Hi! Has anyone every stained there red oak with a low VOC water stain?

2 years ago

Hi! I’m curious to see if anyone has stained their red oak with a low VOC water based stain. I have someone who has done an excellent job on our red oak floors in the past but I’m in the process of trying to match new red oak to old red oak. I’d like to have it all sanded and stained a slightly darker color/walnut. He strongly suggested using an oil based stain and then using a water base topcoat. He said if I insist on a water base he would use it but wasn’t confident the result would be as nice.

We’re on a time crunch and I’m worried the smell will be too much. I have kids and small animals. Thanks!

Featured Answer

PRO

G & S Floor Service

2 years ago

If, the project is time sensitive, stick with the oil base stain system. It is widely available and easy to apply. Water base stains will most likely be special order and can be tricky to apply if, inexperienced. You can end up with lap marks, a darker color than expected and it is pricey to purchase and install.

Oil stain VOC:

Bona stain is 550 VOC.

Minwax, Absco, Hartco and Poloplaz is 250 VOC.

Loba is less than 800 VOC.

Water base stain VOC:

Basic Coating Hybrid Water/oil base stains are less than 250 VOC

General Finishes less than 200 VOC

Reactive stains less than 150 VOC

For low VOC finishing system:

Use Bona Craft Oil penetrating oil 25 VOC and top coat with Bona Traffic HD VOC 150. Widely available, easiest system to get.

Any of Ciranova's stain and finish product range from 0-150 VOC. Offers most customization and flexibility, special order and pricey.

Loba intensive stain less than 75 VOC and Supra AT Less than 250 VOC.

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Comments (12)

wdccruise
2 years ago
I had my white oak floors refinished with Bona products: "waterborne" ClassicSeal sealer, "oil modified" DriFast Stain, and "waterborne" Mega finish. There was a slight odor but it wasn't bad and it dissipated rapidly. I slept in the house immediately after the job was complete. I probably just opened the window.
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Like jfcwood states - the FINAL colour is the true test as to whether the experiment "worked". The other problem contractors have would be the use of oil based or oil modified finishes. It is impossible to get a white floor when the top coats turn ORANGE! I once had a "professional" (15 years in the refinishing business) tell me he worked with "water based" finishes all the time. He then named every SINGLE oil based product on his shelf. It turns out he thought that anything that was liquid - like water - was water based. He couldn't name a water based finish if it jumped up and slapped him with a lawsuit! The "old guard" are having a hard time adjusting to the "new" thinking. The Low VOC stuff, the 'non ambering' stuff, the low-odour products are relatively new (to North America...they are de rigueur in Europe) and are different to use. They require training. Training is no big deal in Europe. You have to do it to keep your license. North America is still the wild-wild west. If you have a sanding machine, you can call yourself a floor refinisher (sad...but true). Add that to the fact that red oak is cheaper than white oak and the trend is white flooring, you get a powerful mixture of fashion together with lack of knowledge and a healthy dose of "cheaper is better". A whole bunch of hearts have and will continue to be broken - on both sides of the professional-client fence. My advice: If you want the look of European Oak, then you should start with European Oak. If you are lucky enough to like the reddish tones of Red Oak, then go ahead and work with Red Oak; count your blessings and the money left in your bank account.
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Jackie
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you for all of that information. Is the bona craft penetrating oil only for finishing a floor? Or can it be used to stain the Wood?

I am also looking at bona drifast which says “low odor” on their website. Have you used this product? Will the odor dissipate quickly with the dry time?

I am worried we purchase these products and have the floors refinished then have to move in right after but the smell is so horrible We have to stay in a hotel or family members house until it has cleared.
Timothy Winzell
2 years ago
You have choices.

1) You can do the floor natural color and use all water based products to eliminate residual odors. 2) You can use a reliable oil based stain that is formulated to use with water based finishes and perhaps have some residual odor.

3) You can use water based stain and when the application is predictably unacceptable, you can choose selections 1 or 2 above. Other than water based aniline dye applied at full strength, I've not seen an acceptable water based wood floor stain. Which one were you looking at to recommend to your contractor?
PRO
G & S Floor Service
2 years ago
Bona Dri fast stain is 550 VOC. It smells.
Jackie
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi! I havent picked anything out yet. Just looking for options. Right now the current red oak has more of an amber hue from age. He will be installing new red oak and all of the rooms flow in together. I just Wanted it all sanded and stained a couple shades darker so they match.

Any suggestions on a water base top coat that might be able to tint it? The bona craft penetrating oil mentioned above comes in different shades but I’m not sure if that’s enough to stain it or if it just offers a light tint?
PRO
G & S Floor Service
2 years ago
Water pop the floor and then stain for a darker tone.
Jackie
Original Author
2 years ago
I’m new to this, I can Look up water popping but do you mean stain with an oil?
PRO
G & S Floor Service
2 years ago
Water popping is a pretreatment procedure done prior to apply a oil base stain to open the wood pores to allow the stain to penetrate deeper for a darker color., no need to water pop for a water base stain.
Eleanor Snickelfinger
2 years ago
HOw did you use DRIFAST stain AND a bona sealer . In which order? I am coming to the conclusion that our multi colored cheap 80 year old red oak floor needs to bestained and then I want to mellow it with NOrdic Seal or ClassicSeal . . . thoughts?
Eleanor Snickelfinger
2 years ago
G & S is correct as always. My oil modified Bona Dri Fast in sand dune came out rather opaque and a rather greige color. I like it, and I LOVE how resilient it is even without poly on it (I'm considering options) but especially if you are diy-ing, do what G & S tells you to do.
Eleanor Snickelfinger
2 years ago
Yes. Confession, I am DIY-ing our old red oak floors. The DRIFAST actually . . . kind of . . . expanded and grew as it cured so it became a rather opaquey greige ice skating rink. So, I resanded and have found good ole oil based stain sanity and grain saving. I am sure that a trained professional wouldn't end up with a greige ice skating rink, but I sure did.

Hi! Has anyone every stained there red oak with a low VOC water stain?

G & S Floor Service

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wdccruise

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