ha, thanks! i dont want to rip them out, they are perfectly great hardwoods... we just hate the color/tone. any stains you can suggest?

There is a flooring expert (Cancork Flooring - search to contact) who may chime in. I believe she recommends a slightly darker stain with a bit of green in the formula to counteract the red.

You actually got a higher grade of wood, so I agree that ripping them out wouldn't be the best approach. You need a stain with green undertones to neutralize the reds in the oak. Many lines with "walnut" have greenish undertones, but a straight walnut stain may be too dark. Mixing that with a clear as a "wash" could tone down the reddish tones without darkening the floor too much. Your original inspiration floor (which looks more like rustic walnut than white oak) has quite a bit of amber in it though, so you may find that an amber stain with a hint of green would give you the results that you want.

Your flooring specialist should work with you to produce samples that meet your specifications for color. Every stain line will be different as to results. Working with the line that he is familiar with will give the best results. Good luck!

I'm suggesting a page from Pro Oak and Broad- "Show this picture to your flooring finisher and ask them to make some samples for you based on the photo."

It's great advise as if you go and tell the finisher what to do based on what we tell you here and he does it and you don't like it, you're going to have a very expensive floor in the long run to fix it.

I'm sorry, but when you buy a new house you need to pay a lot for all, doesn't matter if is a small stupid thing you always pay. Now the builder needs to replace the floor, it's his problem not yours

Thanks Linda - this is our old house which was on site satin finish for white oak common 2. It does look rustic, which is why we were so in love with it and dug up our old p&s to ensure we received the exact same thing. Unfortunately we didn't, but I love all the suggestions and will certainly put this all down as options! Many thanks!

You are within your rights to insist that the floors be replaced. That means that your builder will have the loss of the existing floors, their removal, and their replacement. Tell him you'll give him 20% for his existing floors. If he has any brains in his head, he'll take it. This is not taking advantage. You are taking a huge problem off his list of things to do, you are saving him money, and making his customer happy.

Find a good finisher and go rug shopping.

I totally agree, Joseph Corlett, LLC. We were offered a full refund on the floors, plus the option to repurchase the correct floors at our expense. Sounds perfect, but I felt really guilty ripping up great floors - there is some character to them, but certainly not our style. We still are torn as to what to do, but if we choose to repurchase, they will rip out all of our plumbing and cabinetry, estimating a month long process (seems a little excessive based on our taste solely). Because they were willing to work with us, we wanted to work with them by settling on having them stain it... yes, it's our house at the end of the day, and we want to be happy, but there are pros and cons to both end results. Money is not the deciding factor, but certainly time is...

Right now, to eliminate the red we are teetering between provincial, special walnut, and dark walnut. Yes, not at all the floors we wanted, but at this point we want the red gone. Do you have a suggestion on which stain would be best?

Linda Monier Designs would you suggest dark walnut or special walnut? in some pictures, it almost looks close to our old floors. is this the "Green undertones" you're referring to?

Your old floor is amazing. Sadly the Red Oak #1 will never look like that. You like the movement. The large colour difference, the interest the floor offers. The Red Oak won't give that to you.

A very talented flooring professional can come in and apply a stain that is applied very LIGHTLY and for a short amount of time. This will cause the mineral streaks (grain) to grab the colour but not the rest of the planks. The darker planks (the Red Oak has SOME of this character...but it will never have the same character as your old floor) will do the same thing. They will get a snick darker with this stain technique.

With a high-end flooring professional who is gifted at stain applications (has multiple techniques who will custom make your stain for you) can get this done. The best you will get is a floor that is HALF as cool as your old floor.

I would ask the builder to bring in the BEST professional he has ever heard of (the guy he NEVER can afford) and see what a stain wizard can do for your floor. Then make your decision.

The floor you want (or a close approximation) is almost possible - but this isn't a "guy" on his crew doing the work. This is the most talented stain master in your state. That's the guy who will get this done.

I'm wondering if some of the Rubio Monocoat (RMC) options would work here. It is a vastly different colour technique which can offer staining like your white oak. It can be VERY handsome. But again it takes a full trained RMC refinisher.

Ultimate Hardwood is a big user/fan of RMC. He will know if your "desired" look is possible with the Red Oak you have. I would bet you can get very close with RMC.

Yes, you need a floor staining wizard. Those are beautiful floors and will look even better when someone tones down the pink tone. I did my red oak door and window casings in a black aniline dye w/a ebony gel stain over that. They are gorgeous. I'm thinking if you had someone come in with a dye (maybe in the green family to neutralize the red) and then do a stain, it might be ok. You have some spares for them to practice with??

"Do you have a suggestion on which stain would be best?"

You do not want a stain. You want a person. Someone knows who he is and you've got to find him. Start asking around. The guy you want will not bid, he will bill.

Exactly. do not hire some joe schmoe who comes in w/5 different Minwax cans and tells you to 'pick one'.

I have provincial satin stain on red oak floors and while I absolutely love them and would get them again in a second, it is not going to be the look you want based on your first photo.

Do you mind sharing a pic?

I've never posted a photo so hope this works.

Thank you!! I love German sheps! Floors look great - still red, you're right. I appreciate all the help!!

Ciranova reactive stain layered with a Rubio 2C oil

how did the floors come out

i mean they are gorgeous red oak floors with a special walnut stain - but they arent at all what we wanted. we've grown to love them though.