Was I Serious About Refinishing My Newly Finished Floors? Here’s The Truth…

Once I mentioned two days in the past that I used to be going to refinish my newly completed crimson oak hardwood flooring to make them lighter, the overwhelming majority of individuals thought that I used to be truly being severe about that. Y’all know me nicely. I’m the queen of the redo. If I’m not 100% glad with one thing, I typically don’t have any downside in any respect turning proper round and redoing it. However there have been a couple of individuals who thought I used to be joking. I get it. In any case, I did submit that on April 1st, so it could have been an ideal April Idiot’s joke.

However what stunned me essentially the most was the overwhelming constructive response I received. I assumed that I’d get a lot extra pushback than I did. The very first thing I mentioned to my mother once we sat down for lunch yesterday was, “Did you see the responses I received on that submit?! Virtually everybody mentioned I ought to go for it!” She was relatively shocked, too. She and I had already talked about it, and he or she was additionally anticipating an entire lot extra pushback on the thought of me redoing such a giant undertaking that truly turned out actually fairly.

So was I severe, or was it an April Idiot’s joke? I’m fairly positive 100% of you truly know the reply to that.

I used to be very severe. The truth is, earlier than I wrote that submit, I had already sanded down a few of the flooring contained in the washer cupboard simply to see how exhausting it could be to get the end off of the ground. I figured if I chickened out, not less than it could be hidden underneath the washer and nobody would ever see it.

However now I’ve handed the purpose of no return. Yesterday, after I completed the entire wooden filling on the entire cupboards, I spent about half-hour sanding the end off of the ground proper up towards the cupboards in order that I can get the baseboards hooked up at this time.

I don’t must have the entire flooring sanded at this level, and I received’t be sanding the entire flooring with my 5-inch orbital sander. 😀 However earlier than I can connect the baseboards, I not less than wanted to get the areas proper up towards the cupboards sanded. So long as these areas are sanded, I can transfer ahead with my plans to sand, prime, and paint the cupboards (hopefully this weekend), after which I can come again to the flooring a bit later.

So final evening, after I completed engaged on the closet, I began watching movies of various folks refinishing their crimson oak hardwood flooring with a pure end in order that I might resolve precisely what I wish to do with mine. What I made a decision virtually instantly is that I’ll be utilizing Bona merchandise this time round. These appear to be the most well-liked merchandise used to get a pure end on crimson oak flooring.

However that solely narrows it down a bit of bit. That’s form of like deciding to make use of Minwax stain to stain your dresser. Narrowing down the model nonetheless leaves you with about 50 choices of stain colours. Bona has so many nice merchandise, and there are many totally different variations that individuals use to get that pure end. So I’m nonetheless attempting to resolve precisely which merchandise I wish to use. I’ll present you the three that appear to be the most well-liked to get a lightweight, pure end. I’ve taken some screenshots from my favourite movies to point out you, and these are all crimson oak flooring.

And right here’s what they regarded like after sanding and with the Bona NordicSeal and Bona TrafficHD in a satin end.

They used Bona NaturalSeal adopted by Bona TrafficHD, and right here’s what it regarded like after…

It’s actually exhausting to inform what the actual coloration is from a screenshot of a video, however to me, these flooring appear like they nonetheless have fairly a little bit of crimson to them. I feel these flooring are lovely, however I actually don’t need that a lot crimson in my completed flooring.

And right here’s the ground with Bona NaturalSeal adopted by Bona TrafficHD…

That one doesn’t have that crimson undertone to it although the video description says that it’s crimson oak. And evidently, based on the outline, they didn’t do something particular to take away these crimson undertones.

And right here’s what it seems like with Bona NaturalSeal and Bona TrafficHD.

I do see a little bit of crimson undertone in that one, however it’s not too overwhelming. I feel it seems very nice and impartial. And once more, it doesn’t seem to be they took any particular steps to take away the crimson undertones from the crimson oak.

I haven’t discovered any examples of the ClearSeal on crimson oak flooring, however I’d actually prefer to see an instance of it. I feel the ClearSeal could also be a comparatively new product that used to have a unique identify. I’ve seen a few movies (like this one) that use a coloration known as ClassicSeal which has that center coloration outlined on the container, so maybe ClearSeal has changed ClassicSeal. I’m undecided if it’s the identical coloration with a unique identify, or if it’s a unique coloration altogether. And in that individual video, he didn’t particularly say that his flooring is crimson oak, though it seems like crimson oak to my untrained eye.

I’m fairly positive I’ve dominated out the NordicSeal. It’s simply too white for my style, and I concern that it’s a bit too fashionable proper now. I truly do like for wooden to have a bit of heat to it, so from what I’ve seen, I’d lean extra in direction of the NaturalSeal. However I actually wish to see an instance of ClearSeal on crimson oak earlier than I make my ultimate determination.

Bona additionally has a product known as Pink Out that bleaches out the crimson undertones from crimson oak flooring. Whatever the end I take advantage of, I’m about 99% positive that I’ll begin with the Pink Out first in order that I don’t take an opportunity of these crimson/orange undertones coming via on the ultimate end. That’s a two-step course of that appears to be comparatively fast and simple. You merely roll Half 1 of the product onto the ground, and earlier than it’s dry utterly, you roll on Half 2 of the product on the ground and let it dry naturally. Because it dries, it removes the crimson. And you’ll repeat these steps once more if wanted.

So all of that to say that sure, I used to be severe, as most of you knew very nicely. And if in case you have any expertise with Bona merchandise, particularly the ClearSeal that I couldn’t discover any examples of on crimson oak, I’d love to listen to what you must say about them!

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.