How to Stain a Hardwood Floor
Hardwood floors are sturdy, lasting for generations with proper maintenance. Such durability makes them popular materials for building homes, particularly the flooring. However, without a proper finish, hardwood can make a house look old and dirty. If you know how to stain a hardwood floor, you can up your home’s elegance and style in no time.
The Staining Process
Staining involves several procedures. The floor must be cleaned, tweaked, then prepared prior to the refinish. Without the initial preparations, the finish will look shabby or uneven, defeating the purpose of applying wood stain.
hardwood floor
Floor Preparation
Sanding
Staining
Finishing
The entire process is tedious, but the results are rewarding. Your home will surely look more attractive right after.
Floor Preparation
The floor must be cleared and cleaned before sanding. Start by removing the mats, furnishings, and appliances lying around the area. Grab your broom and sweep the floor. Make sure you remove small sharp items like staple wires, pins, and tacks, since they can damage your sander. Use your hammer to flatten nails that stick out from the panels.
Sanding
In sanding, you will the smoothen the floor, enabling the wood stain to stick well to the surface. A sander is required, which you can rent from construction equipment stores. Once you have the device, use the following grits to smoothen your floor, in this order - 36, 60, 80, and 100. Sand in one general direction, so the floor’s resulting texture is even. After sanding, sweep the sawdust off the floor.
Staining
With the floor smoothened, the application of wood stain is easy. Use a rag to apply the initial coating of wood stain. Make sure the layer is even. When the stain dries, apply a second layer, this time with a rag if you want a light hue for your floor or with a paintbrush if you want something darker.
Finishing
Mix the polyurethane finish well. Keep it free from bubbles. When the solution is ready, apply the initial coating over the stain. Let it dry for about five hours. Apply the final coating after, which is slightly thicker than the first. Allow the finish to dry for a few days before you return the mats, furnishings, and appliances. The moment the second coat dries, your floor won’t be as good as new, it may be better than that.
Apply whenever Necessary
A hardwood floor is stained when the initial finish gets worn out by wear and tear. The luster disappears while the color becomes dull. Just apply the staining process to restore your floor’s youthful state and keep it from wearing out easily.