If you’re unaccustomed to maintaining hardwood floors, then you might think that putting a layer of stain on them is a bad idea.
If you’re unaccustomed to maintaining hardwood floors, then you might think that putting a layer of stain on them is a bad idea. Well, it depends on the context – food such as soup and drinks such as red wine can indeed leave a stain on your floors. But generally, the stain is a layer added to the floors to protect it from moisture damage and other problems. If you want to get the stain off before adding a new layer, then follow this advice.
Finding the Stain
Before you can get started, you need to know where to find the stain. It’s underneath the finish used to treat the hardwood floors. Above the layer of finish is going to be another layer of wax that is also intended to protect the floor. Once you figure out where the stain is, you need to determine if the color of your floors has been affected by the stain, or if the wood just looks that way naturally. Find a patch of the floor where changing the color will be insignificant at first – almost unnoticeable, in case something should go wrong. Then pour some of your stain and finish and compare it the results to what your floors already look like.
Using Chemicals
The next step is to start lifting the stain from your hardwood floors. You can do this one of two ways: with chemicals, or with your hands. Let’s look at how to do it with chemicals first. You’ll need to do this if you have already finished and re-finished your hardwood floors multiple times over the years. Depending on the age of your floors, doing it by hand might not be possible. So here’s what you should do: get some paint thinner. Then cover every inch of the floor with the paint thinner.
After that, take a handheld scraper and run it over the floor until all of the finish has been removed. However, if there is still some finish left behind on the floors, then you’ll have to keep scrubbing until all that’s left is the original natural appearance of the wood. This can differ depending on the species of wood you used for your floors.
Using Your Hands
For this process to work, you will need to use a sander. Removing the finish by hand with the sander will only work if the floors haven’t been refinished yet. However, if you aren’t sure about what you’re doing, then you should call a professional. DIY sanding can be dangerous for the inexperienced. After the sanding is done, the floors will need buffing and polishing. Plus, they’ll need a new layer of finish, and will probably need to be bleached as well.
Ready for a Beautiful Hardwood Floor? You Can Trust John K Eareckson & Co.!
When you work with John K Eareckson & Co., Flooring, we will ensure your hardwood floors undergo a stress-free acclimation process and that they sparkle for years to come; from a seamless and beautiful installation to years of maintenance, John K Eareckson & Co. Flooring has the expertise to care for your home’s hardwood floors. For a consultation and more information visit us online or give us a call at 410-788-4200. You can also look for us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.