How to Stain Oak Floors Black
Dark wood floors can make a room exude a sense of sophistication and elegance. Before staining your oak floors black, however, take into account the degree of traffic in your home, and the amount of maintenance you're willing to put in. The darker your wood floors, the more they will exhibit dust and dirt accumulation, as well as scratches, gouges, dents, and finish imperfections. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Vacuum
- Floor sander
- Cloth rags
- Denatured alcohol
- Spray bottle
- Oil-based ebony wood stain
- Floor finish applicator
- Bucket
Instructions
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Sand the finish off of the oak floors with a large floor sander. Slowly keep the sander moving back and forth as you cover the floor area. Letting the sander sit for too long in one spot will cause dips and general unevenness in the floor.
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Vacuum the floor and walls thoroughly. Vacuum any wood dust that may have collected on blinds, radiators, trim, or shelves, as this dust can fall and settle on the stain as you're applying it.
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Mix clean water with a small amount of denatured alcohol in a spray bottle. Spray the floor, one small area at a time, and wipe the sprayed area with a damp, clean cloth rag.
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Pour the oil-based ebony stain into a bucket (or into the reservoir tank of your floor stain applicator, if it has one), and apply the stain as if you were slowly and carefully pushing a push mop. Work forward in a straight line with the applicator, going from one end of the room to the other, before starting another straight path that touches the newly stained swath. Wipe up any excess stain quickly with a clean cloth rag.
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Tips & Warnings
Allow the stain to dry for at least 24 hours and preferably 48 hours before walking on the floor. Darker stain takes longer to dry.
When sanding the floor, and when applying the stain, wear rubber gloves, eye goggles and a respirator. It's also important to have proper ventilation; use windows fans as an exhaust for wood dust and fumes while working.
