Floor Stain Does Not Penetrate

This can also happen if the wood wasn t stripped and sanded completely down to bare wood since the stain will sit on the surface rather than soaking into the wood.

Floor stain does not penetrate.

Use a rag or paint roller to apply a penetrating stain. Penetrating stains are not designed to sit on the surface. Over sanding the wood smooth can also cause a problem when using penetrating stains because you close the grain of the wood and it becomes difficult for the stain to penetrate. If the surface is sealed or has some kind of wax or other coating it is advisable to use sandpaper to remove the top layer of the surface which is coated.

Try to apply as even a coating as possible. Basically conditioner will stabilize the wood to allow stain to penetrate more evenly. With sherwin williams stain colors you can let the natural wood shine through match grain colors or cover unsightly blemishes. Penetrating wood stains are not intended to be a surface finish.

If applied too thickly they won t dry properly and will remain tacky to the touch. Carefully vacuum up dust and grit from the sanding process and then wipe down the floor with a tack cloth to pick up any remaining dust. Most people will spend some time applying stains to the surface before they realize that the stain is not penetrating. Quickly brush or wipe on the conditioner let it penetrate and wipe it off just like stain.

Dark splotches show up when stain pigments become lodged in areas of grain that are more open. More on gel stains. If you happen to spread it too thickly or you forget to wipe off excess the material that remains on. Stain manufacturers will recommend their own conditioners.

One test is to wipe your board with mineral spirits. Choose an option below to learn more about how stain colors help create design harmony throughout your home. Usually lightly wiping the stain with a rag and solvent allowing adequate dry time and applying new stain. Whether you are installing a new hardwood floor refinishing an old one or just keeping your existing floor looking as good as new minwax has a full range of products to make and keep your floors beautiful.

But the best test is to apply stain to a sample of the wood you re using. The best way to fix the problem is to check the surface on which the stain is applied. Clean the surface of the floor. Unlike deep penetrating liquid stains gel stains hold their dye in suspension photo below so it can t oversaturate absorbent areas of the wood depending on the formula however some gel stains still produce high contrast between earlywood and latewood in pine photo below.

Giving your home a perfect color palette goes beyond paint. Unfortunately it s not easy to tell which boards this will affect. Follow the grain of the wood. Spots that are prone to blotching show up darker.