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Flooring Other Design Dilemma

Lightening my red oak floors

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I would like to achieve the look of light Scandanavian floors, but I have red oak. I have read that bleaching first is important to minimize the pink hue that occurs when trying to lighten red oak. I have 2 quotes-one uses Bona and one uses Duraseal. Does anyone have insight into which product is better for my project and why? Also, any insight into what stain to use? Can I use country white stain from Duraseal with Nordic Seal from Bona? The Duraseal quote was significantly less expensive. If I chose Duraseal I will go with water based polyurethane to minimize the amber hue.

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Comments (4)

SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
Bona is HIGH END (Bona Traffic HD is THE BEST OF THE BEST!). DuraSeal is 'DIY' level.

Bona NordicSeal = silvering look over red oak...can have 2 coats applied to allow for a whiter silver. And with 2 coats you can then use 2 coats of Bona Traffic HD which will save a snick of money.

Or you can go with DIY level DuraSeal, pay someone WAAAAAAY too much to use DIY level stuff and you will then need to BLEACH (hoping 'DIY Dude' is good enough to get it done) and then you need to use a white-based stain (again...hoping DIY Dude can do it) and then apply 3 coats of DIY level product....for way too much money...again...hoping DIY Dude gets it done without ANY problems.

I'm a Bona Fan...the person who is a Certified Bona Trained professional = 5x BETTER than DIY Dude.

But that's just me.
bfsod
Original Author
3 years ago
First, thank you for the information! The Bona quote said they would bleach the floors up to two times 1st then apply Nordic Seal and 3 coats of Bona HD Traffic. I’m not sure if they would need to add a white tint in there too?
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If you like your current colour then go ahead and put down a new version of it. If you want something different then I would go lighter. I love the look of red oak in the 'buff'. It is a pretty wheat/sand coloured wood. So long as you work with a high-end water based polyurethane that does NOT yellow, you will have a very pretty 'pale wood' floor without much effort. Your existing finish appears to be oil based (or oil modified) which makes the floor yellow. The strong gold tones in your wood right now = the finish. Did your refinisher apply a coat of FINISH over your colour samples? If they did NOT....then you are picking BLIND. And I mean screaming and crying and tearing your hair because your beautiful gray floors turned to a muddy orange mess. Not good. Do you see the pale colour of the raw wood? You can keep that colour (very close to it) with 3 coats of water based polyurethane like Bona Traffic HD. Keep the gloss level a snick on the low side (satin is a nice low-gloss option) and you keep that pretty 'swedish blonde' look.
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Thank you for the information! I was worried frost would look too white…I’m guessing the more coats we put of Frost the whiter the floor? I don’t want white floors…have u any photos of red oak done with frost? I’d love to see. You have a good point about the other shades looking too dark…I have a Bona certified guy willing to do this. Met him this morning. He suggested Air or pebble…sand looks yellow. I know it depends on my floors and the lighting. Frost looks great but is it very very white? Thank you 😊
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The image has been edited with too much light exposure ( look at window). This floor color is not light at all. The staircase will be closest to the actual color - medium brown. Or most likely darker in real life. Fuming or reactive stains is a slower process on red oak, but will work. You have to wait over night to see result.
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SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
The Nordic seal IS the 'white tint'. It's in the name NordicSEAL. The 'nordic' means white based. The 'seal' = sealant or primer. The Bona plan is SOLID. They are going to knock every stick of red, yellow, orange - every colour, out of your floors. You will have a white on white on white wood floor. Be aware...it could look so white that it looks 'painted'.

I would ask them to have a colour patch done properly:

1. A 2ft x 2ft patch of the floors they way THEY describe

2. A 2ft x 2ft patch with ONE bleaching + 2 Nordic Seal

3. A 2ft x 2ft patch with NO bleaching + 2 Nordic Seal

These will offer you the best visual you can have for 'white' floors. Remember: Scandinavian floors have some colour in them. They are not 'painted' white floors. They have some soft colour tones left in them.
bfsod
Original Author
3 years ago
I can not THANK YOU enough. You have given me so much information. I really appreciate it!

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