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NY Good Questions: Stain Color for the Kitchen Floor?

2.1room.jpgHello AT,

Please help us with our floor/cabinet dilemma:

We're in the middle of a remodel and our condo has dreadful yellow ash floors.

They have a grain pattern like the ones in the picture to the left, except they're slightly yellow/blonde-ish...

 
 
(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first.)

We wanted to give them some color, perhaps a medium brown, but we're learning that staining ash really brings out the grain.

This would be fine except for the fact that we just invested (heavily) in new Poggenpohl kitchen cabinets in their "Teak" finish, which has a distinctively different grain, more of a mid-c look.

As you can see from the photo, they look great against a light palette, but I'm having trouble visualizing them with a dark floor.

Our concern is that if we stain the floors, we'll have two very different looking woods that either clash or compete with one another. Or just too much grain going on.

So, to avoid that, we're wondering if it's possible to darken the floors without highlighting the grain. I've heard that using aniline dyes instead of stain can accomplish a more matte/uniform finish.

The other option we're considering is to keep them light, but but try to get rid of the yellowish tint, but don't know how to accomplish that either. Is bleach or "whitewashing" the way to go?

Any opinions on which way to go with the floor (light or dark) and advice on how to achieve either would be much appreciated.

Thanks! Sataglie

Comments (7)

Bleaching/ and or Pickling a wood is "tricky"- only done by some one very exerienced...and- the chemicals involved (Oxcalic Acid) are VERY toxic- so be forewarned.
Same thing for Analine Dyes (tricky-ness!) (which TOTALLY impregnates the woods pores- "stain" is a diluted Paint- that stays on the surface, more or less!)
I like Analine Dyes- they can be UV sensitive, too!- if you have bright direct day light- the colors- especially BLACK- can "shift".

Why not- Gray?
A kinda blue gray- like an Old Ladies hairdo- but w/ some tones of brown, beneath.
Look at some of Snaidero's colors.....
http://www.snaiderochicago.com/developments.html

posted by ManofSteel on February 1st 2008 at 11:35am
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Wouldn't contrasting woods be preferable to nearly but not quite matched woods?

posted by Szig on February 1st 2008 at 11:41am
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ManofSteel & Szig-

Thanks for your comments.

ManofSteel: We were considering a light grey kitchen, but ended up ordering the teak as pictured. It's already on its way from the manufacturer, so no looking back there.

There is direct light on the upper floor of the condo (skylights). Does anyone have experience w/analine dyes and the "shifting" described?

Szig: Regarding contrasting woods, do you have thoughts about what would be a nice contrast w/the "teak" kitchen?

(Sataglie)

posted by modnut on February 1st 2008 at 1:40pm
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white painted floors like the photo? that would be pretty easy - oil paints covered with polyurethane coats.

posted by Joan in SB on February 1st 2008 at 1:54pm
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I also really like the idea of white painted floors. However make sure you cover it with polyurethatne.

posted by dewi on February 2nd 2008 at 9:20am
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If you're worried about UV "shifting," consider having your skylights coated with UV protective film. You need to have it professionally applied but it might make finding the right solution for your floors easier.

posted by Taureg on February 3rd 2008 at 3:24pm
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I'm not sure how long you have to decide on floor colors but there is a stain that should stain the floor evenly and without harmful fumes. I call it a "rust/vinegar" stain. Certain woods have and acid in it which turns very dark when you use this stain (and I think a dark floor would look good with your cabinets). It takes a little while to make but basically you take rusty metal (steel wool is the easiest to rust out by soaking it in water and then letting it stand for a day or two). Then just simply soak the rusty metal in white vinegar for about a week making sure to have a cover that allows a little ventilation (the chemical reaction creates a little bit of hydrogen which you do not want to trap in the container crating an explosive danger but if you let it vent it's harmless). Anyway you simply rub it on the floor generously and it should start to turn dark quickly taking about a half an hour to reach full darkness. Make sure to test this in a corner to make sure you get the desired result. I have never used this on ash but oak turns very dark with this stain and once sealed it looks great.

posted by woodendesigner on February 8th 2008 at 8:50pm
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