Matching stained wood - flooring ooooold

[masraum]

Many of you are familiar with my old house and what's going on.

How easy/hard is it to match the color of a stained floor?
If we sand and patch/repair the issues with this floor, what do you think are the odds of getting a good color match?


And would it be possible to do something to the floor after staining to bring out the wood grain (wire brushing?)

[Crowbob]

If it hasn’t been already, you’ll get a better prognosis after sanding.

Fortunately, wood floors do not need to be exactly uniform. The color/hue/tone/intensity/saturation/brightness/opacity/reflectivity and temperature of each board is unique so there’s allot of forgiveness.

[drcoastline]

It will be difficult to replicate the "patina" but you can replicate the color. What I do when trying to match a wood stain clor is I buy one of every wood stain in and around the clor I am looking to replicate in the small size. First I take a popscicle stick and stir stin get the color proper mixed. Now I have a stained popsicle stick which will give me a decent idea of the stain on wood. Then I match those to the piece I want to match and get my base color. Then I take a piece of scrap from the wood I am actually going to satin and stain the piece with the base color. Then I determine if I need to go more red or brown or yellow or even black. Tne I will start to custom mix the stains in a glass jar. Some base then the supporting colors. Resatin the sample and match. You can make a stain deeper in color by allowing the stained piece to dry overnight and restain again and again, and again until you get the depth or leave the container open and let the vehicle evaporate a little making the stain thicker.

Yes you can wir brush in the direction of the grain to dig out the soft grain. I would also test on a piece of scrap before doing it on the floor. Try before staining and after staining to see which yields the best result. After all is said and done consider staining the entire floor with your mixture to try and even the color.

[john70t]

I's gonna be impossible to get an exact match and be perfect.

Wood won't absorb stain with an existing coating. Stain will soak in and turn a different hue in 1-5 years. Minwax poly on top turns a much darker amber that way I have found. You can go over lighter areas with Minwax Polyshades or something similar later on, but that is just a band aid. Darker stain might blend better but there is no going back other than painting it later on.

I do like the idea of keeping it rustic and distressing the grain with a beater before final so you don't have to be too careful in the meantime. 40grit will mangle that floor quickly. A consistent look and smooth waterproof finish

[Crowbob]

Also, whatever you do, you can live with for awhile to see if you cringe, cry or rejoice when you look at it. Then go from there.

My experience has told me the wonderfulness of the results of my handiwork improves over time. Plus, you do not want to insult Allah by making something perfect.

Finally, when I see mistakes I’ve made, they aren’t mistakes. They are my signature making the object even more priceless.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

It will be difficult to replicate the "patina" but you can replicate the color.

Yes, understood about the patina. The main goal is the color. The plan is to sand the floor (since some is currently finished and some isn't, I assume we have to start with some uniformity) before stain/finish/paint.

It would be nice to bring the grain out some. It won't match the rest, but we like the look.

thanks for the details about matching.

[gregpark]

Match to what? The hardwood in the adjoining hallway? Yes, an exact match in color is possible but not that easy for the do it your selfer. I do it all the time but I've got samples of all colors to mix until I hit on the right combo. And generally, we sand flat to eliminate raised grain but if you want raised grain then sand the peaks of the cupped boards and hit with a wire brush on a drill or grinder. That'll give you raised grain big time.
IMO you guys should hire a hardwood guy to re-finish all the hardwood in the house. A pro can make it look authentic yet flat, clean and right. Bite the bullet Masraum and hire a pro. You can thank me after.

Oh yeah, and vapor barrier that moisture from the outdoors or the boards will cup again.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by john70t

I's gonna be impossible to get an exact match and be perfect.

Wood won't absorb stain with an existing coating. Stain will soak in and turn a different hue in 1-5 years. Minwax poly on top turns a much darker amber that way I have found. You can go over lighter areas with Minwax Polyshades or something similar later on, but that is just a band aid. Darker stain might blend better but there is no going back other than painting it later on.

I do like the idea of keeping it rustic and distressing the grain with a beater before final so you don't have to be too careful in the meantime. 40grit will mangle that floor quickly. A consistent look and smooth waterproof finish

Those are my concerns, matching, and the color changing over time.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Also, whatever you do, you can live with for awhile to see if you cringe, cry or rejoice when you look at it. Then go from there.

My experience has told me the wonderfulness of the results of my handiwork improves over time. Plus, you do not want to insult Allah by making something perfect.

Finally, when I see mistakes I’ve made, they aren’t mistakes. They are my signature making the object even more priceless.

Nice, I like it!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Match to what? The hardwood in the adjoining hallway? Yes, an exact match in color is possible but not that easy for the do it your selfer. I do it all the time but I've got samples of all colors to mix until I hit on the right combo. And generally, we sand flat to eliminate raised grain but if you want raised grain then sand the peaks of the cupped boards and hit with a wire brush on a drill or grinder. That'll give you raised grain big time.

That's been my assumption.

IMO you guys should hire a hardwood guy to re-finish all the hardwood in the house. A pro can make it look authentic yet flat, clean and right. Bite the bullet Masraum and hire a pro. You can thank me after.

Oh yeah, and vapor barrier that moisture from the outdoors or the boards will cup again.

Yep.

[gregpark]

Just read the advice above. A popsicle stick for color match? No. We use a much larger sample of the same specie of wood as yout flooring. Many times we'll sand a 2x2 area on the actual floor and figure out the combo. I've been doing this for a living for 50 years. My advice is to take advice from someone who has done it thousands of times instead of someone who's done it a handful of times. Better yet, like I said above, hire someome who has done it a thousands times before

[fintstone]

Why not tile over the unfinished areas and keep the patina?

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by masraum

Yes, understood about the patina. The main goal is the color. The plan is to sand the floor (since some is currently finished and some isn't, I assume we have to start with some uniformity) before stain/finish/paint.

It would be nice to bring the grain out some. It won't match the rest, but we like the look.

thanks for the details about matching.

Oh, well if you are going to sand the whole floor then you don't need to match the existing color it will be sanded away. You are going to have to stain the whole floor. If you are worried about butting up to the old floor just get close in color as you will have a hard break.

[look 171]

Do what Greg says, after sanding, a 24x24 is needed to match the stain to the adj flooring for a match. It will close enough. Forget about the minwax poly and all the stuff. They are all too soft for floor use.

[masraum]

Not entirely related to the thread, but this is what the bathroom looks like 90% gutted. Next Fri, plumbers are coming. Thu, I'll be pulling the toilet and shower. (I hope the cement under the shower isn't too big a problem. I hadn't noticed that until yesterday.

[look 171]

That maybe 4" or thicker. YOu'll need big hammer without destroying the plaster wall on the other side.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Just read the advice above. A popsicle stick for color match? No. We use a much larger sample of the same specie of wood as yout flooring. Many times we'll sand a 2x2 area on the actual floor and figure out the combo. I've been doing this for a living for 50 years. My advice is to take advice from someone who has done it thousands of times instead of someone who's done it a handful of times. Better yet, like I said above, hire someome who has done it a thousands times before

We have enough of the wood around the house (unfinished areas in attic, pieces found inside walls, etc....) to be able to use the actual wood for testing.

My concern with finding "a guy" is that out here, in BFE, a lot of the guys out here in the country are "handyman" type guys that are "I can do that" kind of guys. If I could afford to get you here.... But I can't, so, I can do my best to carefully do a good job or, potentially pay a guy that ends up doing a crap job (or maybe find a guy that does a great job, although that seems far less likely).

[masraum]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

Oh, well if you are going to dand the whole floor then you don't need to match the existing color it will be sanded away. You are going to have to stain the whole floor. If you are worried about butting up to the old floor just get close in color as you will have a hard break.

The current plan is to just do the bathroom.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Do what Greg says, after sanding, a 24x24 is needed to match the stain to the adj flooring for a match. It will close enough. Forget about the minwax poly and all the stuff. They are all too soft for floor use.

What is a good topcoat?

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Just read the advice above. A popsicle stick for color match? No. We use a much larger sample of the same specie of wood as yout flooring. Many times we'll sand a 2x2 area on the actual floor and figure out the combo. I've been doing this for a living for 50 years. My advice is to take advice from someone who has done it thousands of times instead of someone who's done it a handful of times. Better yet, like I said above, hire someome who has done it a thousands times before

You're right don't pay any attention to me and my popsicle stick. I haven't done thousands of floors but a lot including matching antique furniture and no doubt have finished and refinished far more floors and antique furniture then I have tried kicking homelsess rapists in the head. But I guess I could give it a try or should I mind my own business and leave it to the professionals?

Oh but me and my popsicle stick did do this, I guess it's sorta kinda similar to a wood floor? Do with the information as you wish.




















and FYI- Gregprk, if you read the whole thing after the popsicle stick I said get a scrap piece of wood to get a better sample and mix the color.

Sorry masraum for the brief hijack.