Floor Sanding; The Next Step-how To Stain A Newly Sanded Wood Floor

Floor Sanding-The Staining Challenge
To achieve the best results when using a floor sanding company or doing the job yourself, it is vital to have some understanding about staining. Some floor sanding professionals do advise that this work should not be done by novices. Staining a newly sanded wood floor is a challenging process and should ideally be undertaken by two people working together continuously. It needs be a continuous process without taking any breaks to achieve the best results.

Floor Sanding-Choosing The Right Colour Stain
The first step to a successful staining is to choose the right colour for your desired result. This may seem pretty straightforward but actually it is not. The colour of the boards after floor sanding needs to be mixed with whatever colour stain you choose and even someone with a keen eye may not find it easy to imagine the exact result of this mix. There are factors such as the age of the boards, what age they were when the tree was felled and which country they were originally from which influence the colour of the boards.

One way to tackle this is to buy a small piece of wood which is the same colour as the boards and put stain on this; it may not give exactly the same result as the finished job but it can help you make the right decision. Also you can consider mixing stains to achieve the outcome you want. If you do go this route, make sure that you choose either water based or spirit based and do not mix them together.

Floor Sanding-How To Stain
Once the stain or stains have been chosen the floor needs to have been sanded properly so that it ends up being smooth and silky. It is best to mask skirting boards, pipes and anything else that needs masking. Before staining you will need to have plenty of rags, rubber gloves, a roller tray, black bags and a one inch brush. Then apply the stain with a rag focusing on two to three boards at a time. You need to work quite quickly and be generous with the amount of stain you apply.

The reason this job takes two people is because one is there to do the staining and the other is behind them to wipe off the excess. The brush is to use on the skirting boards and any areas that need more precision. The stain goes into the roller tray which is on top of a black bag as you work. At the beginning you need to plan where you will start and how you will progress to keep the work smooth and continuous.

Once the staining part of the floor sanding project is finished you should leave the floor over night before varnishing.