HARDWOOD DECISIONS HELP

fireworker

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 8:51 pm

We are planning to rip out carpet on stairs and second floor and install red oak (to match first floor hardwood) we will then sand and stain both first and second floor to match.
I would love to do a light airy color ,however, from my research, it's difficult to get a light modern color that doesn't have yellow orange pink or red tones. Also, it seems we must use a water based finish for light color hardwood to prevent yellowing over time. I don't know if water based really is durable and have read some negative experience about lack of water resistance etc.

The alternative is to do a really dark color (ebony?) And use oil based. I'm afraid of so much darkness and gloominess throughout the house...

Any recommendations? Would love first hand experience!

TIA

happy7

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 9:02 pm

Would you use a different kind of wood? We were going to use hickory bec it’s supposed to be very hard. But it had too many variations for me. I ended up with oak -natural. It’s light colored. No orange in it. It’s also supposed to be hard. It’s very pretty. It came prestained and ready to install.

I would think that f you use the same stain. The floors will look similar enough.

Our contractor told us that using dark wood would be a mistake especially in a home with lots of people because the scratches on dark are much more visible.

fireworker

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 9:10 pm

happy7 wrote:

So you did prefinished? I don't like the bevels in prefinished wood which is why we are opting for unfinished upstairs .
We are sticking with red oak for continuity and the stairs are right off the first floor hardwood so it definitely has to be the same species of wood..

shira leah

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 9:11 pm

Ebony is very dark and every speck of dust and shmutz will show up very clearly on such a dark floor.

I have water based stained wood floors in espresso and they have held up very well.

Neutral colors are more in now. If I would redo my floors I would pick a medium-light shade in a neutral tone (not too yellow/orange or gray).

fireworker

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 10:06 pm

shira leah wrote:

Neutral as in which colors?
I hate medium browns. I like either really light or really dark colors
Curious which stains people are using now...

purplejellybean

Sun, Feb 18 2024, 10:18 pm

fireworker wrote:

Neutral as in which colors?
I hate medium browns. I like either really light or really dark colors
Curious which stains people are using now...

I have used kept the red oak and that was original to the space and then put in white oak. If using a dark color ( I did special Walnut) it doesnt really show. The only place I see a difference is the staircase and landing. I wasnt going to replace the whole staircase but did change the landing. Light colored floors are nice but really depends on furniture. In my apartment I hated the building style yellow stain and when moved to next apartment I told them not to stain it. Ended up being a really nice light shade but I had all white ikea style furniture.

Amarante

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 9:12 am

I have red oak floors - they are a "natural" so they are more blonde than a color.

I like the light color because it is easy to maintain - doesn't show dust. Also it doesn't show scratches.

Also in general I like the airiness of the light floors. I didn't want the floors to be the star. I have white oak cabinets and a large white oak wall unit/desk and room divider which are stained a honey type of medium finish. I also like the way my rugs stand out against the blonde floors.

This isn't my home but these are the floors I got as mine were factory finished instead of site finished