Finishing White Oak Floors So They Stay Natural and Don't Yellow
3 years ago
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- 3 years ago
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Red Oak vs White oak - natural or stained
Comments (7)I like White Oak better than Red. It works better with a certain color pallette and is less grainy when stained. I have natural color White Oak in my master bedroom. Traditionally flooring here was White Oak when stained, Red Oak when natural, but that's going quite a long way back. Two things to consider. 1) The floor in the pictures looks almost certain to be #1 Common grade. White Oak will have some substantial color variations, especially in a grade lower than Select. 2) $1.00 per square foot additional for staining sounds like a lot. We charge $0.30 per square foot to go from natural to a standard stain. It takes a bit more time to make sure you've sanded out the small scratches that typically wouldn't show up on a natural floor, but you're not adding an extra coat. You're simply applying stain instead of clear for the first coat. I could see if it was a small area and might require lots of samples but not 2000'. Maybe he's charging for the stain as a separate added operation and still applying the same number of surface coats. Or possibly he uses a better (ie more costly) crew to do the stain jobs. Or maybe I'm not charging enough!...See MoreWhite Oak Floors - Choice of finish to minimize/stop yellowing
Comments (11)As G&S suggests. Loba or Bona lines come with water based finishes that also benefit from a sealant that prevents tannin pull. Bona Traffic HD is a true clear finish. White Oak has a history of "tannin pull" when a water based finish is used. That's why a sealant is HIGHLY recommended/required. It acts in two ways: It greatly reduces tannin pull (slight yellowing over time) It acts as a lower-priced "coat #1" for a three coat system Yes. By using the sealant, you can SAVE money AND get the floor you want without the risk of tannin pull. Sounds like a HECK of a deal to me! I'm a fan of the Loba 2K Supra AT in the satin finish. It is a stunning, tough finish that has high anti-slip ratings and the satin is a lovely soft glow that can mimic a matte without all the issues of matte. The scratch resistance is outstanding....See MoreWhite Oak Floors: Can I keep them natural or would staining be best?
Comments (44)@Robin Morris, Im a bit confused between the terminology of "sealer" and "finish coat", but I love the look on your floors! Are they glossy or completely matte. I like the look in broad day light better than at night! Just to make sure, you applied one coat of Bona Birch and then 3 coats of another stain which is Bone Mega? (Looking at your samples picture, bone mega looked darker and orangier...) I'm trying to get my white oak cabinets to have a neutral look as well!...See MoreHelp- Natural or brown tone finish on white oak floor using MINWAX
Comments (3)LIve wire oak mentions many things...the biggest red flag is the 'professional' (ahem...) using a low-grade DIY product such as Minwax. Minwax stains are OIL based. They take time to cure (72 hours anyone?) before a product such as Loba can be applied (water based product out of Germany). And just like oil and water NOT mixing, Loba and Minwax do NOT mix. Loba has their own line of water based stains. They are expensive, but beautiful. A SOLVENT (aka oil based) based finish (like Minwax) turns ORANGE. Not just 'yellow' but ORANGE!!!!! So...you can kick Minwax to the curb IMMEDIATELY!!! Like YESTERDAY! Water based polyurethanes (such as Loba 2K Supra AT; Loba WS 2K Supra; Bona Traffic HD; Bona Traffic; etc) do NOT TURN YELLOW! They are referred to as "clear coats" by many. White Oak NEEDS a sealant (Loba Easyprime = Loba sealant) when working with water based polyurethane. If you do NOT use the sealant (because you are using a WATER BASED polyurethane) then you will find the White Oak tannins (the stuff that gives wood its colour) will move to the surface of the wood and sit there = turn yellowish over time. Whew! So first things first: find ANOTHER refinisher. Water based stains are a B!tch to work with if you DO NOT have the training. And NO, you do NOT WANT to be the 'project' they floor dude uses to learn the product. Water based polyurethanes are ANOTHER issue all together. As easy as Loba is to work with....it still takes PLENTY of practice to 'figure out'. Especially if you are an 'oil guy' for 20+ years. Please find the nearest professional: www.nwfa.org An NWFA Certified Flooring Sander/Refinisher is going to charge $5+ per square foot to work with the high end stuff. But it is TOTALLY worth it. And that $5/sf is JUST the staining/finishing. The TOTAL cost for installation is going to add a few more $$ per square foot for the labour to cut/install the wood floor itself....See MoreRelated Professionals
Ashburn Flooring Contractors · San Tan Valley Flooring Contractors · Barrington General Contractors · Deer Park General Contractors · Jackson General Contractors · Linton Hall General Contractors · Seal Beach General Contractors · East Hanover Interior Designers & Decorators · Cloverly Architects & Building Designers · Keansburg Architects & Building Designers · Ramsey Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Fountainebleau Furniture & Accessories · Maple Heights General Contractors · North Smithfield General Contractors · Roselle General Contractors- 3 years ago
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