Keep Pine Floors Looking Natural

[jsb1987]

I have just sanded off the varnish from my old pine floorboards. They are now a light colour, which I really like. I love the natural, Scandinavian look.

What would be the best finish to apply to the boards that would keep the natural colour?

I have bought 'Blanchon Wood Floor Oil Environment' in Ultra Matt, after being told that it would achieve this, but I have applied it to a test area and it has made the boards darker/more orange.

Any tips much appreciated!

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• jsb1987
• 10 Apr 2015
• 1

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[Deleted member 174758]

They are now a light colour, which I really like. I love the natural, Scandinavian look.

Go to Sweden and look at a 20 year old sauna. The heartwood in particular will have matured to a golden/reddish hue......

This issue comes up time and again on DIY forums and the answer ias always the same; the problem with pine is that it yellows naturally because of reaction to light. You can't ever stop it, all you can do is ensure that you don't use a finish which goes yellow itself, such as wax, oil-based finishes or varnish. so you need to look at something like a water-based lacquer such as Dulux Diamond Shield which won't yellow appreciably over time, even when the wood does

 

[drpepe]

I treated the new antique pine floorboards in my old house with Osmo Polyx oil (clear).

I loved that floor...

 

[jsb1987]

Thanks for the info. I did not realise that they will naturally go yellow over time.

I think what I will do is apply a faint white stain onto the boards, then oil over that. I don't suppose anyone can recommend a good white stain for pine boards?

 

[big-all]

not yellow thats oil based finish more off a brown /red/yellow combination with virtually no yellow in it

 

[Deleted member 174758]

not yellow thats oil based finish more off a brown /red/yellow combination with virtually no yellow in it

I think it depends on the species. Southern Yellow Pine which starts out creamy does visibly yellow over time, Parana Pine heartwood goes reddy brown. In nay case isn't brown a dark yellow? All the same general area of the spectrum - an all non-white.

 

[big-all]

sorry didnt make it clear
old oil based finishes would add a yellow tinge with age
without any added coating and a natural ageing process the timber will tone to antique pine after a year or so

 

[getitdone]

You could try Bona Traffic lacquer. Is water based so won't yellow the wood and at the matt or extra matt end of the sheen options, is as flat as the Blanchon Original Wood Environment (and that is a product we had to pull from our finish range - endless problems with customer call backs because of marking and staining, was driving us mad!!) And the Traffic is infinitely more durable - 10 to 15 years without hassle

 

[jsb1987]

I think I have decided to paint the living room floor white, and oil the hallway. There's no yellow stains in the hall.

There is no guarantee that a stain would hide the yellow bits so I feel this is the safest option.

I'm going to go with Blanchon oil as I already have it. But, if it doesn't work out (if yellow stains appear for example), can this oil be painted over? (Without heavy sanding..)

 

[geraldthehamster]

I think I have decided to paint the living room floor white

I painted a spare bedroom floor white. Despite getting little foot traffic it looked horribly dirty in no time. Be prepared to scrub it regularly and have to repaint it in a couple of years time. Or don't

Cheers
Richard