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Before applying the stain, test the color on a piece of scrap wood. “Unlike paint once wood stain is on the floor, you’re stuck with it,” he says.
Don’t shake the can, which can result in air bubbles. Stir the contents and, once you start, don’t stop. Use a synthetic-based pad or preferably a brush to apply. Don’t use steel wool as it can leave flakes and rust.
“You have to start it on one side of the room and work your way across,” Morrell explains. “If you stop in the middle, you end up with an overlay mark.”
Drying agents can be added to a stain to quicken up the drying process.
Once the job is complete, it’s important to maintain the floor on a regular basis to keep its luster. Maintenance depends more on the finish than on the type of wood. “High gloss (shiny) surfaces will show dust, dirt and scratches much faster than low gloss (flat) surfaces,” says Howard Brickman, a wood flooring expert with the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification in Vancouver, Wash. “Also, light or neutral-colored floors don't show normal household dust as quickly as dark-colored floors. Shiny dark floors will need more frequent dusting to look clean.”
Keeping It Clean
Basic daily care should include dusting, vacuuming and cleaning up spills. “Every two weeks or so the more compulsive house cleaners will probably want to perform a light cleaning with a cleaner specially formulated for use with wood floors,” says Brickman. He also urges consumers to stay away from general purpose or wood furniture type cleaners on floors as they may either contain wetting agents or waxes, which are not good for the long-term condition of the floor.
“If the wetting agents get past the finished surface they will causes the exposed surfaces to swell, which can cause the surrounding finishes to prematurely fail,” he says. “Wax will contaminate the surface, which can cause any future attempts to apply finish to fail to dry or adhere properly. Grit that is left on floors will scratch the surface as traffic grinds it in.”
Flooring is expensive and tearing it out doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing the Earth any favors either. Repair what you have and shine it up and your floors can be good as new—and, like van Dooren’s, even better!
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Text by Lisa Iannucci
© 2008 BobVila.com
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