Jacobean is my favorite stain. If you put in on and immediately wipe it off then you'll get a light color. If put on and wait a while (soak time) it comes out darker. Of course, you can always add another coat if first coat to light

Jacobean is very popular for our clients as well.

Would you say this looks like a Jacobean finish? Any experience with the minwax Espresso stain?

Just a bit of advice for consideration... NEVER base your stain color decisions on a picture either in print or more so, from what you see on a monitor. Granted, it's an okay place to start... but the end results will vary IMMENSELY depending on the sanding process as well as the proficiency of the people performing that work.

I might also suggest that Minwax is the manufacturer or "parent company" of the products under the Dura Seal label... which are intended for use on hardwood flooring.

Although these products aren't readily available at the local DIY center, it may be worth the effort to see about following that approach thru a flooring specialist.

You failed to mention whether this is a DIY project, or you're making the wise decision to have the work done professionally.

Not only do the sanding and applicator's proficiency have a distinct impact on the outcome, but the picture will not look like the real thing because of the camera settings, lighting, and computer monitor it is being viewed on.

Also, I hope the Dura Seal quality control is better than Minwax's. Many times I have bought two cans of Minwax that were next to each other on the shelf, and the colors are not the same. When I used to use it, I would always mix all cans together before using it and hope they came out close to what they should be.

Thanks for the tips! I am having the floors professionally done. The floor guy has done some sample swatches on the floor for me to look at to compare. I've narrowed it down to Jacobean or Espresso. I know the pics aren't the same as looking at it in the house but I just wish I could see the Espresso somewhere or if people who have used it themselves had some insight as compared to the Jacobean.

How did you floor work out? Could you post some pictures of you finished floor?

We are installing new unfinished maple as well as refinishing the current light maple. We would like to do the minwax ebony or espresso. We have a professional lined up.

I'd be grateful for any advice!

I second what Select HF says. Please be aware that 'Minwax' should never be considered a "professional" grade product. I has OK results...but too many people have discovered the severe limitations Minwax causes. If this is a professional doing it, let the professional suggest the best options from THEIR favourite brands. You might find you don't recognize the names...'cause they aren't easy to find/use and require special training.

Again, please rethink the "maple + stain" idea. This is tricky...and can be heart wrenching when it doesn't work...and the professional should tell you (possibly get you to sign a waiver) stating you understand maple is very tough to stain and that blotching is to be expected and is in no way the fault of the professional.

There are many stories of this going bad. If you want a dark stain, please use white oak.

Thanks for the input! I'll have to ask out installer about how these issues. I believe he uses dura seal min wax. I have only tried the ebony stain on a sample but would prefer an espresso stain that adds brown and warm tones to the black. We tried varathane brand espresso and it is really nice. With 3 coats you can still see the grain. It's not opaque.

I would really love to use this dark stain to work with our revere pewter walls and warm grey fabrics. We have some nice mahogany and redish would furniture that really pops with the stain. But after reading here I am worried about finding the right product and about the upkeep of a dark floor.

What is a good professional grade product?

Any other stain colour suggestions?

Hi Robyn, My floors came out great! I have White Oak and used the Espresso MinWax. I did have a problem with the first guy who stained it (he really didn't know what he was doing). Actually it was a mess, but the floors were then resanded and I got another guy who was very good. I love the finished product. Excuse the mess (still working on getting everything put up) but at least you get the idea.

@Robyn...
In addition to the Dura Seal line (which is owned by Minwax, by the way), there is also the Bona line of stains. Both of these are penetrating, fast drying OIL based stains, that dry well without leaving a heavy "residue" which can impede finish adhesion.
One last note... you aren't (or shouldn't be) restricted to a colo(u)r straight out of the can... your finisher should be able to MIX various colo(u)rs from the line chosen, to accommodate any adjustment needed to get you where you'd like to be.
Each line has a number of: reddish browns, greenish, blackish, & golden based browns, as well as neutral to tone them down if needed.
Good luck.

Awesome floor Loliz! Thanks for posting pictures. I'm looking for a stain more on the black and grey side. From the picture the espresso looks more brown. How is the upkeep? People say the dark floors show more dirt and prints.

Robyn, thanks! Yes it is definitely brown in color. Like a deep chocolate brown. The dark floor definitely shows dust more. I sweep about every other day. And I use Bona polish about every two weeks. But I love it! It was exactly the color I was going for.

@Robyn, I agree with what Select HF has said as well. As for dark floors, they do show more dirt and prints than lighter stains. It's kind of like wearing a black dress or shirt--they make it harder to hide much of anything.

Gray and black floors are a tricky business, in particular. Gray floors are especially popular right now, but there's a lot to think about when staining them instead of installing prefinished. First of all, the sanding process must be done to perfection. Make sure to hire someone with a lot of sanding and finishing experience; you don't want someone who's refinishing their first floor. Secondly, the wood and finish you choose both affect the overall look. For instance, if you want a modern, monochromatic look, choose a wood that has very little natural color variation or visible graining; these will show through in the finished product and would create more of a rustic effect.

Oil-based polyurethanes tend to have an amber tint to them that can increase over time, so if you prefer cooler tones rather than warmer grays, stick with water-based finishes or even hard wax oil products like Rubio Monocoat. You might want to check out Rubio Monocoat, actually, since they offer several gray and black options.

@Robyn Davidson...
This is BLACK (Ebonized)...

okay good to see how dark it could. be. Now I'[m thinking of mixing Jacobean with Ebony. I saw a few done on pinterest. The finisher says we can try some samples. Thanks for all the advice!

Don't be surprised if mixing the two colors you mention results in a dark "greenish brown".
It's not as easy as it seems, when working "out of the can".
Good luck in obtaining what you want ultimately.
I'm sure you'll get there.

Thanks Select Hardwood for the caution. I have a professional finisher doing the job so I'll ask him if he thinks he can do it. He only uses the Dura Seal and they don't have a colour (as far as I can tell) that is in between dark brown and black

Here's the final result using Dura Seal Ebony on maple. We used two coats of stain and two coats of satin clear coat. The existing hardwood was refinished in the entrance way and new raw maple was installed and finished in the living room. I absolutely love the result! Not too dark and not too rustic.

Happy to hear that it all worked out for you.
That's what matters!
Great overall mix with the painted base and wall colors too...

Looks good Robyn! Is that revere pewter by BM on your walls? Did you use eggshell for the walls?

Good guess! It is Revere Pewter in the entrance way in eggshell. The trim is Oxford White and the living room is Barnboard.

Does anyone have any advice about caring for the floors especially in the first few months while the stain sets? My finisher said stay off them for a couple weeks and no carpets for a couple months.

Typically, using waterborne finishes... light traffic the following day is fine.
Another day before heavy traffic & furniture...
Finish SHOULD reach full "cure" within 5-7 days... then you should be able to set rugs & pads without worry of transferring the patterns of the fabric.

However, you SHOULD be able to reference the recommended timetable directly from the finish manufacturer... perhaps online. I guess best case would be to follow their recommendations.

Never heard of anything requiring such a long dry/cure period.

Thanks for the advice. I will ask the manufacturer too. There's a bit of a language barrier with my finisher but he recommended a good 10 days before furniture and 5 weeks for rugs just to be safe that no moisture gets trapped.

Water based products (as are Dura Seal) have a "cure" rate of 7-10 days before you can look at furniture/rugs. I normally suggest 7-10 days no shoes, no children, no animals, no rugs, no furniture. This is for cork which tends to indent easier than hardwood = permanent indentiations once the finish hardens.

A 5-7 day cure is not unheard of with water based products. If your finisher says 10 days...then I would think 10 days is a safe bet. It is possible that Dura Seal has an elongated time before rugs can be used...I've heard of it...but I've never found the product that has it in print. Solvent based products have some very long cure times...and these are quite different from water based products.

I currently have red oak traditional hardwoods through MOST of my first floor. I would like to add hardwood to my kitchen and then refinish it all to a darker color than the original. Yes, I will be using a professional but I am wondering if any of you more knowledgeable flooring folks can give me some pointers on this project.

@bajb8510...you may want to start your own thread/topic. You will get far more responses with your own dilemma thread WITH PHOTOS.

Red Oak added to Red Oak then everything sanded and stained on site. Red Oak is a bit tricky to get the "right" colours as they add their own colours to a stain. Mixing and matching stains with Red Oak is the trick. Low-end professionals are very BAD at this (as you can see someone had to have the work done by the "cheap" professional refinished by someone more experienced/expensive). The high-end NWFA Certified Sand and Refinishers are very good at this:

http://www.nwfa.org/cp-cisf.aspx

Start with them...and you will end with them. There shouldn't be a need for a 'do over' because "Joe the flooring Guy" couldn't get it to work.

Does anybody have a picture of espresso minwax on red oak floors?

I would love to see pictures of the min wax espresso also, on white oak

Expresso stain on white oak

@loliz Very Nice! Love the color and look.

We're getting our red oak floors refinished in Espresso too.

Did your contractor do water popping for your Espresso stain on your red oak?