[DFW Roofing]

Just recently had an unfinished engineered red oak floor installed in my house. After stain, there seemed to be to much variation in the color from board to board.

No pics so asking about general rules, but how consistent should a floor color be in stained red oak?

 

[pinwheel]

What grade of flooring did you order? #1 common will can have a lot of color variance. Select, should be pretty consistent in color.

Keep in mind, there are something like 26 species of oak. More of them are white oak, than red oak, but there are still 8-12 species of red oak. Most times, mills don't differentiate between burr oak & red oak, they're both just lumped into the red oak pile, but both will have different colors. Also, different regions of the country can effect color. Red oak from Canada, or Minnesota, will be a different color than a red oak from southern MO.

 

[jamestrd]

I think you had your wife post the same questions along with a pic on another site I am on..I viewed the pic..what is it the you believe the finisher did wrong and the need to post all over the internet?

materials vary along with how they take color.

try General finishes for a more opaque even color and stop looking for a smoking gun

 

[jhark123]

Got a link James?

 

[DFW Roofing]

I think you had your wife post the same questions along with a pic on another site I am on..I viewed the pic..what is it the you believe the finisher did wrong and the need to post all over the internet? materials vary along with how they take color. try General finishes for a more opaque even color and stop looking for a smoking gun

Not looking for a smoking gun. I am a contractor as well and we all know a customers expectation not being met sometimes has zero to do with the quality of work done.

That said, we still would like it be be a little more uniform in color if possible. We are doing a major remodel and even our GC thought it did not look right.

The product is Graf Brothers. The floor was sanded and not water popped prior to stain. I think the plan is to do it again with not as fine a sand and water pop first to allow the floor to take more stain.

I am not here to throw my floor guy under the bus, just trying to tap the knowledge of this forum for any help possible.

Will this help even the color?

 

[jamestrd]

Not looking for a smoking gun. I am a contractor as well and we all know a customers expectation not being met sometimes has zero to do with the quality of work done.

That said, we still would like it be be a little more uniform in color if possible. We are doing a major remodel and even our GC thought it did not look right.

The product is Graf Brothers. The floor was sanded and not water popped prior to stain. I think the plan is to do it again with not as fine a sand and water pop first to allow the floor to take more stain.

I am not here to throw my floor guy under the bus, just trying to tap the knowledge of this forum for any help possible.

Will this help even the color?

Unlikely..

it will make it darker though.

what stain was used and what color was it supposed to be?.

sanding too fine will lighten a color..if the color is much lighter than it should be is may show more variation i of color in the boards..

but the colors I see in the wood look like they will come through regardless.

 

[pinwheel]

Pictures would sure be helpful if you want real advice.

I rarely sand past 80 grit, but will sometime hardplate or buff with 100 grit, depending on what I'm trying to make the final job look like. I rarely waterpop oak. Only when I need the wood to absorb the max amount of stain. As James said, water popping will make it take stain darker, but probably won't solve color issues from board to board.

 

[Metro M & L]

Customer has to take responsibility in this one. If you didnt have a sample board made but said heres the floor and the stain I want to use thats on you.

Like getting a haircut. Give me a mullet. Ok. Heres your mullet. Wth you gave me a mullet? You asked for a mullet and you got it.

Personally I find the variations and imperfections whats so great about a real wood floor. If you want plastic perfection lay pergo and every board will be exactly the same. You can tear it out and lay it again when you get sick of it.

 

[J.C.]

Just out of curiosity, what is "waterpop?" I've never heard of such a thing.

 

[pinwheel]

Just out of curiosity, what is "waterpop?" I've never heard of such a thing.

Using water to raise the grain & open the pores.

 

[DFW Roofing]

Here is a pic

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/with/14411693105

There is a window on the right so that is some of the difference in the pic.

 

[jhark123]

That's a clear coat practically, so the variation is 100% in the wood, you know the NATURAL product that you selected. Live with it or pay to have replaced. It's not the flooring guy's fault.

ETA: the flooring guy can select for color somewhat but you have to have a lot of waste to do that and you have to tell him before hand.

 

[pinwheel]

As I described above, you've got multiple species of oak in that floor. It might all be red oak, but it's not all the same species of red oak.

what grade was that supposed to be? #1 common would be my bet.

Don't look to me like there's much finish on that floor.

Who picked that flooring, you or the floor guy?

 

[DFW Roofing]

As I described above, you've got multiple species of oak in that floor. It might all be red oak, but it's not all the same species of red oak.

what grade was that supposed to be? #1 common would be my bet.

Don't look to me like there's much finish on that floor.

Who picked that flooring, you or the floor guy?

Floor:

Grafhaus Collection
Select & BTR
Plain Sawn
2.25 X 5/8"

 

[pinwheel]

couple other questions you musta chose not to read

As I described above, you've got multiple species of oak in that floor. It might all be red oak, but it's not all the same species of red oak.

what grade was that supposed to be? #1 common would be my bet.

Don't look to me like there's much finish on that floor.

Who picked that flooring, you or the floor guy?

 

[DFW Roofing]

couple other questions you musta chose not to read

I don't know. I just write the checks. I don't think the wrong floor or anything like that was installed.

As I said earlier, I am not out looking for a smoking gun. Not trying to play gotcha with my floor guy.

From the responses above I gather the variances are within reason for the natural wood product we purchased.

Correct?

If it is all in the wood, would lighter stain or darker stain (or anything else) help to minimize variance?

 

[pinwheel]

I don't know. I just write the checks. I don't think the wrong floor or anything like that was installed.

As I said earlier, I am not out looking for a smoking gun. Not trying to play gotcha with my floor guy.

From the responses above I gather the variances are within reason for the natural wood product we purchased.

Correct?

If it is all in the wood, would lighter stain or darker stain (or anything else) help to minimize variance?

Darker stain is the only thing that's gonna pull it together IMO.

Grade has lot to do with the color variance. I have no experience with that manufacturer, but yeah, that's acceptable for natural finish on a #1 oak floor.

 

[66 Shelby]

The Mfr calls that Select? Hmm...Nice lengths, but too much grain variation for Select, IMO. It looks fine for what it is - Different species, sawn different ways. Looks more like a good 1C to me.

 

[DFW Roofing]

The Mfr calls that Select? Hmm...Nice lengths, but too much grain variation for Select, IMO. It looks fine for what it is - Different species, sawn different ways. Looks more like a good 1C to me.

I think you may have the answer. If this is a good example of grades

http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/har...rade-vs-no-1-common-whats-the-difference.html

Our Select floor does not look like a select floor. In the photos in the link, ours closer to 2C to me.

 

[jamestrd]

I think you may have the answer. If this is a good example of grades

http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/har...rade-vs-no-1-common-whats-the-difference.html

Our Select floor does not look like a select floor. In the photos in the link, ours closer to 2C to me.

you can pre dye the floor with a transtint dye or save a setep and use general finishes dye stains.

they also have a full professional flooring stain and finish system as well.

good stuff this will give you more even coloring in the floor.

take a look here and some of there other products to help this

http://generalfinishes.com/waterbase-floor-stains-topcoats#.U5zRhrTrySo