Help with light stain on red oak! Duraseal preferred

3 years ago

I have spent HOURS googling and reading blog posts about different stain mixes on red oak flooring. I came across this one I love but they won't share the stain mixture without paying for a full design consultation. Has anyone achieved something on red oak and are willing to share your mixture? Flooring guy typically uses Duraseal

Featured Answer

Timothy Winzell

3 years ago

It's difficult to determine whether the floor in the picture is actually Red Oak, but regardless of that there are two options I suggest. The first and easiest is to apply two coats of Bona NordicSeal. This lightens the floor significantly without turning horribly pink but will still have a rosy undertone. The second would be to apply two coats of 2-part wood floor bleach, followed by Bona DriFast White, which can be tinted if desired. Either option would then be coated by your choice of non-yellowing waterborne urethane.

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Comments (6)

PRO
G & S Floor Service
3 years ago
If, you want it that light use bleach first on red oak. Your finish should know which Duraseal stain color to use if, they use it often. Country white would be my choice top coated with a clear water based finish.
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TBL from CT
3 years ago
My old beat horrible red oak floors were sanded, bleached twice, then Duraseal white (not cut) was used, then Loba 2k Supra AT satin.
PRO
Yonder Way Design
3 years ago
You will pay a large upgrade cost for all of the extra processing, yet the rose tones will invariably shine through, even with bleaching. Save your money, and just clear coat what you have. Natural wood will always be appealing enough to outlast all the current and past fads.

Remember India ink stained woods? Indigo dyed wood? Red overdyed ”cherry”? Gray wood? 80’s whitewashed? People could not wait to get red of their whitewashed pink woods! Isn’t it odd that it has circled around again? And will be gone again before you know it…
Timothy Winzell
3 years ago
The popularity of white flooring here may wax and wane but it has never gone out of style since it's always new and fresh to some. Consider that floors periodically need refinishing, so it makes sense to get a color you like since it will probably be done again in 10 to 20 years.
Jocelyn Hartman
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I am working on the same thing. I have red oak floors and want the light look, too.- although not quite as pale as the floors you linked. I had beautiful light white oak floors at my previous house using 3 different Duraseal colors. I've done tons of reading and it just isn't easy to duplicate with red oak. And some red oak is redder than others. I was told that country white on red oak will basically read pink. Since I don't want a pink floor that is out. Refinisher who only uses Duraseal recommended just a clear sealer which definitely won't give me the color I want. And I haven't found any Duraseal products that will give the right look- unless you possibly bleach the wood first. I don't want to do this, so I'm looking at Bona's Red Out product which is fairly new. I'm meeting with a new floor refinisher on Tuesday who has some other ideas as well. I can let you know his thoughts. And I'm not too worried about light floors going out of style. I live at the coast and light is always popular.