Hardwood floors look lovely, but if your floor doesn’t match the other hues in your home or if it’s not a color you’re really a fan of, you might be wondering whether you can apply a different sort of stain to change its appearance. This can make a surprising amount of difference in the atmosphere of the room.
Changing the stain will let you completely change the appearance of the hardwood floor. You can go lighter, darker, colder, or warmer depending on the color that you want to achieve. This can help to pull together a room, making sure your hardwood matches all the other colors and tones in your home.
Can hardwood floors be stained a different color? You can stain hardwood floors a different color, but you should be aware that this is quite a big job. You will need to sand the floor back to the natural wood, removing all the previous varnish and any existing stain. You cannot add stain on top of existing polyurethane or stains, so you will have to strip the floor to its natural color.
Can Hardwood Floors Be Stained to Change the Color?
You can certainly stain a hardwood floor to change the color, but you should be aware that this is quite a major job that often requires a lot of work. Removing all the previous varnish and stain will be crucial to ensure your new choice of stain will work well and look great. If you don’t do this, your stain won’t take properly.
That means that you will have to start by completely emptying the room. The floor can then be cleaned and sanded. You will need to strip the floor right back to the natural wood, so that no varnish or stain remains on it. This often involves several rounds of sanding, especially if the existing layers are thick and in good condition.
You will usually need 3 different grits of sandpaper to make sure you get the floor smooth enough to take the stain well. A sanding machine will make this much easier if you’re working in a large area.
Once you have finished sanding, the floor needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth to remove all of the dust, and then you can start adding the stain. It’s important to test the stain in an inconspicuous area first so you can decide whether you like it. Allow it to dry, and remember that you can make it darker by adding additional coats.
If you’re happy, stain the whole floor, working from the furthest corner toward the door. Leave the stain to completely dry, and then the floor can be refinished with several coats of polyurethane to protect the wood. Remember that if you use an oil-based polyurethane, it may slightly alter the appearance of the stain, because it can have a yellow tint.
How Should You Choose the Right Stain?
You don’t want to have to re-stain the floor later, so it’s important to take the time to choose your stain. That means looking at your existing color scheme and deciding what tone of wood you want. If you’re looking to make the room luxurious and rich, consider a dark stain. If you want a warm, cozy look, opt for a warm, honey stain.
Remember that the tone of the wood makes a big difference to how well the room matches its decorations. Wood tends to have warm hues in it, but if you want to create a colder atmosphere, some of the gray stains will help to reduce the warmth and make the floor match your other decor.
You should also think about how likely the floor is to lighten or darken as time passes. It is unlikely to stay exactly the same. If the sun falls on it, for example, there’s a high chance that it will become lighter, so opt for a slightly darker stain than you would otherwise choose.
Many people think about matching their floor to major features in the house. For example, if you have wooden stairs, cabinets, or windowsills, you might want to make sure your stain matches these. Remember that you can repaint a wall more easily than you can change a house fixture, so it’s less important to match your paint than your fixtures.
Do You Need to Test the Stain?
Stains are not a fixed color, so it’s extremely important to test your stain before you settle on it. The natural color of your wood will affect what the finished stain looks like. If you are staining a dark wood, you won’t be able to make it lighter by applying a light stain. Similarly, red woods will make your stain redder, etc.
That’s why it’s so important to test your stain before you start. You should get some scrap wood that is similar to your floor if possible, and test the stain you have chosen on this wood.
You should also test the stain on your floor once it is stripped back to the wood so you can decide whether you like it. If you don’t, sand the floor back down and get a different stain.
Don’t stain your whole floor without checking that you like the stain and it looks good with your home’s fixtures. Changing it again will be a huge task, so it’s really important to get this right straight away.
Can You Mix Your Own Stain?
You can mix your own stain if you choose to, but it’s important to ensure you can get a consistent appearance. You will need to know the ratios you are using, or you will end up with a patchy, mismatched floor that does not look attractive. Most people find it easier to use a pre-mixed stain.
Final Thoughts
Hardwood floors can be stained to change the color if you strip off the varnish and any existing stain. This is a great way to update floors that don’t look good with your current decorations or your personal preferences. Many people can DIY this project, but bear in mind that it’s quite an extensive job.
