Dark stains/marks on our new white oak floors

3 years ago

Hi,

We have dark stains/marks on our new hardwood floor and do not know how this happened. I am looking for any advice on probable causes. Here is the story (see end of message for list of products used):

We recently had a flooring company install, stain, seal, and finish white oak floors in our home which is undergoing a lot of renovation. After ~4-5 days, we laid down "ram board" (rolled out cardboard/brown paper) to protect the floors as we moved things around. The ram board covered the floors for over one week. We rolled up the ram board on Thursday night because we were having maids clean the home the following morning. There were no issues with the floor at this time and the ram boards had no sign of moisture/saturation. Note - the tile in the kitchen was installed prior to the sanding of the floors. It was grouted while the floors were covered.

We returned home on Friday after the maids left to see these dark stains and scratches on our floors as pictured below! At this point, the floors had been finished for 15 days so there should not be problems with drying/curing according to the Bona website. We called the maids, their boss, and the flooring company to come over. The maids claim that they did not notice the stains/marks until they began mopping the floor with water. They said that the only products that they used in the house were Bona, Windex, and vinegar to clean. They did not use an oven cleaner product or bleach in our house. So the maids do not think it was their fault. The maids speculate that a tin of varnish made the marks. The flooring company says that the stains/marks are from a cleaning product.

After doing my own research, I wonder if these marks are from tannin pull? The square shapes seem pretty unique and the other mark is like a rag shape. Also it is clear that the scratches were made in an attempt to clean the floor. Looking for ideas on what could have caused this. Thanks!

Flooring product information:

White oak flooring supply select 2 1/4" by 3/4"

Bona Sealer (the specific name of the sealer was not listed in the estimate)

Bona Mega HD in satin finish

Special walnut stain (I think Minwax)

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Comments (7)

PRO
G & S Floor Service
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Looks like a chemical reaction from some type of spill or rags. This happened after the finish is dried. If, you didn't see it there after removing all the floor coverings. Then it was caused by the cleaning company.

Third image looks like a sponge. Fourth is outline of a bottle. Fifth is and image of crinkled up paper towels.

The scratch not sure who caused it. But it looks like adhesion failure. Which would fall on the responsibility of the floor company. Not allowing the stain to dry enough.
HU-829102795
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you G&S Floor Service for your reply! Do you have any ideas on what kind of cleaning product could this?
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PRO
G & S Floor Service
3 years ago
Ammonia based.
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
To add to G & S's comment above: Windex Original = 5% ammonia. The Bona Mega is NOT the top of the line Bona. It is the entry level. The scratches are hard evidence to prove this. And I do NOT like how white/deep those scratches are. That's not a great thing to see on a fresh finish.

If MINWAX was used, the dry-time between stain and seal/finish can be 72 hours (that's 3 days....hmmm). Bona can work nicely with Minwax or it can have issues. Bona does not allow (officially) another stain brand to be used with their finishes.

Bona Mega has a slightly longer dry time than Bona HD. The Mega can require 7-10 days to cure. That means the time that you can COVER IT is 7-10 days. So if we do the math, you need 3 days for the Minwax stain to dry before the coating systems is used. You need 2 days for 3 coats to be applied = 5 days into the process. Then we need another 7-10 days BEFORE we can COVER the floors with Ram Board. Now we are at 15 days.

I think this job has been rushed. I do NOT like fresh floors covered up on day 4. Even Bona HD requires a full 5-7 days before they should be covered.

Now for the stains. These are DEFINITELY man made (or should we say maid-made). I agree there is a sponge mark on the floor. That's the sold black mark. The 'bottle' outline, you will find, is an IDENTICAL shape to a Windex spray bottle. And the wrinkly brown stains are rag marks.

If this floor was FULLY cured BEFORE the cleaning occurred, then it had a better chance of surviving these events. To be clear, a DAMP CLEANING on a wood floor is allowed after 2 weeks of FULL CURE. Your floors were NOT fully cured before the Ram Board was put down.

You have ACTIVE chemicals that are curing on that floor. The maids should not have had anything 'wet' on that floor for another 15 days (you have to add another 10 days because the floors were covered up and therefore had not cured).

There are three issues here:

1. Refinishers mixed their chemicals and used low-end Bona (HD is more expensive and offers MUCH BETTER protection).

2. Cure times were NOT respected and floors were covered too soon

3. Maids were allowed in (without specific instructions) and allowed to wet clean these floors before the floors were ready for it.

That's a WHOLE LOT'A finger pointing going on.
PRO
G & S Floor Service
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Finishes do not start curing until fully uncovered. If, you cover it, you pause or put it in super slow motion process. The process continues when uncovered.
Janet De La Cruz
3 years ago
@HU-829102795 Goodness, what was the outcome? Hubby wants to get a cleaning lady and I refuse as we have new hardwood floors as well that I am treating like a newborn..
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
When HIRING a cleaning person, the HOMEOWNER is responsible for specialty cleaners for their specialty items in their home. You don't let Tony go to town on your $15K marble counter tops with water and vinegar! Ever. If you NEED and WANT a special clean, you must be responsible for saying to the cleaner, "I have everything you need for use in my home. I will provide the mops, the cleaning products and the know-how to keep things happy and healthy (for the marble/wood) in my home. I do not want you to use products from 'outside' my home."

Then you have to WRITE out the instructions for your special surfaces (which means you must KNOW how to deal with them yourself) and write a 'cleaning procedure' for said surfaces. That will include the name/strength of the CLEANING solution. The container it sits in (like a photo) and how often (1/month???) on your special surface.

Be proactive and you will NEVER have anything go wrong...or at least it will be nothing worse than your own mishap. I've seen SOOOOO many hardwood and stone floors ruined by cleaners, I could just spit. Not many people suit their cleaners for doing the damage...'cause they don't make enough money to fix the damage they have done.

Dark stains/marks on our new white oak floors

Comments (7)

G & S Floor Service

HU-829102795
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Dark stains/marks on our new white oak floors

Comments (7)

G & S Floor Service

HU-829102795Original Author

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G & S Floor Service

SJ McCarthy

G & S Floor Service

Janet De La Cruz

SJ McCarthy

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GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

HU-829102795
Original Author