Flooring Stains- Understand Your Options
How to choose the flooring stain? This is the question...
Staining A Hardwood Floor
Deciding the type of flooring stains to use when finishing the hardwood floors, can sometimes be very intimidating.
The huge variation of product available on the market can sometimes be overwhelming.
But if you research and understand what to look for in flooring stains the task will become quite enjoyable.
You will become empowered with knowledge and will eventually learn the differences between real quality and imitation, between safe products and dangerous ones. You will be in control.
Read Here, "The Most Common Lies Used By Flooring Contractors"!
Splendid is Not Always "Trendy"
Before choosing a stain color or type, many times people wonder what other people would pick. They are trying to get "hip", trendy flooring stains. You don't need to do this.
Remember, trendy or hip are nothing but words. Pick the color that suits you best, trust your instincts. Your home is unique and only you know the color that will give it that cozy, still ravishing, look.
When it comes to stain colors your options are almost unlimited. Whether you like light stains, medium or dark stains the pallet is so vast it would be impossible not to find a color that meets your expectations.
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If in doubt, ask for your contractor's opinion. A good contractor will have the experience to make a good recommendation and the patience to work with you until you find the product of your choice.
For more information on how to choose a stain that fits your decor as well as many other decorating ideas for your home, please visit "Decorating Ideas Made Easy"
Understand Floor Finishes
Selecting a finish that is compatible with the floor stain you are about to choose is essential.
Flooring finishes are not all the same. Some are stronger, some are cleaner...
There are some that cost more and there are some that should never be applied on top of a floor stai.
These articles will give you a better picture on the quality of various floor finishes as well as the main differences between them.
Here you can see a Polyurethane Floor Finish Analysis!
The Strenght of the Swedish Finish Comes with a Downside...
And This is Why So Many People Choose the Water-Based Floor Finish!
Remember: Safety First
Most people feel that they leave in a healthy environment. Little do they know how many toxic agents are lurking around the average home and that many floor stains along with floor finishes are some of the most toxic products used in homes today.
Volatile Organic Compound a commonly used product in stains and finishes are known to have negative effects on ones health, varying from sore throat and nose to the extreme cases where some of these compounds are believed to cause cancer in humans. For more details on VOC, click here.
Before you start thinking about the color of stain to use, make sure your contractor is using flooring stains free of VOC. It will make a huge difference on your family's health, energy and overall well being.
Hardwood Stains Safety According to epa.gov the levels of VOC average 2-5 times higher inside homes than outdoors. During or several hours after the completion of a project such as painting or floor refinishing, if products with VOC are being used, the levels are believed to be 1000 times higher than outdoors.
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What is Better? Dark or Light Stain?
Depending on the conditions in your home, either one of them might work. If the floors are old, damaged or of a lower quality, dark stains have the capability of hiding some of the imperfections. They will make knots, cracks, and gauges blend in.
Dark stains have a warming effect on your room while light stains accentuate the natural beauty of the floor. Light stains will lighten up a small room, making it look bigger, cleaner, while dark stains will show dust, dirt, pet hair etc.
Choose the Right Finish Now to Avoid Problems Later
Whatever you do, do not choose a glossy finish to cover any type of flooring stain.
The mixture of stain color and glossy finish it is never a good one. Glossy finishes when applied on top of stains will enhance any future damages you might do to the wood floor.
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Always use a finish compatible with the stain applied on the floor. The usage of stains and finishes incompatible to each other will create problems like peeling of the finish, exaggerated drying time etc.
Ask your contractor about the compatibility of the two. This step will save unnecessary waste of energy, time and money later.
Important Things to Know
Weather you are looking to choose one of the dark flooring stains or a very light one, the execution of the project is intended for the very experienced contractors only. Anybody can do these jobs, but very few people can do it right. Dark stains can hide many imperfections on your floor, if the job is done right, but will show every scratch left by the sander when the sanding wasn't done properly. Light stains are made using a lot of pigment. When applied by a novice, very often, traces of pigment are being left behind, giving the floor an uneven look.
Do your research, buy the right flooring stains, hire the right person and your house will get the stunning look you have always wished for.
Go to Flooring Stains top of the page or see below for what makes our process unique as well as other helpful Chicago flooring articles.
You Should Also Know...
What Separates Us From the Crowd...
Our Process
The completion of a flooring project is always associated with stress, big mess, lots of money and time invested by you, the homeowner. We understand this and developed a process designed to protect you from these "inconveniences". Please click here for details.
Our Warranty
Buying a product backed by a strong warranty is very important for every single one of us. Many companies learned this litle secret and are using their warranty as an advertising tool, making promises they know they can't and will never keep. We believe that putting our money where our mouth is, would be the best way to prove that our warranty is not just a piece of paper. For more details, click here and read about our warranty and why we believe it will give you piece of mind.
Contact Us
As much as we try to give you an insight on all the in and outs of the flooring businees, as much as we try to help you make the right choice there are always going to be these details that belong to your house and your house only. These are the details we cannot anticipate, the things we cannot write about. For more helpful flooring advice as well as a free estimate on your upcoming project, please contact us.
Floor Refinishing Advice that Will Keep You Out of Trouble...
Floor Sanding - Myths, Facts and Outright Lies
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Hardwood Floor Sanding, Few Steps Your Contractor Will Try to Skip!
Sanding a hardwood floor? This is where your contractor will try to cut some corners. Read on for details...
Flooring Stains: Understand Your Options
Some flooring stains can be harmful for your health. But if you choose the right one, you can achieve stunning looking floors, without the negative side effects. Click here for more details...
Wood Floor Choosing Tips...
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There are hundreds of flooring types out there, from exotic to domestic, unfinished or prefinished, engineered and solid, green or not so green. With so many options to choose from, selecting one could feel overwhelming. But if you know what to look for and if you follow the proper steps, selecting wood floors can be easy and fun... For more details, click here!
Wood Floor Maintenance Advice...
Wood Floor Maintenance
Elegance and beauty are the main characteristics of a good wood floor. But without wood floor maintenance these specific qualities will soon start to fade. Take the necessary steps to avoid that from happening. Understand the do's and don'ts of floor maintenance and you will have a beautiful floor for many years to come! All the details here...
