Does Your Wood Floor Look Old? Stain It, Here How To
Polished wood floors were not standard until the late 19th century. Before that time, wood was the predominant flooring material, but its look was much more humble and rustic.
Today, wood floors have become a classic of interior decorating. They are attractive and timeless, and because they can be of exceptional quality, unlike other types of flooring and with proper maintenance, they last a lifetime. They are helpful, comfortable, and even match any decorating style.
A classic hardwood floor creates a warm décor, and that feeling is also transmitted to our feet. A hardwood floor is a beautiful insulator that retains heat, making it comfortable to walk on and giving a sense of comfort and coolness.
The most significant advantage of wood floors is that they are easy to clean and maintain if the necessary measures are taken. Spills and stains can be messy and may not even have a solution on a light-colored carpet; we can remove and clean them on a wood floor. We can sweep or vacuum a wood floor at any time, and we can wash it regularly without damaging or wearing it. A floor cleaner is more than enough, plus it’s good to polish at least once a month to keep the floor shiny and gleaming.
Dust, dirt, and constant cleaning added to daily traffic cause the erosion of the first layers of the glossy finish, so the wood loses a life, and its appearance is saddened and off. If the wood floor in your home has lost its luster or the scratches and dents have taken their toll, maybe it’s time to work on it.
Get to work, clear the area thoroughly, prepare the floor by removing all the dust and dirt. Use a vacuum cleaner to do this as it is best to lift the dust off the floor, not move it around.
The next thing to do is to sand and polish the surface gently with a fine-grained, not too abrasive sandpaper and then apply a coat of some polyurethane-based varnish, wax, lacquer, or solvent containing resins and catalysts to seal and give the floor a shiny finish again. These are unique products that restore the shine to the wood, but for this reason, they are more expensive than other options.
Once sanded, be sure to clean up all the residue again, so turn the vacuum back on. Once you have the wood clean, it’s time for staining floors. Keep in mind that if you are looking to make the space look more extensive, the ideal is to choose light-colored wood for the floor, either in shades of white or natural pine or eucalyptus. Walls with pastel colors will generate harmony with the floor’s tones and create a fresh and luminous atmosphere.
If you want dark wood floors, it is best to contrast them with light colors; this floor gives a relaxing effect to large spaces and accentuates small areas such as the foyer or an essential wall of the social room with intense colors to highlight furniture and accessories. Black wooden flooring are too much in trend these days. So if you want to give a different touch and personality to this space, place furniture and decorative accessories in bold tones; these will help you create your decorative style.
Wood floors can also be sanded and re-sanded several times, which means that every ten years or so, you can use staining floors to repair any scratches and restore the shine to like-new condition.