If you have red oak hardwood floors, you can leave them in their natural state and add a sealant. But you also have the option of adding a stain. One of the more popular stains for red oak is weathered oak. Weathered oak is a gray/tan stain. It’s pretty sheer, so it will tone down the color rather than change it.
How to choose a finish for red oak flooring?
Tips for choosing Red Oak Floor Stains
- Test every stain! Well, I mean test every dark stain if you want dark floors and every light stain if you want light floors. ...
- Know your floors. ...
- If you like a stain but something still feels off, you can mix it with other stains to get the right look. ...
- Ask your flooring contractor about the topcoat floor gloss. ...
- Don’t rush to make a decision. ...
What is the best wood stain for oak?
Types of Wood Stain
- Oil-based wood stain. These have been around the longest and tend to penetrate deep into the wood grain. ...
- Water-based wood stain. These are easy and clean up with soap and water; however, the color can take several days or even weeks to cure fully.
- Gel stain. ...
- Lacquer Wood Stain. ...
- Water-Soluble Dye Stain. ...
- Metalized Dye Stain. ...
- Varnish Wood Stain. ...
How to finish red oak?
Red Oak Finishing Basics
- Sanding: the finer you sand, the more pronounced the difference in color will be between the early and late wood. I don't sand below 150.
- Base color: I like to set a base or background color using a light dye. ...
- Seal Coat: Lock it down and seal the wood. ...
- Decorate: This is when it can get fun. ...
- Seal, tone and/or shade if desired. ...
How do you stain oak flooring?
Tips for Oak Wood Staining
- Preparation. Properly prepping the oak is the key to making your stain look as good as possible. ...
- Choosing the Right Stain. There are a number of stains on the market. ...
- Applying the Stain. The best way to apply the stain is with a new, soft-bristled paint brush. ...
- Finishing Up. After all your hard work, you want your stain to last. ...
Should you stain red oak?
Both white oak and red oak stain well and evenly and make sure to apply the stain along its grain for the best results.
What stain is best for red oak?
Minwax is the stain choice that most DIY bloggers use. Duraseal is more widely used by flooring professionals. Duraseal offers more stain options.
How do you make red oak look modern?
The NordicSeal is a great product for red oak – it safely “bleaches” the wood and removes the harsh red tones. The more coats you apply, the lighter it becomes. For the finish, use a water-based product, not an oil-based product which can yellow from sun exposure over time.
Should I stain my oak floors?
If this is not the look you're going for, or you want to completely transform how they look, then staining is a great option. Luckily, oak floors are perfect candidates for being stained and take stain application extremely well when the proper techniques are used.
Is red oak flooring out of style?
Although it may have lost some popularity with the rise of other woods, oak is quickly making a comeback to “new style” thanks to trending finishing techniques and popular design styles.
Do red oak floors darken with age?
Usually just called “red oak,” this domestic hardwood tends to be warm and on the lighter side. Like its name, it often has pink or red undertones. As it ages, it darkens to golden brown or even amber in color.
Can you change the color of red oak floors?
Many homeowners don't realize that you can change the color of hardwood flooring when you refinish your floors. Yes, it's true…you can go light or dark or red tones or anywhere in between. Most are pleasantly surprised it doesn't matter if you are going light to dark or vice versa.
How do you tone down red hardwood floors?
A neutral warm tan/beige color (see pic) will tone down the red floors. Don't use green--green will bring out more red as they are opposite each other on the color wheel.
Can red oak floors be stained light?
The wood species are SO different & how they look with different stains reflects that. Don't get discouraged, though! You can minimize a lot of the red & learn how to get a light stain on red oak floors that at least gives you a similar vibe to white oak without having to totally replace your existing wood floors.
Is golden oak stain out of style?
The answer is – no! The oak trim and oak flooring finish (the golden color known in the industry as “honey”) will never come back in style. Today, there are many beautiful versions of stained oak on the market that allow it to appear more contemporary and aesthetically pleasing.
What stain looks good on oak?
The best stain colors for oakEarly American by Varathane.Dark Walnut by Minwax.Briarsmoke by Varathane.Puritan Pine by Minwax.Classic Gray by Minwax.White Wash by Varathane.Walrus Oil cutting board oil.Weathered Oak by Minwax.More items...•
What is the most popular hardwood floor stain color?
Jacobean is currently the most popular stain. Often, we will test a 50/50 blend of Jacobean and Ebony (this is nicknamed espresso) and many of our customers love this combo.
How do you prepare red oak for staining?
Sand the wood with 120-grit sandpaper. Work along the grain, lightly sanding to remove debris and prepare the oak for staining. Always move in the direction of the grain when sanding wood to ensure a smooth, uniform finish. The grain is the dark lines in the wood, and in red oak these lines are very easy to see.
How do you finish red oak?
Adding a dye or stain to your Oak project creates a strong undertone that can really pop the grain....Apply dye or stain to the bare wood and let dry.Seal with shellac and scuff-sand when dry.Glaze with dark [your color choice] gel stain.Seal with shellac and scuff-sand when dry.Apply a topcoat of your choice.
How do I make my red oak less red?
Notice how green is opposite of red on the color wheel. This means that adding some green to a stain will help neutralize or hide the red in red oak. Plus anytime you mix a primary color with its opposite on the color wheel, you get brown. And that's what we're trying to achieve.
What is the most popular stain color for hardwood floors?
The most popular stains for wood flooring tend to be grays and browns that simulate the look of wood. Think walnut, pine, mahogany, or golden oak, in addition to all shades of gray, from classic to dark.
What stain do bloggers use?
Minwax is the stain choice that most DIY bloggers use.
Why was the faux floor so cool?
The faux floor was awesome because we could move it around against different walls and see how the colors changed under different light circumstances.
Does rosewood have red in it?
But rosewood does have a hint of red in it. Here it is up against the other stains on our floor (rosewood and rosewood/neutral are the two stains bottom right). It looked very warm and pretty but still had enough dark in it to make our white kitchen pop. It also showed those beautiful grains in the wood.
Is stain beautiful?
All the stains are beautiful in their own way. It just depends on what look you are going for.
Do you need to test every stain?
Test every stain! Well, I mean test every dark stain if you want dark floors and every light stain if you want light floors. Even if you don’t think you would like it – test it in your home on your floors. It’s funny how different stains can look once applied to your floor. Everyone has different natural lighting and that makes a huge difference in the end result.
Do stain companies have their own versions?
I will start off by saying that there are many different stain companies out there and they all have their own versions of stains.
Can you mix white oak and red oak?
White oak and red oak will look different when the same stains are applied to them. That’s just the nature of wood. Definitely know what type of floor you are working with! If you like a stain but something still feels off, you can mix it with other stains to get the right look.
What finish should I stain my Red Oak floors? Help!!!
I am refinishing my hardwood floors. I have Golden Oak cabinetry all throughout my kitchen. I don't know what stain to choose that would give some contrast. Currently, the floors blend right into the cabinetry.
Comments (18)
A darker finish would look nice. I suggest 'special walnut'. It is a nice compromise over 'walnut' if you want to go darker.
What color is red oak?
Red oak is known for being richly textured with deep reddish tones throughout the grain. It’s often used for furniture making and cabinetry due to its durability and strength. They look fabulously stained in darker colors.
Why stain hardwood floors?
Most people find that staining their hardwood floors will make them more unique and stand out from the other houses in the neighborhood.
What is Minwax wood finish?
Minwax Wood Finish provides the beautiful color of Minwax Oil Finish in a single coat that dries faster than ever before. This penetrating oil-based stain enhances the natural wood grain with a deep natural look and feel. In just two hours, you can reform your project from an enigma into something truly spectacular.
What is the most popular type of hardwood flooring?
Oak hardwood floors are among the most popular types of hardwood flooring on the market today because they’re durable, aesthetically pleasing, and versatile. There are so many oak floor stains on the market it’s challenging to decide which shade will match your home’s other colors.
Why do hardwood floors get darker?
As they age, standard cleaning and polishing of your hardwood floors will cause them to get darker over time; therefore, using a lighter stain creates a contrast that brings out their beauty.
What is the best stain for wrought iron fences?
For a timeless, sleek grey that reflects the quirks of nature. The Silk Gray stain from ZAR Wood Stains is excellent for wrought iron fences and wood sheds alike. Our low VOC formula can be applied over bare or previously finished wood surfaces without concern about splotches or run-offs, and you’ll get 3200 square feet coverage per gallon! Whether you need to give your furniture some color or accent your fence with our luxurious gray finish, the ZAR Oil-Based Stain will provide you with impeccable results every time.
What is the difference between white oak and golden oak?
Another option is golden oak. Golden oak is similar to white oak , except it tends to appear lighter than white oak. It’s typically less expensive than white oak, so it’s perfect for those looking for something affordable yet beautiful.
How long do you have to wait to put a rug back down?
You’ll have to wait about two weeks (with water based) or longer (with oil based) to put rugs back down.
Do stain samples look different?
Stains also look different from a test patch to an entire room being done, so it’s important to try to do samples on pieces of wood with varying tones so you can really get a better idea of how a whole room will look.
Do you restain floors before moving?
Always, always, always restain floors before moving in if you think it’s something you’ll ever do. It saves the headache of moving all of your furniture in & out! This is my number one recommendation after going through this process. Also, I wish we would have been told more clearly just how impossible it is to get rid of most of the red or pink tones, but you live & learn! We went into this really hoping for a better outcome, but you have make do with what you have sometimes. We don’t plan on being in this house forever so ripping up perfectly good hardwood was just not practical. We learned that you really need to work with what you have & ensure that whoever you talk with understands what you want & is straight with you up front about what a reasonable outcome is. Even with the pink undertones that we have, we still prefer the lighter wood to the orange we had before. It just felt so dated! This feels much more modern & brightens up our home.
Do you have to clean after refinishing your house?
Apparently, it isn’t always, so make sure you ask about this up front. If it’s not, you’ll need to either plan for or hire someone to do a post-construction clean. Most cleaning services offer this if you let them know what you need done. They came in to clean every wall, light fixture, window sill, etc so that the house was ready for us to move back in. The amount of dust is no joke, y’all!
Can you mix stain and stain together?
You can blend some stains together to create mixes at varying percentages to end up finding what you like best. When choosing a stain, make sure you consider that they look different with different light & at different times of day. I’d take a day or so to look at them from every angle & in every kind of light.
Can you stain red oak to white oak?
Okay, this post title being ‘how to stain red oak to look like white oak’ is a little misleading because SPOILER ALERT: you can’t. You can’t make red oak look exactly like white oak. The wood species are SO different & how they look with different stains reflects that. Don’t get discouraged, though! You can minimize a lot of the red & learn how to get a light stain on red oak floors that at least gives you a similar vibe to white oak without having to totally replace your existing wood floors.
Step 2: Steelwool & Vinegar
I mixed some White Vinegar and some pieces of Steelwool in a Jar, you will need to let it set in the Jar for at least a day or two. Then just brush it onto the wood.
Step 3: Natural Stain
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax Natural Stain.
Step 4: Ipswich Pine
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax Ipswich Pine Stain.
Step 5: GunStock
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax GunStock Stain.
Step 6: Cherry
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax Cherry Stain.
Step 7: Red Oak
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax Red Oak Stain.
Step 8: Golden Oak
This is what it looks like after drying a couple of days, with Minwax Golden Oak Stain.
What color is the opposite of red oak?
Notice how green is opposite of red on the color wheel. This means that adding some green to a stain will help neutralize or hide the red in red oak. Plus anytime you mix a primary color with its opposite on the color wheel, you get brown. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve.
Can you mix red oak stain with green?
So, for this alternative method of taking the red out of red oak, you can experiment and mix your own custom stain color by adding in some green. Or you can find a stain that already has some green in it.
Does bleach remove red from oak?
As you can see in the picture below, the bleach removed almost all of the red/pink coloring from the red oak .
Can hydrogen peroxide be used on red oak?
Once I had the lye solution made and ready to go, I set it aside and poured the hydrogen peroxide on the red oak.
What is the best way to stain red oak?
Red oak is popular with woodworkers because of its natural appearance. Fortunately, it is also easy to stain. Layering dye, gel sta in, and a topcoat is a way to turn red oak a consistent color with a beautiful finish. Each layer should be sealed with shellac and sanded to improve the stain.
How to make oak stain?
Mix a wood dy e in water. These dyes are give oak a consistent base color that improves the final stain. All you have to do is stir the dye powder into a glass jar filled with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mix the dye powder in 50% more water than the label recommends, since this thins the dye and prevents the wood from absorbing too much color.
How to stain oak with shellac?
Use the fine-grit sandpaper to scuff the area you dyed and sealed earlier. Press very lightly so you don’t rub through the shellac coating the wood. Sanding helps the gel stain settle over the shellac.
How to apply gel stain to wood?
Brush gel stain onto the wood. The easiest way to apply the gel stain is with a foam brush, but you can use clean rags or paper towels as well. Spread the gel over the area you dyed earlier. The gel is thick, so you won’t be able to create a thin, smooth coating.
How to get darker wood color?
Apply more coats of gel stain as needed. Check the stain’s coloring after it dries. It should look light and consistent across the oak. If you want the wood to be a darker color, coat the oak in more gel. You may need to do this 2 or 3 times to get the shade you desire.
How long does it take for a gel stain to dry?
Let the gel stain dry for a day. Gel stains dry relatively slowly, so give the wood plenty of time before working on it again. Set it in a safe location on a counter or table in a well-ventilated area. The wood should feel completely dry to the touch before you begin working on it again.
How long does it take for oak to dry before staining?
5. Wait about 2 hours for the dye to dry. You will need to wait for the oak to feel dry to the touch. If the dye isn’t dried properly, it may discolor the final stain. The dye may also darken during this time, so waiting can help you get an idea of how much more dye the wood needs.
