Choosing the Right Stain for your Hardwood Floor

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Choosing the right stain for your hardwood floor will be easy as long as you have a guide. Not all stains work with every hardwood floor. There are some that are only meant for outdoors and other meant for indoors. Knowing what stains work on your floor will help you from buying a bunch of stains you don't need.

Remember, stains only color the hardwood floors, it doesn't protect it. If you want to add protection to it you may want to look in varnishes as well. Either way, choosing the right stain for your hardwood floor means whether or not it will look good. You don't want to pick a stain that is going to look totally off the wall. Imagine having a cherry hardwood floor that ended up without a single hint of red in it. Or if your wood is suppose to be dark and ends up lighter than it should be. Know for sure which is the best stain for your hardwood floor and if you have any doubts, ask a professional for advice.

Tips When Choosing Stains

Choosing the right stain for your hardwood floor may depend on the amount of time you want to spend on them. Stains that take a long time to dry would be water-based stains, these are powders that you must mix with water. Keep in mind not all woods work well with water, find out if your wood does before trying it. Water-based stains can take up to 10 hours or more to dry.

If you are looking for fast stain for your hardwood floor go with the most common one, an oil-based. This works best on true solid woods, like cherry or oak. It brings out the natural color and helps them look their best. Find out what type of wood you are working with before using this, there are a few woods that aren't as attractive as others and should steer clear of this type of stain. Oil stains take just about an hour to dry, so if you are looking for something to surprise your loved one with before they get home from work this is it.

Alternative Hardwood Stains

For another quick drying choice you can always go with alcohol-based stains. These can come in both dry or liquid form. These are normally applied with sprays instead of brushes. One last stain you might think is the right stain for your hardwood floor might be a wax stain. This is best for antique or older floors, and you won?t be able to apply a finish. Now go out and find the right stain for your hardwood floor.