That’s just what plain sawn red oak looks like. Exactly like what you had. Move on. Or pay for another redo with a water pop to go darker. You arent getting a redo for free. Or pay a BIG upcharge for rift and quartered oak. Or an even bigger upcharge for rift and quartered white oak instead of red.

Then why did it look so great the first time? They confirmed it was the same red oak

First time around - stain was even

Brands of stain, oil vs water based, methodology of application, all combine to create individual appearing boards in the overall.You likely had oil based products the first go around, and were out of the home for a week or so.

Why did you sand and restain so soon?Nails usually just need a set. Or else it would be a full redo based on poor labor for the install. But finishes easily last 20-30 years if taken care of.

We had water based both times and same exact stain color. they had to replace the flooring entirely bc nails were popping through the boards for the following two years after initial install @Delta Systems

@HU-171482230 the first time we had it done, they used select and better grade. do you think the new wood is lower grade?

I think that the initial wood floors looked much nicer than the replacement ones. It seems like they used a lower grade wood. It doesn't look like my red oak (which is clear = select and better). I would be unhappy. Your original floors looked really nice.

You need to step back and face reality. It is what it is and nothing interweb buds say will change it. No two trees are identical , if you want clones try manmade flooring.

I'm no flooring expert, but it may be just the mix of boards in the new floor.

When I was building cabinets and buying lots of hardwood (not flooring), there almost always were differences from one delivery to the next for the same grade material.

I'd sort it as it was going into the rack making it easy to pull similar looking material for a job.

Your new floor has lots of variation in color board to board, and far more light color than the original. I'd want a far more uniform appearance.

They may have used a lower grade, as you suggested. Was there anything in your contract for the original floor that specified grade, or anything this time that stated the same info?

On your before floor, it looks like the two outside sections are a good match, but the run down the center looks different.

the first time we had it done, they used select and better grade. do you think the new wood is lower grade?

This confuses me. You asked and then answered your own question. Yes, I tink the newer wood is lower grade. I'd be sad about it too. When I had floors done, I selected every plank. The contractor and Amish floor maker weren't expecting me to do that on my trip to their storage barn, but I wound my way into it and love how my floor looked.

New flooring has more shorter boards. Giving it a busier look. It's a different manufactuer compared to what was used last. Definitely select grade, just a more economy grade manufacturer and not premium one. $.50 per square feet difference is a big difference in quality between mills.

Your current flooring looks like it has a higher moisture content. This can be from the kiln dry process from the mill. They spend less time drying their raw material.

Not much you can do but, poly it and move on.

It's just the nature of the Red Oak boards to be slightly different, even with the same stain. I live in an older house with red oak floors and if you focus on them you will notice that individual boards are lighter or darker. But over time you don't even notice it. I think you're noticing it a lot right now because it's new, but you won't as time goes on.