. There are many windows in this house and therefore lots of light ☀️. my designer friend finally convinced my husband to change it. 😊

Thank you

Did you use water or oil based poly