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How to Stain Hardwood Floors: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making your floors shine is easier than you might think
Photo: Radoslav Cajkovic / Adobe Stock
Photo: Radoslav Cajkovic / Adobe Stock
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
COMPLETION TIME
5 days
COST
$100–$500
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- Belt sander
- Edge sander
- Vacuum
- Putty knife
- Hammer
SUPPLIES
- Sandpaper
- Wood putty
- Stain
- Varnish
- Polyurethane finish
There’s a certain knack to learning how to stain hardwood floors. But with some elbow grease and attention to detail, you can stain your floors to fit your style. Staining—and applying the accompanying varnish topcoat—requires laboratory cleanliness during the project that can make or break the finished look. Keep reading for easy-to-follow steps and tips to create beautifully stained wood floors that will set the tone for your space.
Prepping to Stain Wood Floors
Staining hardwood floors requires a long list of tools, which can increase the cost of refinishing hardwood floors if you don’t have them all. Gather your tools and supplies and make sure they’re all in good working condition to prevent unplanned visits to the store. Don’t forget the safety equipment like a dust mask, rubber gloves, and respirator. You don’t want to be tempted to skip these items because you’ve run out of them or you can’t find them.
You can further prep the room by removing all of the furniture and rugs. Use painter’s tape and plastic sheeting to cover vents. You should also apply painter’s tape to baseboards to protect them from the stain.
Buying Wood Stain
There are many types of stain products available, including eco-friendly options that aren’t made from the more commonly available solvent-based stains. If you’re unsure about how to choose a wood stain or how it will perform, do a test sample on a piece of scrap hardwood to see if you like the look before committing to staining your entire floors with the product.
Keep in mind that dark stains may require two coats instead of one. When you wipe the stain off, it’s lighter than the look you may be going for. If the stain is too dark, you can water it down. If it’s not dark enough, plan to apply a second (or third) coat, which may require buying extra stain.
Sand the Floors
Sanding removes varnish, stains, and scratches on the floor. Before you sand, scrub the floor with a wax remover to prevent buildup and extend the life of your sandpaper. Let the wax remover dry before sanding.
Use a belt sander to remove the top layer of the floor (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch deep). Start with 50- to 80-grit sandpaper for the first sanding. On the second pass over the floor, choose a grit between 80 and 120. On the final pass over the floor, use a grit between 120 and 150 to smooth out the wood’s surface.
Run the machine with the wood grain to prevent creating a fuzzy surface that you’ll have to re-sand. Use an edge sander to get the wood near the baseboards and in the entryways.
If you’re working with old floors, your goal is to remove any products from the wood’s surface. If you’re working with a new hardwood floor, your goal is to create a uniform surface before you apply the stain.
Clean Your Floors
After you’ve created vast amounts of dust and debris during the sanding process, remove every bit of it from the room before you apply stain. This includes wiping down the walls, ceilings, and top edges of trim work that often collect dust particles while you sand.
Even the smallest speck of dust will mar the finish of a completed staining project, so you’ll also want to take tack cloths to the entire floor after you’ve vacuumed and dusted to create an ultra-clean surface. You can also use a damp (not wet) cloth as an extra precaution to wipe down the floor and pick up every speck of dust. If you do, let the floor dry completely before applying the stain.
Apply the Stain
Test the stain in a small, inconspicuous corner if you haven’t already. Starting in a corner, pour, brush, or apply roll-on liquid stain following the grain of the hardwood floors. Work from corner to corner so that you keep a wet edge. Plan to do the whole room at once to prevent lapping.
If you’re applying stain to a raw wood floor, let it soak for a minute or two, then wipe the entire floor down with the rags to remove any excess stain that hasn't been absorbed. The goal is to create a visually appealing base coat, so always take a step back after each section to ensure there aren’t flaws.
Your soaked rags should be treated as a fire hazard once you’ve used them for staining. The volatile compounds in traditional stains can spontaneously combust, so it’s important to keep close track of where you discard them. Soak the used rags in water, seal them up in a plastic garbage bag, and dispose of them in an outside container.
Allow the Floors to Dry
Let the stain dry completely. Humidity levels and room temperature can affect drying times. However, 24 hours is sufficient in average conditions in most cases, but follow the directions on the stain’s packaging.
Do not walk on the floor while it’s drying. You want to keep the floors clean and unmarred while the floor dries.
Apply the Varnish or Finishing to the Floors
The location of the floor influences whether you’ll want to use a varnish or finish. Varnish creates a highly water-resistant surface, making it more common in outdoor spaces or rooms that will get a lot of traffic from the outdoors. However, it’s prone to cracking if not applied correctly. Finishes offer a more refined look thanks to their transparency, and they come in appearances that range from glossy to flat for a wider variety of looks.
Varnishing
Once the stain has cured, remove your shoes to prevent scuffing. Grab a natural bristle paintbrush and apply the first coat in a thin, even layer. Go with the grain, but do not drag your brush back and forth. Let the first layer completely dry.
Use sandpaper, 400- or 600-grit works fine, to lightly sand the floor. Then, apply another thin coat of varnish. Repeat these steps until you have a third or fourth coat on the entire room and are happy with the result.
Finishing
A polyurethane finish can give the floor a brilliant shine, with both gloss and semi-gloss options available. Using a natural bristle brush, water-based applicator, or lamb’s wool roller, start in the corner furthest from the door. Follow the grain of the wood as you apply the finish and work your way toward the door. Always maintain a wet edge to prevent lap marks.
Let the finish dry for several hours before lightly sanding it with a 220-grit sandpaper. The sanding removes any imperfections or surface bubbles. Clean the floor, then apply a second coat.
Let the finish cure for two to three days before walking on or moving furniture on the floor.
Mistakes to Avoid When Staining Hardwood Floors
Staining hardwood takes some skill and practice. Here are a few common mistakes that can save you from poor results and extra work:
Uneven sanding: Uneven sanding and a lack of uniform pressure during sanding can prevent the stain from absorbing evenly, causing unsightly blotches.
Applying stain to wet wood: Blotchy results can occur if the wood isn’t completely dry when the stain is applied.
Not cleaning the floor first: Vacuum or thoroughly wipe down the floor before applying the finish. Debris, dust, and dirt can prevent the stain from absorbing evenly.
Not allowing previous coats to dry or applying thick coats: Applying a topcoat before the previous coat has dried can cause the surface to stay tacky for days. The same thing can happen if you apply coats that are too thick. A tacky surface can attract dirt and dust, which are difficult to remove later on.
Applying against the grain: Always apply the stain with the wood grain. Brushing against the grain can prevent the stain from absorbing evenly.
Not wiping away the excess: Wipe off the excess stain immediately to prevent tacky spots and uneven staining.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Staining wood floors is a job an experienced DIYer can do. Where it gets tricky is when you have previously stained floors that need sanding first. In that case—or if you’re a total newbie at working with heavy power tools like a belt sander or edger—you’ll want to call in a local hardwood refinishing professional.
Professionals have the experience and access to the necessary equipment to stain floors evenly and efficiently. Sanding requires skill, and mistakes can be easy to make, which can be difficult to correct and possibly ruin the floor. Significant damage may require a wood floor installer in your area to assess and replace some or all of the floor.
Pro Tip
If in good condition, original hardwood floors should always be considered for refinishing. While sanding can be messy, the result will be beautiful for decades if cared for properly. For historical homes, refinishing original floors also keeps the character of the house intact.
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