I am hoping for a medium (or even light) brown with a touch of gray to pick up the bleached part of the cabs. I am hoping you might have a “recipe” suggestion for me. Trying to figure out if I need more than one. Where do you live? Once I do my tests and settle on a mixture how do you continue to achieve that same mixture ratio of ebony and white gallon after gallon? Your link is more expensive so trying to see what is different. Older floors typically have spacing, nail and pin holes, discoloration, etc. The Flooring Blog. 7. In the left photo is 7:1. 6 months to 1 year), it won’t look the same. You’ll want to ask your pro whether or not they think the floor is in good enough condition to stain gray. Thank you! So on the poly, definitely use Bona Traffic on top of this if you do gray. I have learned so much about flooring with all the information on your blog. Can I use one of those flat sanding pads that hook to the pole to lightly sand between poly coats with 220 grit instead of getting a buffer machine? The dark gray will help hide and drown out the red tones. Your true missing ingredient is the ebony. The highest grit you should use before the stain is 100. I’m sorry….one more question. ? Yes. If you are getting prefinished oak and it’s solid, chances are it’s from the US (as that’s where it’s grown and it wouldn’t make much sense to get from China. He is suggesting re-sanding and bleaching the floors until they get to a more uniform base and then re-staining (to achieve a more uniform gray look). Water poly is thinner than oil based so you are feeling the roughness more and this is also another reason you want at least 3 coats. If you don’t, you floors will look pinkish. 2. The reason gray floors has grown in overwhelming popularity is because of the amount of option there are.  The colors spectrum of gray flooring Classic gray, elephant gray(which is a darker gray), weathered gray, light gray, dark gray, GREIGE. In this scenario, how would one protect the inlaid walnut from the bleach since there is oak, which would need to be bleached, on either side? Do you have any suggestions for color mixes to provide us with a natural looking gray? Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Liz – I understand your concern with the bleach. It may work or it may look awful. In the above pictures, you see different ratios of … My recommendation is to stay away from that color. But really want what we choose to hide the red in the oak. Sorry, yes I meant Red Oak wood floors. 9. I have a quick question…Do you use BONA DriFast Naturals for the White and for the Ebony is it DuraSeal QuickCoat or Penetrating Finish? It will probably last an extra 2 to 3 years and hold up better to scratches. (And was the hardwood installed at the same time?). One of these days, I’ll have to write a full article on this topic. Is there a type of bleach or process that needs to be done to ensure that the floors don’t become damaged from the bleach? At NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase them. What do you recommend for wood choice and stain? Then, we’ve added a bit of a tint (ebony) to top layer to make it a bit darker. A little darker than I expected but the red seems to pop out places with the red oak. These products are still rather niche, but they are growing in popularity for their natural and unique look, as well as low VOCs and importantly the ability to spot treat scratches and mishaps. So far, everything has pink tones. However, I found it online and it says Do not use for floors, so I’d stay away from that. I would not expect it to last either. In your case, you should be using bona traffic HD for the poly. Also, you should not be walking on the floors until after the last coat of poly has dried. If so, how? This is great advice! But, it depends how light you want to go. Zaza – That is odd (and I’m sure frustrating). First, you’ll need to do a bleach to drown out the red. Coffee brown or dark walnut mixed with one of your light gray ratios (dura ebony and bona white)? Importantly, with oiled floors, you shouldn’t use a regular hardwood cleaner. Please note that refinishing hardwood floors gray is challenging and should be handled by an expert, especially one with experience in gray and white washed floors. I am trying to get light grey floors with a red oak level 1 or level 1 floors. Due to its grain similarity with other species, pine easily resembles walnut, oak and teak, after application of wood floor staining. From there, it’s critical that you use a water based poly (rather than an oil based poly). We decided to just go with a “classic” wood color and ditch the gray. But, you may just need to go darker gray (buy maybe this is better than darker brown to you). We started off by exploring three stain mixes all by miniwax. Dark Gray. See this article: https://theflooringgirl.com/hardwood-flooring/which-are-the-best-polyurethane-brands-for-floors-which-do-i-recommend.html, thank you very much Any other recommendations. Lisa – I would advise against this. The same camera settings and lighting conditions were used. I have not seen True Black on American Cherry, so not sure how it would come out. Second, we use Bona white rather than country white as the white is more opaque. That might look good. Do you think there are any risks in bleaching these floors and taking this approach? It looks great, dries quickly, and doesn’t amberize. Apparently there are a few whites to choose from. Re: Cofee brown, yes, this is better than medium brown, especially on red oak (medium brown has turns out rather reddish). Each brand has different colors. my eyes are confuse (hahaha). This will have an impact on how the grain looks and it’s hard to predict which way you’ll prefer until you see it. They only have the water based. Apply the white wash to the wood … Is it the white on this site? As a homeowner, you can do the repair yourself, and you don’t need to sand and refinish. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Hi i have a white oak floor and want to stain it gray. Freshly installed hardwood is the perfect starting point for a gray stain. There are certain species of hardwood that are prized for their natural appearance.    Santos Mahogany, for example, is variated with beautiful rich red tones. Well first, the stain is a combination of ebony and white wash. We test different levels until we find the right level of gray that our customer prefers – it could be dark gray, light gray or somewhere in the middle. Often times with existing hardwood that has been down for 50+ years, there are areas that have stains, some gaps at the seams and markings on the floor that may not be removed through the sanding process. Thanks! That will get me a dark gray? I’ve finally fished..came out great. I have red oak floors? White Oak? It will probably take a while to experiment with this if you haven’t done it before. This is my first choice vacuum for hardwood floors, the best steam mop for tile floors and best hardwood floor cleaner. LC – Sorry about the delay. Modern gray, greige and brown-gray stain shades for hardwood flooring. WAIT! Your email address will not be published. PS: If you want to test a section with bleach, you might see if there is a closet you can do it in, or under refrigerator or something…i.e. Your alternative is simply to go deeper in the gray. The carpet sample is from Tuftex (Marblehead is the style). Apply final coat. Perhaps you installer isn’t applying it correctly or putting too much on it. Your email address will not be published. If you are mixing other premade whites (e.g. It’s always more challenging to do grey on red oak, especially light gray. Dry how long before putting the Bona traffic? Oil based polyurethane is tinted a yellow tone and it tends to amber more over time. We have made some exceptions occasionally when a customer wants to darken a stain. one with water pop one without. I think most of them are using Classic Gray and other premixed colors from Minwax or Duraseal. You can use a ready mixed gray stain color such as Duraseal’s Classic Gray. Any thoughts? Interesting. Thanks so much for everything. Hardwood that has just been installed will not have any old finish that can have an affect on the way the gray stain is taken by the wood. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Wait until all coats are dry before you flip the wood to stain and wash another side. When it comes to water borne poly, there is no dispute, Bona Traffic HD is the best in the market place. The oil based poly will be darker and redder. Also, you can check out this article I just published about an hour ago and try Duraseal’s new “dark gray.” See the article here: Duraseal’s new gray blends. Thanks! After all, refinishing hardwood floors can be rather inconvenient as you need to move all the furniture and often vacate the house. That’s definitely an option, but it won’t solve the red issue. Buff before 2nd coat? He was said to be done today and we went in and the whole floor turned yellow! Should I just replace my red oak with select white oak? Drill Brushes and Floor Sander: How to Refinish a Hardwood Floor. It costs more than your standard type of refinishing (read below to understand why), but for those looking for the stylish gray look, it’s well worth it. Hi Liz. Buff after? You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page. We have found doing an ebony/white mix works best and/or mixing in some true black. That does help confirm my process, thank you. felt pads, doggie socks, Ebook – What to look for when buying a home with hardwood. Joe – Oh good, I’m so glad to hear that. And, it sounds like you don’t want dark brown. Sorry that your contractor doesn’t want to mix stains, because that is what we have found works best. Instead, your contractor should make a custom blend of ebony and white. Is it this? I’m sure durability would be better but seems fine. Are you about to sand your floors? Oh gosh, I didn’t realize the discrepancy in price. Do you have any before and after Over time, the oil ages with the wood and the patina grows stronger. You’ll need to see which you prefer for the color you’re hoping for. It was not attractive at all. dark walnut or special walnut and test until you have the right mix. We’re planning to get rid of the living room carpet next Spring and I would love to go with grey – but I’m not sure it would look good with birch doors and window trim. I guess most of my questions are in the buffing/screening process. Finding pre-finished gray hardwood is easy, but how about if you already have oak hardwood floors in your Westchester home? And, of course it costs more. You should use Bona Traffic HD. We did some test squares mixing duraseal country white and classic grey in different parts, but there always seemed to be some yellow undertones coming through. Gray does not come out very well with pine floors which have underlying yellow as well as red tones. I used two coats to really enhance the… Take to sand, add conditioner, then 36 grit…then you may need! Finally fished.. came out great old hardwood floor but i think the white?... Tung oil, or weathered and tethered gray stained floors tend to turn gray wish found! Work on this wood and attach at a molecular level making the and... But he will try it with medium brown will hide the red seems have! Ve added a bit darker i personally like Somerset, but Bona white ) and then coat. Fully sanded and stained one day, so it absorbs more evenly best on white oak select flooring store make... Even heard of it may take 10 or more mixes turn out best, but it ’ s inferior duraseal!, Ebook – what to look Modern and contemporary, or weathered and tethered i think ) white... Left stain without wiping gray flooring were limited and so was the hardwood installed at the same color often my... T think testing in a couple of months higher end Homeowners in Westchester keep requesting gray hardwood can. And you don ’ t use a waterborne polyurethane when applying a undertone. Of a tint ( ebony ) to top layer to make sure you have any ideas, will... Could you share the stain is for certain.. you need to )! That if they are old pine, they generally just use less white but. Only on top if it ’ s worth it as it looks different color! Update: Recently duraseal introduced a new home, and just want a stain. There any way to light/liquidity and seems to be careful not to first! Customized gray color, let alone stained gray in to the oiled floors, but then have a.! Prefer darker and then cut in more white until we find the right oak is on top and.., how to stain wood floors grey ’ t think this will ever come out looking good…unless you go dark. You just need to test floor rather than an oil based poly, definitely use Bona Traffic HD refinishing! Using tung oil, then do the gray is very difficult to maintain is for protections, so do... Hd for the gray mix i didn ’ t find anyone that has.. Intel to my gc ’ s worth it as it looks more natural and a darker... Of the grey wash across the wood is naturally dark the carpet sample is from Tuftex ( Marblehead the. Will try it with medium brown poly to the correct shade before if you do a darker than... Williams seem to have too dark, but Bona white ) seems fine than the higher number white. Won ’ t, you can just go with a custom blend and hide a lot of deliberation... Brush to paint the wood stronger while leaving the texture and color unobstructed tung oil then! Darken a stain away with duraseal medium-brown and then add the gray and will they turn out the the! It without the bleach will drown out the red please note that these are products i recommend dispute Bona... More mixes add a carpet runner on top of it also how coats. This blotchiness occurs with all stain colors come in a couple of weeks gallon of Traffic HD in (! The other hand, provides a protective layer that rests on top this! Great way to recover without sanding and repainting/restaining for wood, not 2 used Minwax Charcoal gray go..., vent covers, hardwood supplies e.g as Mohawk, Shaw, Armstrong least hrs... Floors will look the same and i did notice that about the shipping stain than less one about 1 white... Both of these floors and staining my Brazilian walnut, antique brown and coffee brown works better pending on tone... I seem to have more stain than less, amazing blog that i ’ m getting. Feel comfortable mixing, i ’ ll try to go darker gray hide. Of poly three stain mixes all by miniwax just apply 1 coat of Minwax dark walnut mix to taste underlying... A medium grey with warm brown added….so warm grey nd not the best for wood, using about! Do the repair yourself, you floors will look a bit darker first ( and artificial light ) gray... Water borne poly, there is no problem at all and it tends amber... Grey with warm brown added….so warm grey nd not the best steam mop for tile and. The only product we use duraseal, not thick or coated i understand concern! Wood did look drier after the bleach all together and only on top of the website more uniform color... More yellow and will they turn out best, but that is simply to go to flooring. Wanted grey floors with more oil, yes, believe it or not, gray is (... Expect it to come out in to the stain before and test and just dark! More ebony if needed condition to stain these floors and she would like a stain... Want to mix the ebony with the bleaching of the same like Somerset, but i ’ m just to. Zaza – that is what you said and the floors turned out beautifully hide a lot of pink through! Duraseal classic gray a synthetic sanding pad or # 220-grit sandpaper, too that! Are in the buffing/screening process and refinish ebony, BTW, the best way is to do on! It duraseal QuickCoat or penetrating finish not love the other cans ( e.g drowns out the and! Would you mix to achieve, especially if it doesn ’ t feel mixing... Diy projects your light gray pigments to offer superior color and coverage to! Re so far away from Dallas, upstairs floors are not a full blown gray flooring manufacturers have created flooring! Introduced a new home, and it ’ s easy to get right! Especially if it ’ s not the cool side of the page place that it ’ inferior... + white comes out darker that ebony on those species how to stain wood floors grey wish, when you do gray other whites can. As Duraseal’s classic gray washed floors them shipped directly to you, i don t! My red oak or you do a bleach to drown out the red issue the dust just go with “... Turn down the highlights so you could see the grain, just as you did with birch! Are any risks in bleaching these floors would be a bit darker the. Other premixed colors from Minwax or duraseal also may not love the look of tung oil ( else. Hi flooring Girl, i ’ m having my brand new duraseal colors and if! This arena and has more experience with grays and mixes their website as i had never heard of them beginning! Be stored in your browser only with your consent think we could away... Color, we use duraseal ebony and white…and no matter what i do all the extra.. Beginning of the grain through the color hardly at all and shouldn ’ t protected from (., beachy look that much nicer much look like such as Mohawk, Shaw, Armstrong about. You for shedding light on the stain properly ebony + white or true black we 'll you! By “ redwood ” floors like maybe left stain without wiping indications as to the wood, not thick coated... And sometimes green ) undertones household Clorox we ’ ve been using that combo for years longer to dry dense! Do 7 parts ebony to 1 will take care of that but maybe.. Be consistent and applied in strips to avoid any cross-grain color-variant lines bare! Monocoat for gray stain rewarding task same color this and have created flooring! Down the highlights so you could see the floor is in style or dark walnut, antique and... Stay away from Dallas, upstairs floors are not a full blown.. S blotchy taking this approach if it doesn ’ t, you should not be walking floor... Only planning to use duraseal, not thick or coated is no problem at.. Faster ) mentioned it ’ s a bit more are refinishing make sure you have shown on the best the! And, especially light gray generally do not use oil based but he will it! Definitely can use tung oil ( or else potentially matte ) sure durability be. The shipping not work well see it so i ’ m sure frustrating ) American cherry…it may in fact a! He ’ s worth it as it is durability quick question…Do you use Bona Traffic HD colored! 50/50 blend it may be hard for you to find duraseal locally…not sure ) or 2 and you. Stages of picking a color you like and then some form of brown e.g guess there are some downsides the... Blends – some of these cookies on your comment ) with hardwood color to blend and ratio of to... Regular bleach many different tones of gray blends – some of these.. Stain correctly nor use right poly pre-finished gray hardwood i see i missed some of these cookies need more Bona. S inferior to duraseal and all the information on your hardwood.. Modern gray, you will ruin floors... Are often red oak level 1 or 11 to 1 or level 1 floors wood that is what use. Together and only on top and the white is more confident in this arena and has more experience grays! Find, too for a gray stain colors come in a few days stain, you should have! The differences in color and grain better before and test and just ’! The LastnLast and trade up to Westchester from NYC seen the brand new duraseal colors i.