Selecting a stain for your floors can be a little difficult, you can select a range from dark colors to a natural stain. You can even have your own customizable pattern. Be wary that stains have different colors and shades to choose from. Also, you will have to consider the type of polyurethane you want to add because it can cause the color to look completely different than you imagine. When understanding how stains, polyurethanes, and your home’s aesthetic come into play, you will be able to make a clear and conscious decision on your selection.
First things first, the type of hardwood floors can determine if you should stain them or not. Interior designers suggest that if you have mahogany, cherry, walnut, or maple shouldn’t be stained because their natural colors are already beautiful. It is best to apply a glossy finish so their grains can appear more, read more about finishes here. Also, apply a water-based polyurethane, this is a clear coat layer that protects your floors. Using an oil-based polyurethane can cause the natural color of these wood to be a warm light yellow color.
Do you have pets or kids? Using dark stains for floors can help hide any dark color pet hairs and light stains can help cover light color pet hairs. Light stains can hide any dust and food crumbs better than dark floors. With darker stains, you will need to keep up with the maintenance as dark floors make dust more noticeable.
Your home’s aesthetic can help you decide what stain to select. For example, if you want a modern style home, the best stains to use will be dark stains and various grey shades. If you’re aiming for a rustic look, the best stains are mid-toned brown shades. Picking the wrong stain can cause color clashes with your furniture. You want to select a shade that creates a blend and flows nicely throughout the house.
Now that you have selected the type of stain, you must consider the type of polyurethane. The polyurethane is similar to a protectant layer for your floors, click here to read more about it. If you decide on grey shades or whitewashed stains, use a water-based polyurethane and avoid oil-based polyurethanes because applying them will change the color completely due to their yellow tint. Oil-based over time and overexposure to sunlight will cause the floors to turn into a warm yellow tone. Dark stained floors, the oil-based polyurethane will not have much effect on the color. On light stained floors, oil-based will make it look like a golden oak color.
Usually, when we sand the client’s floors, we apply stains to a small area to give the client the opportunity to observe their top 3 stains. This is a perfect way for a customer to visually see the stain in their home and make a decision. Understand that googling images of stained floors will not be exactly the same as your home, because those images have more lighting and maybe some filters that can alter the natural look of the floors. But, we can use the photo as a reference and assist by providing stain samples that closely match the picture to better assist in your decision-making. Contact us using the contact form below to schedule an estimate and let us know if that you’re interested in specific stain samples.
Comments