Staining happens after the floor is sanded to bare wood and before the protective finish. It can warm up a pale floor, quiet an orange cast, or move a room toward a deeper, darker look.
Stain is colour, finish is protection
Colourants change the appearance of wood; the compatible sealer and finish system provides wear protection. Products work differently, so preparation, compatibility and application follow the chosen system's guidance.
Why species matters
- Red oak has open grain and pink-to-amber undertones that tend to show through mid-tone stains.
- White oak takes stain evenly and suits greige, brown and darker tones; it reads cooler than red oak.
- Maple and birch are dense and can absorb stain unevenly, causing blotching. They often look best natural or with very careful colour work.
If you're not sure what species you have, that's normal. We identify it during the assessment.
Samples on your floor
A stain card is printed on paper; your floor is wood that has aged in your house. Once the floor is sanded, we apply small test patches of the colours you're considering, ideally in more than one spot so you can see them near a window and away from it. Look at them in daylight and in the evening under your own lighting before deciding.
Sheen options
Sheen is set by the protective finish, not the stain. Matte and satin are forgiving with everyday scratches, dust and footprints. Semi-gloss and gloss give a more reflective, formal look but show more of the surface. Darker stains combined with higher sheen show the most dust.
What colour can and can't do
- Stain can't fully hide deep stains or patched boards; darker colours sometimes help, sometimes highlight.
- Very dark colours show dust, pet hair and scratches more readily.
- Pale pigments and tinted sealers can create lighter effects. The achievable colour depends on the wood, product system and samples on the floor; a particular result is not guaranteed.
- Matching an adjacent floor exactly is difficult when species or age differ. We'll tell you how close we think we can get.
Samples help establish the achievable result before a colour is chosen.
Suitability references
Bona's professional finish guidance describes finish and colour-system options. The National Wood Flooring Association's refinishing guidance explains why remaining wood and floor condition matter. These are general references, not product promises.
Before you decide
Staining is always part of a sanding and finishing project, so read how sanding works and our preparation guide. Colour affects time too: stain needs to dry before the first coat of finish, which the cost guide covers alongside other scope factors.