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Flooring Design Dilemma Woodworking

white oak stairs sealed too dark

last year

Dilemma! Just had our white oak stairs sealed and now they look a completely different color. Before the were sealed they matched the Coretec LVP flooring perfectly.
What (if anything) was done wrong? I’ve also attached my before and inspiration picture.

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Comments (6)

PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
was an oil based sealer used?

what was used for the top coat? Show me a pic of the product that they used

how long have the stairs had to dry?

why wasn't this done on a sample piece first to see how it would look?
Nina
Original Author
last year
Hi there Beth. So many things I’m learning after the fact. 😰🙈
Yes, the crew should have tested and showed me a sample.
The stairs were about 5 hours dry when I took the picture.
I was told it was a clear sealer, no stain. I don’t think the product was left on the job sight for me the grab a picture.
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PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
you mean you have no idea what they used?

You need to find out or no one is going to be able to help you.

have the crew guy text you a picture of what was used.

and the white oak treads were left natural? nothing was applied to them?

Did you tell the crew you wanted the wood to match the floor?

at any time were you told of what was to be used? Did they warn you it might darken?

what does your contract say?

So many questions that we can't answer.

A sealer is always going to alter the tone of natural wood unless you specifically usse a product that does not ! Bona has a oil finish that lets the natural wood stay as is.

If the crew just slapped on a regular poly wood floor sealer, then what you have is exactly what happens. wood absorbs. if you coated the wood w/water it would also darken like that.
PRO
G & S Floor Service
last year
Big issue here, is communication. The final look and feel you expected was not communicated properly. If, it was, then review your contract and see how it is written. Someone mentioned "natural" look. Which is what you have. Straight oil base poly right onto the wood. Tell them you want to match the LVP.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Well IMO this started by you not getting samples done. The next was trying to match real wood to fake. I used my LVP for my basement stairs since I did try to match real wood for the treads and no luck. I do hate blaming the client but you always need to see a smaple of what you can expect .
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
Wrong product and poor communication... Also those stairs look very steep, is this in the US? The rise and run look nearly equal?

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