Edit ArticleHow to Stain Floors Wood floors are among the most beautiful of floors if maintained properly. Most are made of oak, a strong hardwood, but only look as nice as the finish itself. Maintaining the finish on your floor can be a time consuming task, but it is well worth it in terms of beauty. The actual staining of hardwood floors is a process, and, although it may seem a little complicated, a few simple steps in How to Stain Floors will make the task a breeze. Repair obvious defects such as nail holes, cracks or gouges in the floor using a wood putty or filler. Sand floor in direction of grain of the wood. Clean floor with mineral spirits and a soft cotton cloth to pick up any remaining dust or dirt. Apply base coat of wood conditioner around perimeter of room using a 4 inch (10.16 centimeters) paintbrush. Use a synthetic applicator to spread conditioner across the middle of the floor; allow to dry two hours. Test stain on small area of floor.

Apply stain, according to label directions, with a brush or rag, working the stain into the wood. Let stain penetrate according to the label's directions; remove excess with a rag, ensuring again that you wipe in the direction of the grain.Pet Bats For Sale In Usa Apply top coat of water-based polyurethane with a clean paintbrush and floor finish applicator.Vacuum Recovery Surface Cleaner Prior to applying the clear finish, stir well, but do not shake. Best Washer And Dryer Under 1200Shaking could cause bubbles in the finish. Apply in thin coats, moving in the direction of the wood's grain. Make sure there are no bubbles when you apply sealers as they will remain. When trying out your test area, use either an inconspicuous area of the floor or a sample piece of the wood if available.

Use the same method and material you will use to do the actual staining. This will allow you to adjust the color or even change it before you finish the entire project. Always work toward the door to prevent painting yourself in a corner. Several factors can impact the length of time required for either stain or clear finish to dry. It may often take longer than indicated on label because of such factors as humid weather, cold temperatures or poor ventilation. Soft, cotton cloths work best for cleaning and staining. There are various options for the types of stains available, including oil-based stains, both traditional and gel, and water-based stains.DEAR TIM: I have to stain some white pine woodwork in my home. In the past I have had nothing but problems when I stain wood. The color is not even, the grain disappears and colors are much darker than in the sample brochures. I must be doing something wrong. How can I get professional results from start to finish when staining woodwork?

Sandra B., Westland, MI DEAR SANDRA: I see you have the softwood blues. I used to get into this same funk many years ago when I first started in the construction business. Imagine my customers' reaction when I transformed beautiful white pine wood work into a blotchy mess. My initial diagnosis was the wood had not been sanded well enough. But I still had problems when the wood was as smooth as glass. I continued to ruin gorgeous pine trim because I did not understand that softwoods must be treated with the utmost care when they are stained. White pine, alder, spruce and fir are softwoods that have a very open cell structure. They readily absorb massive amounts of stain, much more than you and I want them too. Hardwoods such as oak, poplar, cherry and walnut are much different. Their dense cellular structure makes them harder and because of this there are simply fewer voids for the liquid stain to penetrate. A suitable comparison might be comparing two different pieces of paper.

A paper towel readily absorbs water drops while a drop of water may sit for minutes on the surface of glossy paper used in many decorative coffee tables books. When I decide to stain soft wood lumber I do what professional painters and woodworkers do and use a clear conditioner to partially block many of the wood pores. These conditioners are easy to apply and dry rapidly. Often you can brush them on the piece of wood and stain it within 15 minutes. The liquid conditioners contain clear resins and solids that clog the pores of the softwoods. By doing this, many of the stain pigment particles that create the actual color are not allowed to soak deeply into the wood. The conditioners also help to enhance the grain of the wood. Need your wood stained? Find the professional stainers by using my Interior Painting & Staining Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee. Sanding is extremely important when staining wood. Roughly sanded wood exposes more surface area that allows too much stain to soak into the wood.

When you take the time to use progressively finer and finer grit sandpaper that eventually produces a glass-like surface, you minimize the surface area of the lumber. Taking the time to fine sand until the wood surface is super smooth also is the foundation to achieving a silky surface after the final coats of finish are applied. After you have sanded the wood and removed all dust, apply the clear conditioner. Pay attention to the instructions as they often instruct that any wood treated with the conditioner should be stained within two hours. Apply the stain and work it in well with a rag or brush. Wait perhaps 30 seconds and wipe off the excess stain. All too often people make a mistake by either rubbing too hard or they use a rag that is saturated with stain. The best thing is to practice on some scraps of woodwork. Keep in mind that the depth of color you see the moment the stain is wiped off is generally what the woodwork will look like after the clear finish is applied. Be sure the stain dries before you proceed.

If you try to rush the job, the clear finish can lift stain from the wood and the result is a blotchy mess. Your choices for clear finish coats are many. Lately I have become a huge fan of water-based clear urethanes. They are easy to apply and dry rapidly. When I use these, it is not uncommon to apply two or even three coats of finish in the same day. That can be a huge time saver. When working with any clear finish, be sure to check the work as you apply the finish. If you apply too much clear finish, it may sag or run in spots. After you apply the finish to a vertical surface you have a window of opportunity of perhaps 5 minutes when you can correct these errors with your brush instead of waiting for the finish to dry and then sand out the defects. The key to successful wood staining lies in practice. Make sure the carpenter saves all wood scraps. Use these scraps for test samples. Not only will they allow you to select the correct stain color, you can use the scraps to see what happens if you leave stain on for 10 seconds, 30 and even two minutes.