Q: I am an architect and I’ve been having some questions on how to finish a floor with an ebony or black finish.
Staining Wood Floors
Q&A About staining your hardwood flooring. It’s harder than it sounds and is one of the more common steps to go wrong.
Staining maple (or oak, ash, birch)
Q: We are ready to lay in a new entry way-kitchen-dining room wood floor. Today we were told not to go with unfinished maple because it can not be stained due to it being closed (close?) grain. What hardwood floors, other than oak, can we substitute for maple?
Lap marks from staining
Q: I have lap marks on my hardwood floor from the staining process. Is there any way of minimizing or removing these, short of starting all over again?
Rich or lighter stains with pets
Q: Should I choose light color flooring or rich color flooring? Someone told me if you have dog, a rich color like cherry wood is not a good idea.
Staining maple
Q: I have a hardwood floor that looks like a gym floor. It is maple. I would like to stain it darker, however I’ve been told that staining this maple floor won’t work and won’t turn out?
Stain lighter around perimeter
Q: We recently had our pine hardwood floors sanded, stained, and poly’d. Along the perimeter of the walls (about 6 or 8″) or so, the stain is much lighter. There is a clearly seen demarcation.
Choosing light or dark stained floors
Q: I wanted really dark floors. Dark walnut. He said I wouldn’t like it and didn’t want to go that dark. I’ve always had light, natural floors, and wanted a complete change this time.