Varnishing Without Darkening

[Tracey5]

I've just this past weekend sanded my living and dining-room floor boards and they looked fantastic after I had finished. I love their natural colour. However, every varnish I've tried (on test spots under where our couch goes) darkens the wood even those that say 'Crystal Clear Varnish'. I've tried both oil and water based and have used no stain what-so-ever. I'm at my wits end because I want them to stay their natural colour but also want to varnish them to protect them. Any advice, please?

 

[big-all]

heeelllooo Tracey5 and welcome

i am afraid the colour you have is only temporary, wood as it ages will tone down towards for lack of a better description"antique pine "colour

what you can do is use waterbased varnish as this does,nt yellow with age
even a wet finger rubbed on the wood will look like varnish until it dries

 

[Tracey5]

Thanks for the welcome Looks like this place will come in handy with all the house projects I'm doing!

So what you're saying is the colour of the wood after I varnish it with a water based varnish is only temporary? Do you mean that once the varnish dries my wood will be it's original colour?

Thanks big-all,
Tracey5

 

[big-all]

when you varnish the wood it will look like all the samples you have

so choose a water based one you like so it wont yellow[the oil in varnish and paints cause yellowing some long time later]

the wood i am afraid will just continue to darken as the daylight gets to it a bit like a sun tan realy

if you have anything made off wood say a panneled wall and you have cabinet or even clock covering the wood from new you will get a shadow where the item was

 

[Tracey5]

Well, have the varnish down --------- and it doesn't look awful

Thanks for your help!

 

[big-all]

Well, have the varnish down --------- and it doesn't look awful

Thanks for your help!

glad you where please with the end finnish

just remember over the comming months and years the wood will darken but thats the carricter off the wood comming through