Of all the types of flooring available, wood with the perfect finish is still the most popular. And oak floorboards are gorgeous as well as fashionable. But pine wood flooring is another strong contender in the beauty stakes, a softwood that’s been used to make floorboards for centuries and a feature of many old homes across Britain.
We’ve taken several long, detailed looks at oak flooring, furniture and doors. Now it’s time to explore the wonderful world of pine. If you have a pine floor that needs attention, or you’ve been tasked with getting one in apple-pie order for someone else, here’s everything you need to know.
Types of pine
Pine, also sometimes called redwood, is cheaper and more common than traditional hardwoods, ranging from almost white through various yellow shades to a deep, rich red. For a softwood it’s often remarkably resilient and long-lasting, especially in the context of well looked after pine floors.
Pinus is the species we see most in UK and EU plantations. It’s useful for all sorts of utility work, a common wood for beams, flooring and structural purposes. But that’s just the start of it. There are a whole load of different types of pine trees found in the wild, so many in fact that the Wood Database website’s impressively long list is far too detailed to repeat here.
If you’re interested in the similarities and differences between soft pines and hard pines, and those within each group, you can’t beat the Wood Database pine page, an excellent resource.
Horses for courses – The pine flooring aesthetic
There’s a variety of flooring ideas and opinions concerning keeping wooden floors looking good. Some concerns involve floor maintenance, as some floors require little in the way of maintenance, while others require plenty of elbow grease and attention. And the choice is often a matter of aesthetics.
One of the best things about wood flooring is that it changes, going through all sorts of fascinating stages over time, depending on its type and location, with an equally wide range of end results. And every stage of the ageing process has its own beauty.
You might love the hundred year (or much older) patina your old pine boards have acquired through generations of wear. It might be stained and dirty, uneven and bent, sometimes more or less black. But to you it’s perfect – a living piece of history marking decades or even centuries of human use. And that’s fine. If it has lasted this long in one piece, it might well last a great deal longer without falling apart on you.
Your floor might be reasonably worn, part way between new and aged. You might adore the effect – the real shabby chic ideal – or you may prefer to get rid of the muck and repair any damage, giving it a whole new lease of life as well as a smooth, contemporary look.
A brand new pine floor, on the other hand, can look pretty raw. The paler it is, the newer and less settled-in it looks. You might want to use a wood dye to create a subtler, less in-your-face effect, calming the brightness down a bit, and if it hasn’t already been protected, you’ll want to add a finishing oil or good quality varnish.
How pine changes over time
The colour is one thing. The condition of old pine floors is another. Old boards can cup or arch over time, each board curling up at the edges, which means when you try to sand them you tend to get a thin sanded strip down the middle of each board at the high point, which widens on each pass of the sander as the boards are slowly levelled by the sanding process.
When you sand old pine boards back to the wood they can look very pale, even colourless. But don’t worry. The minute you apply a clear wood finishing product like an oil or varnish, that warm, attractive natural golden colour will come flooding through.
Testing the colour of your floorboards before finishing them
This change in colour is so dramatic that it’s usually best to test how it’ll look finished before choosing an oil or varnish. Luckily it’s easy. All you do is rub the surface with a damp – not wet – cloth and you get the exact same effect as oiling or varnishing – the colour suddenly shines through. Once you know what’s what, you can choose your finish: either something to enhance the natural colour or a colourless product.
What if you want to get rid of that bright orange/gold colour?
Orange or golden pine isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And that’s the effect you can get from a standard clear oil or varnish – as time passes it can turn a deeper orange/gold, even a nasty brown. If your pine floor has gone a funny colour, you can always sand the old finish off and replace it with a product that won’t change colour as it ages.
If you’re looking to retain the natural appearance of freshly sanded boards, pine or oak, Osmo Polyx Oil Raw and Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural are both great products for defusing and countering the gold / orange colour you sometimes get.
- Osmo Polyx Oil Raw (3044) is made with natural oils and waxes, gives excellent protection and durability and is specifically formulated to retain the ‘natural’ look of wood. It counteracts the damp-looking darkening effect and grain enhancement you typically get with standard clear oils or varnishes.
- Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural also keeps wood looking as natural and unaltered in colour as possible and dries to a clear, satin-matt finish. It’s perfect for light coloured woods like pine, spruce and oak.
Pine wood floor refinishing – Varnish or oil?
What’s best, an oil or a varnish? The protective qualities are much the same. But oil and varnish come with different types of maintenance, and to a great extent your choice depends on the amount of wear and tear the floor receives.
- Using a wooden floor varnish tends to provide better durability and less maintenance, but you’ll need to re-sand the entire floor back to bare wood when the varnish eventually gets damaged and worn. How long this takes depends on the type and quality of the varnish and how much wear your floor is subjected to. It could be every year if you have pets, visitors and kids running in and out all the time. It could be five years or more if your home life is a lot quieter or you’ve covered the floor with rugs.
- Using a wooden floor oil on the other hand requires maintenance, usually every couple of years, but it won’t flake, crack or peel off. It looks better than varnish as it begins to wear and is very easy to patch repair if it becomes worn in specific areas, unlike varnish. When an oiled floor starts to look like its past its best, simply clean with a suitable floor cleaner to remove any marks, scuffs or stains, then re-apply a thin coat of oil, and “Voila!” it’s just like new again. Even bad scuffs, stains, marks and light scratches can be fixed by lightly sanding the area and re-applying a fresh coat of oil.
A tough varnish, by the way, won’t make the flooring itself hard. If you drop something heavy on the floor, the wood will still dent even though the varnish stays intact.
We have put together this handy video helping you to understand the key difference between a varnish and oil, as well as application techniques.
Need help with your pine floorboards?
For more information about interior floor finishes and treatments, contact our team of resident experts who are always on hand to help with project advice and product recommendations. Alternatively, see our floor finishes FAQ page which covers many of the most commonly asked questions about floor finishes.
We love to see before, during and after photos of any wood finishing project. If you would like to share your decking project pictures with us, you can either send us some photos or share on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages.
Hi, I have a random width pine floor which is 13 yrs old, it was originally just stained and tung oil applied. My very old dog had numerous tinkle accidents on top of an oriental rug which disguised the stains. After we discovered what was happening, it was too late to simply wash up the floors. They are darkly discolored. I can’t imagine how deep the stain goes. I have noticed that on the non-pine floors-old 3″ oak that was stained and sealed with some type of polyurethane, that stains do not penetrate the wood and it is easy to wipe up.
Can you recommend a sealer, or coating to use on my pine floors so that I can protect them for any future accidents?
Thank you so much!!!
Good Afternoon Lisa,
You could take a look at the Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish as a possible option. Its very durable and may protect the floor from little accidents. Available in sample sizes and varying sheens. It is ideal for most floor types and I would recommend a third coats for your Pine floor to ensure it really does give good protection.
I would say that long term standing urine can still cause damage to finishes, more so with cats then dogs, however this will certainly give you better piece of mind for your floor.
If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to get in touch with me via our contact us page.
All the Best Samantha.
Hi was wondering if you could give me advice? I have sanded down my pine floorboards, applied a sample of Osmo Raw because I wanted to keep it natural and it has turned the floorboards little red. I then tried a water based poly and turned my floor green. What can i apply to the boards that doesn’t turn them red, yellow, orange or green!!!? Thanks.
Hello Bronagh,
Its a common issue with Pine Floor boards the natural tones of the wood want to come out when a product is applied and this is more obvious and harder to avoid the older to boards get. Many people are exposing old Victorian floor boards for today’s decor and these boards have been through many years of varying finishes, floor coverings, or exposures to UV. They many have been sanded or stripped or treated many times over and with every project the wood is changed a little and so as it gets older the reactions to the different treatments applied can intensify and it will be difficult to get that totally natural appearance.
Often the best way to treat Pine is with a slight colour. This can be from a water based stain such as Manns Classic Pine Stain this soaks into the wood to give colour and can be over coated with a varnish or oil top coat.
Or even easier with a coloured oil such as Blanchon Hard Wax Oil Tints which colours and protects with just two very thin coats applied.
It is a case of trying more test areas to find what will work well with your wood. Very light pigments can help to reduce the effect of the natural colours.
I am here to help if you have any further questions, just get in touch via our contact us page.
All the Best Samantha.
Having just refinished 120 year old pine floors, I wanted to keep them extremely light and natural, without going yellow. If you use Bona Natural Seal, that will do the trick. They also have a Nordic Seal, which makes them even lighter in color. I used the Bona Matte as the poly afterwards for a sheen free finish. They look fantastic.
You have such great advice here, we were wondering if you could assist us as well.
We are installing a new pine floor from raw lumber. We are planning on having it extend through our kitchen, bathroom and living/dining room. We would like to apply a stain for a dark and more rustic look. From the comments I’ve read we’re leaning towards a tinted Fiddes Hard Wax Oil to finish the floors with and have ordered some color samples.
Are there any other products we should be using to either prep or finish the wood before or after applying the Hard Wax Oil especially for protection from potential water exposure in the kitchen/bathroom areas? Or do you think we should be looking at different product line entirely?
I’ve also read that you get greater durability by applying a clear Hard Wax Oil over the tinted layer(s). Does layering like that present any complications as far as color matching for future touch ups or refinishing?
Many thanks. The Foxes.
Hello Marisa,
Thank you for getting in touch with your question, sounds like a big project and you have picked a great product to apply to the floors once the boards are in. The Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints will offer great protection to the wood, it is easy to apply and maintain over time as well and with the right cleaning and care will last for many years to come.
For Bathroom area I would also recommend a coat of the Osmo Wood Protector this will help to make the wood extremely moisture repellent.
Once you have your samples, I would recommend trying test areas with both options with the tinted and the clear oils, so one coat of tint and one coat of the clear, or two coats of the tinted oil, and seeing which you prefer, as it is a softwood, you may even be able to get two coats of the tint and then one coat of the clear, although you should check with a test area first to ensure good uptake of all coats.
In terms of durability they are basically the same, when it comes to maintenance and re coats, this will depend on the extent of wear, if your top coat is clear than you can simply apply the clear oil as a refresher and if you went for the two coats of Tints then use that for your refresher. It will be better to ensure wear doesn’t go all the way through if you have got the clear on the top as you say this will make it more complicated. Keep and eye on high wear areas, such as doorways and top up just these areas more regularly if required.
How and what you use for floor cleaning is also worth thinking about, many cleaning household names are designed to remove stubborn stains and grease, they are likely, over time to also break down the oil in your wood. A suitable floor cleaner such as the Bona Cleaner Refill for Oiled Floors is PH Neutral and will not damage the oil you are trying to keep clean.
I hope that helps and if you have any questions at all please do message me via the contact us page.
All the Best Samantha.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. So the Osmo Wood Protector and Fiddes Hard Wax Oil are compatible? One can be applied over the other without issue? I am new to both products, so just don’t want to learn the hard way about which products can be mixed or not.
I’ve started laying the floors in living and dining rooms first. The wood we’re working with is a little warped, it looks some small gaps are just going to be present in the final floor. (I’m working with 8’, 3/4” x 8” tongue in groove lumber.) I don’t for see this being such an issue in the dry areas, but it might mean it’s not the best flooring choice for the bathroom and kitchen areas. Would it be best to fill in small gaps with some kind of filler before oiling? Do you recommend any specific product?
Good Afternoon Marisa,
Yes the Fiddes and the Wood Protector are likely to be fine together, as with any product combination, we always recommend a test area first, this will ensure that you not only like the result that will be achieved, but also that there are no adverse reactions.
If you need a filler for long thin gaps between boards then a flexible Gap sealer such as the Osmo Interior Gap Sealer is a good one to consider and suitable for use with the oiled finish.
If the gaps are smaller and do not require that level of flexibility then a mix and fill product such as the Fiddes Wood Filler Gel that you mix with sanding dust is another option to consider.
Do feel free to let me know if you have any further questions via our contact us
page
All the Best Samantha.
Hi there! I am not sure if this blog is still active, but I’d love some help if so! We are renovating a cabin which has what we believe to be pine floors. We sanded the floors in the bedroom and loved the look of what was underneath and left it natural w/ a coat of sealant & water-based poly.
The floors in the kitchen however sanded down and looked COMPLETELY different. Very streaky and patchy and we’re not sure what to do! Considering bleaching them. Are they a different type of wood? Did I not sand them enough? Help! Want to figure it out before I sand the rest of the living room and potentially have the same issue.
(Trying to find a way to attach images but cannot!) Let me know if you’re able to help!
Thank you!
Hello Whitney,
It does sound like they could be a different wood, or possible a similar wood, but have aged differently or had different treatments in the past. I would be happy to take a look at some photos if you wish to send some over to wfd.advice@wood-finishes-direct.com.
It could be that further sanding will do the job or simply that the boards have been exposed to something that has had changed the structure of the wood. If you can make reference to this post and send any further details that you think will be relevant to the project and I will be happy to see if I can make any suggestions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi ,HELP! We put pine flooring in our seasonal cottage about 20 years ago and put varathane on it. Now it looks quite distressed and I am okay with that as it is a simple cottage . Recently we removed a wood stove and put new pine boards on that space. We are hoping that we can make these boards blend in with the rest of the floor. The floor has darkened quite a bit over the years. Any advice as to how i might go about this. We are hoping not to have to sand the whole floor etc. Hoping you can give us some good tips.
Thank you
Warm regards
Lynda
Hi Lynda,
Thank you for your message.
Matching new floorboards with old can be tricky and it is not always possible to get an exact match, especially if the original boards have aged and now have a distressed appearance. Our range of Manns Classic Pine Stains may do the job. These stains are ideal for softwoods such as pine and can be overcoated and sealed-in with a wood oil or varnish.
These highly versatile stains are water-based so can be lightened by simply adding water and mixing thoroughly and can also be inter-mixed with other colours from the range to make any number of unique colours and shades. This may take some experimentation and doing test areas on some off cuts of the new pine boards is highly recommended. Any test area should also include the topcoat finish as this has the effect of strengthening and enhancing the colour of the stain.
If using a water-based varnish to seal in the stain, take care when applying the first coat and use minimal brush strokes to avoid re-activating the varnish and dragging the colour from the wood. One the first coat of varnish has been applied and dried the second coat can be applied without this concern. This is not an issue if using solvent-based top coats.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Kind regards,
Hello!
I have had a pitch pine floor floor, cut from old beams, Laos throughout the ground floor of my house.
I had (mistakenly) thought the rest of the pine in my house was also pitch. However, it isn’t, so the colours are very different. What would be the best way to make them more similar? Is there a way I can lighten or bleach the pitch? Or would it be better to stain the yellow pine to as close a match as possible?
Thanks!
Hi Maddy,
It’s always easier to stain lighter wood darker than it is to try and bleach darker woods lighter. Colour matching different woods can also be tricky and although it’s not always possible to get an exact match, a similar look should be achievable. Have you looked at the range of Manns Classic Pine Stains? These stains are highly versatile and can be intermixed to make potentially thousands of colours. If a colour shade is the right colour but too strong, water can also be mixed with them to lighten the shade. With wood stains it’s important to always do a test area and to also use the finishing top coat such as an oil or varnish to assess the colour. The clear topcoat will usually enhance the colour of the stain so a decision on the colour shouldn’t be based on the stain alone.
If you can send in some pictures, we can perhaps help with some colour and product recommendations.
Kind regards,
Hi, I have decided to take on a project and restore the original floorboards in our house. When we pulled up the carpets most of the floorboards were just extremely grubby and I managed to clean that up really well with an industrial sander. However, the industrial sander was too big to get to the edges to remove the much darker stuff. It’s proving very difficult to remove with my hand sander (even with 40 grit). I’m not sure what type of finish the dark edges are but it sllooooowly fades with a sander to a reddish coloured tinge. Any tips to remove it to match our nicely cleaned up pine planks?
Hi Siobhan,
Old floors were often treated with some sort of heavy, tar like paint around the edges. It can be tricky to remove as it quickly clogs up sandpaper and stains the surface of the wood. It can be removed but usually requires an industrial grade edging sander and a 40 grit abrasive to take off enough wood to get rid of the staining. Unfortunately, most domestic hand sanders are probably not up to the job and will certainly take much longer than an industrial grade sander. You may need to get a floor finisher in to strip the edges or hire an industrial grade edger to remove the last of the staining from around the edges of the room.
Hi Siobhan,
We had exactly the same, you can hire an edging sander and the same paper usually starts off at 24 grit! The edging sanders are really good at removing the thick varnish around the edges of the room.
Hope this helps!
Danielle
Hi there, interesting article, thanks. Our victorian house has a pine floor in the bathroom, but with a very orange/brown high gloss finish. Aside from the colour, it’s quite old now, with dirt gathered between the boards that’s hard to get out. Do you have any advice for stripping this gloss off, and re-finishing the floor? Ideally we’d want to stain it much darker or paint it white I think, then re-seal to ensure it’s water tight and water won’t run between the boards. Many thanks!
Hi Lily,
Thank you for your enquiry. It sounds like your floorboards have been varnished judging by your description that they have an orange/brown high gloss finish. The best way to strip them back to bare wood is with a floor sander or a chemical paint / varnish remover such as Barrettine Paint Panther Paint and Varnish Remover. Unfortunately, there is no paint / varnish remover that is guaranteed to work on all paints and varnishes but we have had good feedback on this particular stripper. It is also available in a small 250ml tin size, ideal for testing before buying a larger tin.
Once stripped back, you can then decide what sort of finish you require, clear, coloured, semi-translucent or opaque. If you need help with this, you can speak to one of our in-house experts by contacting us here.
In terms of the gaps between the boards, how wide are they? One possible solution is a product called Bona Gap Master. This is a semi flexible filler that comes in a mastic type tube and can be applied with a standard mastic gun. It works better for narrower gaps, for larger gaps, some proportionally sized rope or cord may be required to put in the gap first before filling on top with the Gap Master. It is best to avoid standard type fillers as although many are hard wearing, they tend to break up and fall through the gaps over time. Another alternative is to get a flooring specialist to insert wooden beading in the gaps to close them up prior to sanding and finishing.
If you need further advice or help with your project and the products required, please feel free to contact us at any time.
I have found all of this info helpful. My wife and I have some experience sanding floors in older homes but never pine. We spend the last few days removing the engineered hardware over top of the pine, scraped off the tar paper and adhesive. Yesterday we sanding the floor with a large square oscillating sander. We need 20 grit to get through the remaining adhesive then followed it up with small orbital hand sanders. We still have some black marks but how do I tell what is adhesive and what is natural character? I also have some visible lines, will those come up as a introduce finer grit to the floor? I am pretty sure this floor has never been touched, sanded, etc. Also can I leave the wood untreated until I decided which route to go?
Good Afternoon,
Quite a project and I can imagine the change in appearance is already quite extreme. I am really not sure if there is a way to tell what previous adhesives are, I am afraid, not my area of expertise, but more sanding may be the only option. And you move up to finer sanding grits, the amount of wood removed will reduce and so any further marks or stains may not be removed so much.
I would also recommend a good wipe over with Methylated Spirits as this will highlight any currently invisible marks on the wood,before application of nay product.
You can leave the wood for a short period, however you would run the risk of it needing a further sanding when you do come to treat it, particularly if it is in used regularly. And if you need an help with choosing a product to finish the floor in please do not hesitate to get int ouch via our contact page contact us page.
kind regards Samantha.
We currently have varnished pine floorboards which we are sanding down. We would like an oak effect finish. What stain or wax should we use to get the oak effect? Thank you
Good Morning Carl,
My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. It is a common question and there are a few options you can take a look at. Of course Pine will never look completely like oak as the grain pattern will be different, but you can look at products to give the desired colour such as the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints or the Blanchon Hard Wax Oil
These colour and protect with just two very thin coats applied, and will give a natural look and feel to the wood.
Alternatively you could look using a stain to give colour Manns Classic Pine Wood stain this is water based and designed to give colour only, you are able to apply a number of coats to intensify the colour or intermix with other colours to create a new one. And then when you have the desired colour a top coat of oil or varnish can be applied for protection.
Which ever you choose, test areas are vital as the type, age and condition of the wood will have an impact on the colour result that will be achieved.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi there. We are planning to get red deal board flooring for the bathroom and kitchen area of a new extension. This will extend into the remainder of the property, a 200 year old stone cottage. What treatment/finish would you recommend? Many thanks, Julie
Good Afternoon Julie,
Thank you for getting in touch with your question. There are lots of factor to consider with this type of project and you will need to prioritise which factor is more important, appearance protection environment and of course cost.
For Bathrooms and Kitchens it is important to provide a durable and moisture repellent finish and there are many options for this and you could start by looking at a Hard Wax Oil. These penetrate the surface of the wood with just two thin coats and give a hard wearing and durable, but natural lookingfinish. You can apply a clear finish that will enhance the natural tones of the wood itself such as the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil or you can add a little colour with a Tinted oil like the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints. And for bathroom areas I would recommend the application of the Osmo Wood Protector to give more protection against moisture and humidity changes. These oils will not peel and flake and although they do not last as long as a varnish, they are very easy to apply, clean and maintain over time.
The alternate is to go for a very hard wearing varnish such as the Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish, varnishes will last longer then oils, the down side is they can be more difficult to maintain and should the seal break in areas of moisture the varnish can lift and flake quickly. The longevity of a varnish finish can out weight the benefits of an oil however and so it really depends on which suits your needs better. Both are available in sample sizes and I would always recommend these for test areas to be carried out first.
For further advice please feel free to get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello,
I’d really appreciate your advice.
We had a some sawn pine floor boards laid in our living room. My other tested two coats of Liberon Floor Sealant on a test piece of wood and it looked ok. He has since applied 3 coats of this to half of the room which has changed it from being a beautiful pale colour to orange. It really doesn’t look nice. it’s still not dry, but don’t suspect the colour will improve much. Please can you help? What can I do to restore it? Will sanding help?
Good Afternoon Michelle,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. It can be difficult to avoid the orange tone of Pine boards, particularly when they are have had a long life and many different treatments of finishes over the years. Products that penetrate the woods surface will highlight the natural tones more so than those that remain on the surface. In some cases the tone can lighten slightly as it dries, but not so much for penetrating products.
As an alternative you could have a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural this contains a minute amount of white pigment that counter acts the darkening that you get, with aged boards it can still darken some, but the best way to tell is with a test area first.
And another alternative to consider is a water based varnish, Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish water based varnishes tend to darken less than penetrating or solvent based products. And sample sizes are available for test areas first.
With both the above you will need to remove the current Liberon Finish first so that application is to bare wood. My advice would be to try test areas first, before any sanding or stripping back to see if the alternate product improve the appearance for you.
I hope that helps and if you need any further advice please do not hesitate to get back to me via our contact us
page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hello there, I am looking at pine floorboards in the upstairs landing of an old Scottish farmhouse About 18 years ago, they were sanded and ?oiled ( I think: They are a kind of ginger biscuit shade of brown). In the years since they have received little attention and are a bit distressed. Not looking for a miracle transformation. It’s not that kind of house. I simply need advice as to what “a suitable floor cleaner” might be before applying Danish Oil to touch up the most worn areas (and ‘Voilà’). Danish Oil was reccommended by the local hardware store as good for this job.
Grateful for any guidance
AMcL
Good Morning Arthur,
Thank you for your question. Our best advice will always be to sand back to bare wood and start again as this will give the best results for both appearance and longevity.
However I certainly appreciate that this is not always a viable option for people and so if you can give the surface a really good clean, perhaps a light sand if possible, and then wipe over with Barrettine Methylated Spirits this will give a reasonable base for application of an oil such as Rustins Danish Oil.
A test area should be carried first to ensure good uptake of the oil and to ensure that you like the finish that will be achieved. The Danish Oil will give a warm tone to the wood and as a natural oil will require regular maintenance to keep up the protective quality of the finish.
I hope that helps and if you have any further questions please do not heistate to get in touch via our contact us page.
All the Best Samantha.
Hello,
I’d be most grateful for any advice you can offer on my flooring situation. Essentially we had a flood and the old floorboards are now being ripped out to help aid the drying of our property.
-Do you have any advice on the sort of place I should purchase new pine floorboards which will remain exposed, it doesn’t seem like placing new pine floors down to remain exposed is as common (more exposing and sanding old boards) and I want to ensure a quality timber.
-Once laying the planks on the joists could I place a layer of foil backed foam underneath (to aid in some insulation). the house is Victorian with air bricks that do create a draft and cool the boards underfoot. I figure if you can lay insulation on top for a floating hardwood floor, why not underneath the floorboards?
-Lastly should I oil/stain the boards on all six sides (i.e before laying should I oil the underside)?
Many thanks, you’ve been so helpful with everyone on here.
Good Afternoon Jason,
I really wish I could help you with the first part of your enquiry, however this is not our field of expertise. I would recommend speaking to some local builders who are more likely to have some knowledge of the best suppliers of floor boards. And perhaps the forums for fitting and insulating advice.
I am however able to help with what to protect and finish those boards with when you have them. Hard Wax Oils are great for floor finishes, they are durable, hard wearing, easy to apply and to maintain. Application to all sides before fitting is an option and can help to prolong the life of the wood and prevent warping if the property has some natural dampness. Is there a dramatic benefit of application to the underside of the boards, this is debatable, for most it is not an option and really does not have any kind of dramatic impact on the life or protection of the wood, so I would say that perhaps not necessary to treat the underside. I would however consider doing the sides and the ends, this will give a good all over even appearance and should any spillages occur in gaps or between boards, the wood is protected.
Which product to go for will depend on the condition of the wood, as well as type and what you would like it to look like. Perhaps as you get to this stage you could get in touch with further details via our contact us page and I can narrow down some options for you to consider.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi there,
I wonder if you could help – I chose too dark a stain, it was a very bright day when I chose the colour but now so wish I’d have chosen a lighter colour! It was done nearly a year ago. Original victorian pine floorboards.
Thank you! 🙂
Good Morning Caz,
Lightening once a dark colour has been applied will be difficult, and really the best way to achieve this will be to sand back to bare wood and start again. You will find that aged wood will be more likely to absorb more of the product you apply and so in turn more pigment, giving a stronger or darker tone. If you would like to get in touch with our friendly team of advisers via our contact us page, and they will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi there, we had our pine floors sanded and re-stained two years ago. We are just coming out of winter and have large cracks down the middle of the pine floor boards. Is this normal? What should be done?
Hi Liz,
Can you tell me if the boards were covered previously and you have exposed and treat them? Or any structural changes have occurred with in the property. Temperature and humidity changes over time can cause wood to swell, shrink or crack although if the wood is well established this should not occur generally, unless something has changed to cause it.
Feel free to email me directly at wfd.advice@wood-finishes-direct.com with further details and some photos and I will be happy to take a look, although my knowledge is limited, in structure I may be able to guide you in the right direction.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi,
We’ve recently moved into a converted Victorian school house which has red pine floorboards. They have been covered by a carpet for years and look to have a few layers of varnish or oil on them but otherwise in a good condition. We’ve sanded back a little section to check what they’re like underneath and they are still a little dark with a red hint.
I’m not after a whitewashed look but wondered what would be the best product to just knock the colour back a little bit to make them a little lighter and less red?
I forgot to say the whole room is red brick so with the red wood floor it’s a bit of a red overload. We’re planning on moving the kitchen into it to do a kitchen/dinning room.
Thank you.
Good Afternoon Jo,
Its a common request with Pine, to reduce the red or orange that is naturally coming through and I won’t lie this can be difficult, particularly with aged Pine. We have a great range of white products and in another blog “Beautiful White Wood Finishes for Dreamy Interiors” which has some really useful tips for achieving various different levels of white, and there is a list of options for products to consider using.
You can start with oils from the Osmo range including Osmo Polyx Oil Tints 3040 that will penetrate the surface of the wood to give a well protected, very subtle white hue to the wood. With all Osmo product only two very thin coats are required and should you require a slightly more intense white, then one coat of the Osmo Wood Wax Finish Transparent followed by one coat of the Osmo Tints Oil 3040 for adequate protection. And both of these are available in sample sizes as test areas are very important.
If the wood is well sanded then you may get a good result, however the fact that the wood has been covered for a period of time and if they are original to the age of the property, you may find that the oil enhances those natural tones, even with the white pigment. The best thing to do is try your test area and if they are not what you are looking for feel free to come back to me via our website >>> contact us page for some further advice.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi
we are just having our pine floors sanded and varnished. although we like a darker oil finish the guy has advised us against this and said to us a natural finish. he said it will scratch too easily and we will quickly end up with lota of marks. is this correct. i am not a great fan of the light pine finish.
thanks
miranda
Good Afternoon Miranda,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. It is fair to say that an oiled finish is not as long lasting or perhaps as durable as a varnished finish. That said it is a suitable floor finish and will stand up to everyday use. The benefits of having an oiled floor, apart from the more natural look and feel, is that is it easier to maintain and repair should the need arise.
So as the oil wears over time you are able to apply a refresher coat of oil, with out the need to sand back and start again. If damage is caused to an area this can be lightly sanded and re oiled with out the need to sand the whole floor back, this is far harder with varnish which although more durable can still be marked if for example furniture is scrapped across it.
So there are pros and cons to both finishes and it really depend on what better suits your needs. The finish will vary slightly also, so an oil that penetrates the wood, will darken the wood more than a water based varnish, it will highlight the natural tones of the wood, so can make Pine look orange if you use a clear oil.
To avoid this and still use and oil you are able to consider the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural which has a small amount of white pigment in it to counteract the darkening or consider using a Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints which will add colour to the wood.
Two thin coats are all that is required on an oiled finish and test areas are strongly recommended as the wood you are applying to will impact on the finish that will be achieved. And if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hello, I have just had my Victorian pine floorboards sanded back and they now look far too pale. I applied two coats of the Osmo Polyx Oil – Raw, however they still look too pale. How do I get them looking more antique pine? Thanks
Good Afternoon Alex,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. The Osmo Polyx Oil Raw is designed to leave the wood as unchanged as possible, if you use a standard clear Osmo Polyx Oil this will darken the wood slightly to give what we call the ‘wet look’ and then to add colour there is the Osmo Polyx Oil Tints
All the above are available in sample sachets or tins and it is always worth carrying out a test area first as the wood that you are applying to will impact on the finish that will be achieved.
As you have now applied two coats of of the Raw the wood may not accept more oil,bu tit is worth trying a test area to see, as the wood is pine and slightly aged it may take a thin third coat of either the clear or tinted oils to achieve the desired finish.
For more advice please feel free to get in touch with one of our friendly advisers via our contact us page.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi,
I’m currently sanding my old pine floorboards that we’re last varnished 14 years ago. I’ve had an extension built where I’ve gone for oak effect ceramic tiles which meet the old floor boards in the centre of the new room. I’m planning on staining them to bring the colour more in line with the new tiles but I’m unsure what the best finish will be. Do I go for a clear varnish or should I go for a wax or oil finish? There are areas which will get much more wear than the majority of the rest of the floor but I think it will kill me if I need to resand the whole floor in another 15 years!
Good Afternoon Mary,
It would be fair to say that a varnish will last longer than an oil, but you are right it is harder to maintain and repair over time, with the need to sand back. An Oil will not last as long as a varnish, however once applied can easily be maintained with refresher coat or patch repairs for well worn areas, with out the need to strip back to bare wood each time.
I would recommend sample sachets to try test area first as the type, age and condition of the wood will impact on the colour and finish that will be achieved. The Blanchon Hard Wax Oil Tints will be a good place to start, these are oils that penetrate the surface of the wood and will give colour and protection and have a range of natural tones to choose from.
If you take a look at those and feel free to come back to me if you have any questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello Everyone
Please I have to cover an area in my flat with carpet. There is pine wood boards at the moment and I wonder which is the best underlay to put that will not affect the wood in the future if we remove the carpet (we have to put carpet for management building rules). Please do you have any ideas? Thank you.
Kind regards,
Susanna
Good Afternoon Susanna,
Its not questions I have had before and if I am honest I do not know the best answer to give you. It will be worth discussing with the carpet supplier if any glues are to be used, how these may impact on the wood. And it would be fair to say that being starved of air and oxygen for a period of time could have some impact on the wood, however many restored floors have been covered with carpets for years and have successfully been refurnished to a natural finish.
I wish I could be of more help on this, but I suspect that the y key issue will be any adhesive used.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi Sam,
I am having wide pine floors installed into my bedroom which now has carpet. The installer is having the pine wood delivered to my house next Tuesday and won’t be starting the installation until a week and a half later. My question is, does it really need to sit in my house that long to acclimate before he starts work on the floors? I ask because we are in the middle of a remodel and that amount of wood sitting in my hallway is going to take up A LOT of space and will be hard to get around. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks very much!
Hello Dawn,
There could be a lot of factors to consider that include the type age and condition of the wood, where it has been stored previous to being in your hallway and ideally getting used to the temperature in your house is a good thing, all that said, a week is not long to acclimatize, depending on the size and thickness of the boards. And so the it is not really going to be of much benefit. And the wood will still shift, swell and shrink naturally over long periods anyway.
I would not advice moving the wood to an exterior area, a week, again will not make much difference however exposure to cold, damp or moisture exterior areas or garden out building will not be of benefit.
For further advice please feel free to call and speak to one of our advisers on 01303 213 838.
Kind regards Samantha
I’ve been using OSMO Polyx oil on exterior fir doors for many years. Lately, the parts of the door that receive the most sun exposure are turning white(ish). The white appears to be the oil itself. What can I do? And should I start using a different product? Thanks.
Good Afternoon Lynn,
Can you send some photos of the area and the whole door to wfd.advice@wood-finishes-direct.com and I will take look for you to see if I can see what the problem is and how to rectify. If you can include details of actual product, date of application and method and anything else you feel may be relevant.
Many Thanks Samantha.
I just pulled up carpeting on my parent’s 97 yr old home on stairs going upstairs, the landing and one bedroom. The pine floors are original to the home and have never been sanded or finished. There is another bedroom of pine floors that has been sanded and stained that we will be redone also. I received 2 estimates from floor sanders–One estimate wants to apply 2 coats of oil base polyurethane after sanding. The other estimate wants to apply 1 coat of Natural oil stain, 1 coat of sealer and a water based finish. I don’t know which application is correct for a pine floor. The downstairs already has oak floors stained Natural and polyurethaned. Any advice on what should be done on floors. The house is being prepared before being put up for sale. Thank you for your help.
Good Afternoon Debbie,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. On oil based on Pine may give quite an orange result whereas the water based may change the colour of the pine less., Although the combination of Natural Oil Stain, followed by Sealer, and then a water based finish is not one I am familiar with, it could simply be the system required for a particular brand used.
Ideally you should get them you show you a test area of the finish, I know many contractors won’t do this but its the best way to get an idea of which finish you prefer and as Pine can sometimes be unpredictable , particularly older Pine.
In terms of durability, its difficult to say with out knowing the products they are using but water based finishes are pretty much equal to the older traditional oil based products now and can stand up to every day use very well, and over time may be easier to deal with down the line.
I am not sure I have been much help but feel free to get in touch with any further questions via the contact us page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
We have pine plank flooring in our living room and refinishing is LONG overdue.
The wood was originally bleached/pickled and some areas are very pale while other areas the grain and knots show through with a light woody brown.
I really don’t like the super light and kind of prefer the seasoned look where the grains come through and some of the boards have a range of color from a pinkish to tan to light brown. We are going to have the floor sanded and
1. I am afraid the sanding will take away the seasoned look and leave just the bleached look. How deep does bleaching go? i really want to see the grain.
2. Is is possible to sand off all the interesting “features”?
3. how do you choose between oil and water based poly? I really do NOT want to have a shiny polished orange tint, but I don’t want a washout either.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the option of seeing the floor after the sanding before I have to choose between oil and water based poly.
Thanks,
Diane
Good Afternoon Diane,
Thank you for getting in touch. You will not really know for sure until you sand the floor, what the result will be. Will sanding remove some of the features, possibly and its worth speaking to who ever you are going to get to sand the floor for you as they will be able to better say by looking at the wood what will happen.
Once sanded you are able to start trying test areas with product to get the look you want. If the wood is too pale after sanding you can look at applying colour, perhaps a coloured oil such as Osmo Polyx Oil Tints , this is a penetrative oil that is hard wearing and durable, easy to apply, clean and maintain. And is colour and protection with just two thin coats.
Alternatively for a wider range of colours you could have a look at stains from the Manns Pine Range Manns Classic Pine Stain these just give colour to the wood and test area are vital as the wood will impact on the colour to be achieved. This will then require a top coat for protection, either Varnish or Hard Wax oil.
For further advice our friendly team are available on 01303 213838.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello I am building a house . I would like wood floors . I am a single lady with a limited income so therefore I cannot afford much . I really like the look of the old pine floors so I am considering just getting some pine 1×8 or 1×10 pine planks from the hardware store . I didn’t really want to do the tongue and groove and I would like to distress them so they don’t look too smooth and new and since the house and building is kind of a cabin cottage style I want the wooden boards to fit in with that look. I do want to stain them and I like the look of the oil finish . My question to you is am I able to just go get some pine lumber and put that down as flooring and also what kind of finish should I put on it ? I have seen in previous comments that you recommend an oil finish which I like the look of, but how do you clean that?
Hello Bobbie,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. I am able to help with advice on treating your boards, you may need to seek further advice on the correct boards to use for your flooring as this is not something that I know a great deal about. However I would expect standard Pine planks to be suitable for flooring.
For the finish you could have a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil this is a durable finish that leaves the wood looking and feeling very natural in appearance. It soaks into the surface of the wood and is very durable, easy to apply, clean and maintain. It is also available in sample tins to allow you to try a test area first and I would recommend this as the type, age and condition of the wood all impact on the finish that will be achieved.
If you want to add a little suggestion of colour or even a complete colour change then the Tints range is the same product but with colour Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints and again sample sizes are available.
I hope that helps and if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi there,
When I sanded my own floors I found your website incredibly useful! Now I’m here with an issue: I sanded my original pine floorboards about a year and a half ago, after uncovering them for seemingly the first time. The property was built around 1890 and I believe the boards are original as they’re similar to others I’ve seen. After some deliberation I used the Osmo Polyx Oil throughout. Now a few of the boards have begun to split, some hairline and others broader. It’s been roughly a year and a half since I sanded and oiled the floor – is there anything you’d recommend for fixing the cracks? And why might this have been happening and what are the options for stopping this happening in the future?
Thanks.
Good Afternoon Laurence,
So am I right in thinking the floors have been carpeted up until you removed and sanded the floor?
A carpet will ensure that the wood is exposed to limited environmental factors such as UV and Moisture. The natural balance of humidity, temperature and use have all been help back from the wood by carpet and now that it is exposed it is being subjected to these elements and this is likely to be why you are getting the splits. The wood is moving and shifting under ts new conditions. I say this with an element of caution as I can not see the boards or now the full history of them and the house but I suspect that this is the case.
The product you have used is a good option and will keep out much of the moisture and nourish the wood, however the wood will still be impacted over time by natural environment, you can look at theOsmo Interior Wood Filler which is great for small repairs such as yours. I suspect if I am right in the cause of the shifting that it will settle after a time and movement will be to a minimum once it has settled.
I hope that helps and if you have any questions feel free to get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi, we have moved to a house where the main room has pine floorboards that are dark red. I hate the colour. Do we have to sand them to get rid of the colour or is there an easier way?
Good Afternoon Debbie,
Can you get in touch via our contact us page, with some further details please? If you can let me know the current finish oil or varnish ? And what look or colour you are hoping to achieve and I can advise from there.
Kind Regards Samantha.
I have seen several responses that say you do NOT want to use the OSMO raw on pine floors because the white in it turns all the auburn in the pine a pint color! HELP! want a matte finish on my pine that will not give it a pink color.
Hello Kathy,
Thank you for getting in touch. I am not sure where you have read that about the Osmo Polyx Oil Raw but it is the one I would recommend to try along side the Standard clear Osmo Polyx Oil. Testing both of these as alll wood is different. You can even get a different result with two similar pieces of Pine.
The Osmo Polyx oil Raw is designed to leave the wood looking as untouched as possible. It may highlight the natural pinks in your wood or it may not and you will only know for sure once you try a test area.
Sample sachets are available for this very purpose. A Clear oil will darken the wood very slightly and will give a slightly different result to the Raw.
You may find that a water based Varnish such as the Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish will highlight the colour even less and this varnish is also available in sample sizes.
If you take a look at those recommended and I am here to help if you have any questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi
I am about to move into a 1960’s house with pine floorboards, which I am going to have sanded. My question is , is there anyway of knowing how pale or dark the sanded wood is likely to be? I want to use a clear oil but i don’t want the wood to look very new and pale, like new pine. I have been Advised that tinted oils can make the pine too dark and not bring out the natural colour and grain of the wood.
Many thanks
Hello Laura,
You will not know for sure until the wood is sanded and cleaned and then you try some test areas. If you ensure that the wood is sanded to a 120 -150 grit, this is the ideal level for application of Hard Wax Oils.
The wood will impact on the colour and finish achieved and this is why I so often say ‘Test Areas’ so that you can ensure you like the colour before full application.
There are a great range of coloured oils to choose from including Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints there are 12 colours to choose from with the option to do two thin coats for a more intense colour or to do one coat of the tint followed by one coat of the clear.
There is also a good range of colours from Blanchon Hard Wax Oil Tints all natural tones and mostly quite light in finish. Oils will bring out the natural tones of the wood also and for Pine that can be red, orange or yellow.
I hope that helps some and if you have any questions at all you can get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind regards Samantha.
We are currently having our hall floor – pine floor (circa 1900) sanded, for the first time. It was previously carpeted. The wood is in very good condition and has come up well although they are struggling a bit with the areas of black stain along the skirting board where the sides were stained black originally to surround the rugs. We have been discussing the finish and it is proposed to oil it. The flooring guy doing it, who specialises in sanding and finishing floors, used three test samples near the front door and we chose the light brown one. It still looks the same after 24 hours. The floor is currently a pale pine without any orange. Can we be happy that it will not turn orange after the finishes are applied, given the test strips have not changed and there is no visible orange in the pine at present.
Hello Hazel- Mary,
You should definitely complete your test area with the top coat product that you are intending to use. You will often find that it is the application of the oil or varnish that highlights the natural orange of the wood, even if a stain has been applied and appears fine.
The black staining around the edges is a common problem in properties of this age and is a really difficult finish to remove. It is vital that you get rid of as much as possible as it will cause potential issues with follow on treatments.
I am here to help if you have any further questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello,
Looking to use tongue and groove ponderosa pine for a large floor.
Budget prohibits other wood types.
Plan is to stain very dark, blackish, then coat with water based poly.
Wondering though if since black stain, I could go with polyurethane and not get taht yellow look now or later? Was planning on highly thinning the first two coats to get best penetration possible, not sure if that is effective with water based stuff?
Good Afternoon Pat,
It will very much depend on the products you use and the wood. Pine will naturally yellow or orange when a product is applied, but with black you may not notice this so much. With some stains you can apply a number of coats to get a more intense black, Manns Classic Pine Stain or a naturally more intense stain such as the which only requires 1 or 2 coats.
The problem may come with a a top coat product as this is where the natural tones of the wood will be highlighted or the stain can go slightly red in colour. Full test areas are going to be vital to ensure you get a colour that you like. The top coat products generally should not be thinned as this can reduce the protective finish, it will depend on the product actually used. And for further advise please do not hesitate to get in touch via our contact us page
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi I have an old pine woodblock floor in my lounge which had been stained brown but now I want it sanded back to natural and then protected. The company who were going to do it came & sanded a small area and put an Osmo oil (for floors) onto it to show me the results – but the wood immediately turned orange which is totally not what I want! I’ve read through your info about pine flooring and would like to know if the Osmo Polyx Oil Raw (3044) you mention will definitely not make the boards go orange as well! Any advice gratefully received. Many thanks Alison
Thank you for getting in touch.
The Osmo Polyx Oil Raw is a great product to help retain the natural look of untreated wood, as it is designed to retain this appearance by using a small amount of white pigments to counteract the darker ‘damp-look’ that develops after application of a clear oil or varnish finish. This finish achieved with the Raw can sometimes vary depending on the history of the wood therefore test areas are strongly advised and the 5 ml sachets are perfect for testing. Throughout stirring all the way to the bottom of the tin is advised to ensure all ingredients are mixed.
We recommend to apply the 2 very thin coats of oil with a brush and microfibre cloth to work the oil into grain and wipe off any excess. I can not guarantee that the wood will not go orange, however this is the best product to avoid that.
You could also consider the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural which is a very similar type of product.
Let me know if you have any further questions and always try a test area first.
Kind regards Samantha.
I have a large room (10m x 6m), which is going to be used as a lounge and dining room. We have just sanded the pitch pine floors and there are a few stains from years gone by but I don’t mind that. I am not sure what is the best treatment for them, I am getting conflicting advice from various friends, decorators, joiners etc. on the benefits of Osmo oil versus varnish. What would be the best option? I would hate to have to sand the floor again!! Thanks
Hello Kirsten,
Its not surprising that you are getting a different advice both Hard Wax Oils and Varnishes have their Pros and Cons. Choosing the right one can be difficult but we do have sample sizes and I would strongly recommend these. I can recommend Osmo Polyx Oil and Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish
Varnish is a longer lasting and more durable finish, it is a surface sealer which means a plastic like layer on top of the wood. It will protect the wood well with a slightly reflective finish, with the exception of the matt. The down side is it is hard to patch repair and over time certain areas that wear quicker will show more so than an oil and you are likely to need to sand back to bare wood in order to retreat.
Hard Wax Oils are still very durable and suitable for floor finishes, they are just not as hard wearing as a varnish. They look much more natural on the wood allowing you to feel the texture of the wood or be very smooth depending on what you would like. They soak into the surface of the wood and dry hard and so are less reflective which is why they tend to look more natural. The big benefit of and oil is that you do not need to sand back and start again when the wood needs a refresh. Patch repairs can blend seamlessly and when you feel the floor is in need of it you are able to re oil. Simply ensure the surface is clean and dry, carry out a test area and then re apply a fresh coat. How often will depend on how much the room is used.
So both can be considered it just depends on which better suits your needs short and long term.
I hope this helps and if you have any questions at all please do let me know, you can get in touch via our contact us page.
All the Best Samantha.
Hi, Samantha.
My wife and I recently purchased an apartment in Berlin which has two different types of flooring. The living room and master bedroom have fishbone parquet, whereas the other rooms had simple floorboards. The previous owners had painted the floorboards white (which we didn’t like at all) and oiled the fishbone (which we loved).
Before we moved in, we had the floorboards sanded and varnished, telling the company that we wanted the new look to “match” the fishbone in colour as closely as possible. However, after they finished, the new floorboards (which the company tells us are scotch pine) are a bit lighter and redder than the deeper brown of the fishbone.
I’m wondering how the scotch pine will age over time. Whether we can expect that they will brown/darken with age and, if so, how long we would expect that to take. We are currently shopping for furniture and the future tone of the floors will affect our decision on the pieces we buy.
Any insight into this would be much appreciated. And thanks in advance!
Good Afternoon Nicholas,
Colour matching different woods, with different layouts/designs can be difficult, but not impossible. Pine can look beautifully pale when sanded and then once you apply a finishing product, particularly a clear one it will highlight the natural tones in the wood, with pine this can be red, yellow or Pink or somewhere in between, and this is probably what is showing through on your floor. It will change over time slightly but not I suspect to the deeper brown that you are hoping for.
I know this is not the perhaps the answer that you hope for and if you have any questions at all please do let me know.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi, we’ve recently pulled up some carpets in our house (built around 1910) and are planning on getting the boards sanded. There is also some patching to be done where an old fireplace has been removed and filled with concrete. Some of the wood is original, some is around 50/60 years old. I’d like a whitewash effect as I’m not a fan of orange pine, what products would you recommend? Thanks in advance ?
Hello Cara,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. My advice would be to get a range of sample sachets first, Osmo Polyx Oil Tints 3040 White, Osmo Polyx Oil Raw and Osmo Wood Wax Finish Transparent are all good starting points and we also have a very helpful blog on Beautiful White Finishes for Dreamy Interiors which is well worth a read.
White of Pine can be difficult and in some cases will highlight the orange rather than disguise it and this is why your test areas are so important. See how you get on with the above and get back to me via our contact us page if you have any further questions.
Kind Regards Samantha.
I am a little confused over the difference between maritime and pitch pine floorboards. Is there a difference?
Hello Shelly,
Thank you for getting in touch these are just two of the possible pines that you are able to get. And they range in colour, but it would be fair to say that nearly all Pine is a pale soft wood that can be used for a wide variety of projects including flooring.
If you would like further advice or some guidance on how to protect your flooring then feel free to get in touch via our contact us page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hello,
We live in a 110 year old farmhouse. Ten years ago I stripped the original pine floors, hand sanded them, and finished with tung oil. Also patched a lot of holes as they were heavily damaged. To say the least they have a ton of “character.” And they are beautiful.
No we are selling this house and building. I have done a lot of research, and am very tempted to get tung oiled Eastern White Pine flooring from a reputable company all through the main floor, including bathrooms, but everyone says I will regret it due to the softness. In fact, everyone thinks I would be insane to get pine. We have two big dogs. I love the pine samples I have received, and also love a floor with character. Don’t like flooring that looks perfect and embalmed. On the other hand I don’t want a floor with more wear with in one area than another. It gets harder over time, yes, but when??? I do love the idea of solid wood, and the idea of a floor that gets better with age vs. one that looks its best the day you lay it.
I’m also intrigued by the Osmo product that prevents the orange-ing effect. What are your thoughts on this product vs. tung oil? I would love to get the wire-brushed matte look in a distressed pine. Any thoughts on the should-I or shouldn’t I with new construction?
Thank you so much
Good Morning Stephanie,
It would be fair to say that Pine is a soft wood and there is the possibility with larger dogs that it will mark and dent over time, even with the most durable of finishes. That said Pine it is regularly used for flooring and so is able to with stand everyday use. And will over time get that aged rustic look to it, how long will this take, its impossible to say. All wood is different even two pines can react in a different way, and of course it very much depends on how much the floor is used.
Preventing the Pine from going orange can be difficult as the orange comes from the natural tone of the wood and is highlighted when a product is applied. For the most natural look and the least chance of orange you could have a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural this is a clear oil that contains a minute amount of white pigment to counter act the darkening effect that highlights the orange or yellow.
Its a great product for protecting the wood, whilst still leaving it looking and feeling very natural. If you take a look and feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Always try a test area first.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello,
Before moving into our Victorian terraced house we had the pine floorboards sanded and they were meant to be finished with Osmo Polyx Oil in Amber. The person we hired didn’t complete the job and we believe one watered down coat of clear varnish was put on the floorboards. Of course we are speculating because we have had no contact with the person who was supposed to finish the job. The floors are pretty raw but with a very slight sheen. We really want the Osmo Polyx oil but we are afraid that we are going to have to sand the house again to remove this very thin layer of varnish. I have done some patch testing and the Osmo Polyx Oil just sits on the surface in some areas and soaks into the wood in others. We have also patch tested some varnish remover which was very effective in removing the varnish with just one coat. Do you suggest using the varnish remover for the rest of the floorboards? Or does this effect the finish of the Osmo Polyx Oil? It seems like a lot of hard work but we really want to avoid having to sand again. Or is sanding the easiest option?
Thank you in advance,
Erin
Good Afternoon Erin,
I will not lie, sanding is going to be the best option and will give the best preparation and finish to the wood for application of the Osmo Polyx Oil If there is only one coat of the varnish then this should not be too much work.
Using a stripper is a viable option and one that you can use to effectively strip the varnish and as the floors were varnished before you may well get away with an even finish. As you have tried a test area with the remover, I would then recommend a test area of the oil here also. You can wipe the surface with Methylated Spirits first to remove any residual grease or dirt and then try the oil to see if there is any impact from the area being stripped.
I would not expect there to be an issue with the stripper as long as it is all cleaned away affectingly and you are left with a totally bare clean wood.
I am happy to help if you have any questions and we do have some very helpful videos on You Tube that will help with your project >>> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-tgwbsUxm73aVnAjLGHRA?view_as=subscriber
Always carry out a test area first.
Kind regards Samantha.
I’ve been reading your correspondence and am very impressdd with your advice. I know this web site is concerned with pine floors but I have just bought a 1950s bungalow, remove the carpet from the living room and revealed an original herring-bone parquet floor and wonder what type of wood it is likely to be made from and how to treat it.
Hello Gary,
If you would like to send me a photo I will happily take a look and offer some advice, you can email me via helpme@wood-finishes-direct.com.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello,
I’m wondering if you can help me. Having moved into a bungalow and removed the carpets, we found some lovely pine floorboards. We’ve sanded them and treated them with Osmo Polyx Oil Raw. However, the floors are getting dirty (just a couple of month later) and I’m unable to remove the marks with normal cleaning. Have we not used enough oil? We did wipe some away because of white streaks. I’m wondering if we should change our choice of protection or apply more oil?
Thank you,
Tara
Good Morning Tara,
Osmo Polyx Oil Raw is a great product for flooring to give an untouched look and feel. If it is marking easily this could be the result of over or under application So under application will result in not enough protection for the wood and a further thin coat can be applied.
Over application is when the oil as not soaked into the surface as it should and dried. These oils require very thin application to bare wood and they must soak into the surface and cure to a hard finish, if they dry on the surface of the wood they become susceptible to easy marking and staining.
Is it possible for you to get in touch via our contact us page, with some more information about your floor, how it was prepared and to what grit is was sanded ? What application method you used and how much of the oil you used over what area. This will all help me to work out what may be happening to your floor and offer some advice to get a resolution. Perhaps some photos as well.
I look forward to to hearing from you.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi there, help….we have sanded our pine floors and not there is grey patches in and around the grain and on the boards…is there a way to clean these before we apply the primer and varnish?
Good Morning Colin,
I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Are you able to send me any photos or the effected areas and I will be happy to take a look and make some suggestions. You can get in touch via our contact us page.
I look forward to hearing from you.
All the Best Samantha.
Hello,
Thank you for this incredibly helpful website! We are having the pine floorboards in our Victorian house sanded and probably stained. I would be grateful if you could let me know what sort of finish you would recommend for a family with a dog? Would prefer if the finish looked natural rather than glossy…
Thanks so much!
Hello Helen,
My apologies for the delay in answering your enquiry. There are two products that you could take a look at, the first will give a more natural look and feel to the wood and is easy to clean, maintain and repair, Fiddes Hard Wax Oil It is slightly less durable for everyday wear and tear than a varnish will be however is far more beneficial when it comes to repairs, particularly with claw marks and the like.
The varnish option will be slightly harder to repair should the need arise, but will be more hard wearing and the Manns Extra Tough Floor Varnish is a popular choice with a range of sheens levels from Matt to High Gloss.
If you would like to take a look at these products and feel free to get back to me if you have any questions about them, we do also have some very helpful videos on our You Tube Channel >>> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-tgwbsUxm73aVnAjLGHRA?view_as=subscriber with hints and tip for preparation and application.
Always try a test area first and both of the above are available in sample sizes.
Kind regards Samantha.
Gday Sam
Am laying a pine floor and was going to use a water base finish,until I read about your
Oil finishes. Do you think one is better than the other? The oil will tend to be a little darker than the water finish and as far as durability,is one better than the other?
Thanks
Michael
Hello Michael,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. Oils are often recommended because they not only give a very protective finish, but also give a natural look and feel. Further benefits are the ease of maintenance, just ensure the surface is clean and dry and apply a refresher coat when the wood is ready to receive it.
It does very much depend on the project, type of wood and finish that you are looking to achieve. Water based varnishes have improved greatly in the past few years to give more durable and longer lasting finishes.
I hope that helps.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi, I have read all the advice here which has been really useful.
I’m going to install a new softwood floor to my whole flat including bathroom and kitchen. I saw the advice to use Osmo wood protector in the bathroom before the finish, would this also be worth while in the kitchen?
I’d like the final colour to be dark in all rooms, understanding that I can achieve this with either a stain before the finish product or a by using a tinted finish product. What I’m unsure of is if I were to use a tinted oil and used it to patch repair / maintenance, wouldn’t this be vulnerable to patchiness in the colour? More layers = stronger colour?
And would this not also be an issue with sanding down a tinted varnish and re-varnishing the floor after 5-10 years?
Thanks!
Good Afternoon Aja,
You are right in your thinking that coloured finishes can be slightly problematic years down the line. How much will depend on a number of factors that include which products you have used, how much exposure to the sun there is and foot traffic, particularly areas that wear away quicker such as door ways. It would be fair to say the darker the colour the longer it will last but it can also be difficult to match after a time.
These problems can arise with both an oiled finish and a varnished finish. It is fair to say that an oil finish will be much easier to deal with and patch repair should the need arise.
In regards to the Osmo WR Base Coat this can be used in both the Bathroom and the Kitchen to give that extra level of protection from the changing temperatures and humidity that you can experience in both these rooms.
I hope that help sand if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind Regards Samantha.
The pine floors in my early 1900s home are very dark where the carpet has been removed. I love the color but want to protect the floors. They are almost black. I haven’t sanded or used any chemical cleaner.
Hello Crystal,
Its a difficult one as the wood is likely to need a clean in order to apply a finish, this will help to prevent adhesion problems with varnish or penetration problems with an oil. However cleaning the floor may change the colour that you have. I would be happy to take a look at some photos if you want to email them to wood@finishes.direct with as much information as possible, such as what the current finish is?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi I have Baltic pine in a 1830’s Georgia. House, apparently Baltic pine has a fiercesome tendency to turn orange if varnished, I want to keep it as original as possible but as hard wearing as possible also. After I sand it down what would you recommend doing and which product would you use? Also how many coats?
Many thank
Good morning Peter,
Many Pines will have an orange tinge to them, when products are applied it brings out the natural tones of the wood as well as the grain. There are a couple of products that you could try. Fiddeas Hard Wax Oil Natural or the Osmo Polyx Oil Raw these are both clear oils that offer great protection to the floor, leaving it looking and feeling very natural.
They also contain a minute amount of white pigment that counteract the darkening effects of a standard clear oil. This may help also to reduce the orange tone, you will need to try test area first however to check for this. They both require application to bare wood that has been sanded to around 120 – 150 grit, two coats very thinly applied should the test area give you the results required. The other alternative will be to consider applying a coloured oil such as the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints. Again a test area should be done first.
We have some very helpful videos on our YouTube Channel that offer advice on preparation and application.
I hope that helps some and if you have any questions do not hesitate to let me know.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello
I live in a typical semidetached Victorian house built in 1901. We have wooden flooring throughout the downstairs rooms. The kitchen is currently tiled, on top of plywood, which is laid on top of the original floorboards.
We are having a side return extension to the kitchen built and hope to match the existing flooring. How can I identify what type of flooring we have? Pine/pitch pine? And then find flooring to match? The present boards are 14cm wide and 2.2cm in depth.
I’m planning to get the extension boarded then sand both the existing kitchen floorboards and the extension boards together, then oil to achieve the same finish as the rest of the house.
Good Afternoon Claire,
Thank you for your enquiry, this is not an area that I have great knowledge on. What I can tell you is that matching floor boards is not easy. Even if you are able to work out what the current wood is and get the same, chances are it will react differently to treatments because it will have been exposed to different environments, as an example it may have been totally exposed for years where yours has been covered. It may have had various treatments applied over the years or had chemical strippers or cleaners used. Age will also impact on the wood and if you apply the same product to a 100 year old pine board as you do to a 30 year old board you are likely to get a variance of some degree.
I don’t want to put you off as it is not impossible to get a close finish and I will be happy to help with advice on which products may meet you needs and help bring the boards close in finish. You can email me and let me know how you got on with the project and for any treatment advice on wood@finishes.direct.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi Claire, I would be very interested to hear if / how you resolved this as I have exactly the same problem ? -matching the ground floor flooring as closely as possible when laying the new boards in an extension.
Kind regards
Jack
Hi Sam
Love all your advice and wish i’d found this site before oiling my floors! I have just used Osmo oil clear Matt on newly sanded old (1920’s) pine floorboards. They were only done over the past few days but have made the floor very bright. Not so much orange but like a very warm very bright wood colour. We’ve done 2 coats.It’s brighter than I hoped for and I was wondering 2 things 1) how do you know if the floor is too saturated for another coat and b) what would happen if I used one of the lightening oils like osmo raw or Fiddes natural over it? Am wondering if this could dull if down a bit and look more natural again
Thanks so much
Hello Jane,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. You can carry out a simple oil test to see how saturated the wood currently is. Out a drop of the oil on an inconspicuous area of the floor and leave for 1 hour. If the oils soaks in or moves it may be possible to apply a further coat. If it remains unmoved then chances are your wood is saturated. Once you have this information you can consider how to move forward with your project.
Applying the Osmo Polyx Oil Raw can dull down the colour but if it does it is likely to have a minimal effect and I would recommend a test area first.
If you need any further advice please do feel free to email me direct on wood@finishes.direct
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi, I am restoring the pine floorboards in a bathroom – they had been covered in plywood with cork tiles on top. They have been sanded to death and I applied Osmo natural which turned the boards intense orange. I also tried Blanchon environment oil in natural which was much more acceptable to I stripped back and started again. The thing is, now that I’m treating the entire floor, rather than just a sample area, the application has gone on very patchy – some of the oil goes straight in and some sits on the surface looking milky and taking longer to dry. (I have thoroughly stirred it) Once dry I am left with a very patchy finish.
I am wondering if something was applied to the floor in the past, such as a glue product that has soaked into the wood and can’t be sanded out. Do you have any other suggestions?
If I persevere and I’m not happy with the end result, how difficult would it be to apply a paint finish?
Hello Jane,
I am sorry to hear that you have had this problem. I will be happy to take a look at some photos and see if I can make some helpful suggestions for you. If you can send me some photos of the whole floor and the effected areas as well as much detail about the project, application and preparation. You can email me at wood@finishes.direct and I’ll do my best to help you move forward with your project.
Kindest Regards Samantha.