e Floorboards : Stain, clear varnish or clear oil

[Mar26]

I've just finished sanding two rooms with original pine floorboards. I've removed all of the old finish (wow that was hard work!) and sanded up to 120G.

I'm now wondering what the best way to finish them is:

I prefer the look of walnut or darker floorboards so I am considering trying to stain them but I've read that this can be a bad idea as it's more likely to show up any sanding imperfections (and since this is my first go I'm sure there's more than a few!). It seems people also recommend against staining pine as it tends to go blotchy or uneven.

Next on my preference list is a natural satin finish using Osmo Polyx oil. It seems to come highly recommended and comes up a lot in my research. It's supposed to be more durable than normal wood oils and allows patch repair. My question about this though is: Since it's oil and will soak into the wood, will it also highlight imperfections.

The other options would be a clear satin lacquer instead of the oil. I think this would be fine too but prefer the advantage the oil has but if it's less likely to show up any poor areas then it could be the winner.

Finally, Is it worth going over the whole thing by hand to try blend the edge and drum sander areas? I don't have access to a buffing machine or similar.

Thanks.

p.s I'm not sure if this should be in the flooring section, if so move it there thanks.

 

[JohnD]

if you want to colour them, use a spirit-based wood dye such as Colron or Rustins, then a clear finish.

If you try to use a tinted stain or varnish, the colour will be darker or lighter according to the thickness of the film, both due to the load on your brush when you applied it, and to foot traffic wearing the layer thinner.

It is more difficult to touch up scratches or other damage if you have to use a tinted stain.

I've found the natural grain shows well through a clear satin varnish, and the dye emphasises it. IME stains obscure the natural figure of the wood.

Your pine will tend to yellow with age, so consider a brownish or reddish dye.