Staining timber floors can enhance the natural appearance of the timber by bringing the natural grain of the wood to life and giving the homeowner a choice of stain colours to choose from. We break it down for you in six easy to follow steps.
1. Choose the right timber floor stain:
Select the type of stain and colour. We have three stain types to choose from:
AQUAPRO 2770 Water Based Pigment Stain
AQUAPRO 2120 Water Based Dye Stain
DURASTAIN 2025 Solvent Based Dye Stain
2. Prepare the Surface:
Make sure that the floor is clean and free from any contamination
Sand the floor with a 120-180 screen back paper fitted to a rotary sanding machine, make sure you have a smooth scratch free surface.
3. Mix the Colour with Stain Reducer
Add AQUAPRO 1320 Slow Stain Reducer or AQUAPRO 1330 Medium Stain Reducer into the AQUAPRO stain. Adding a reducer allows you to adjust the colour strength and to slow down the drying speed.
4. Applying the Stain
Apply the stain evenly to ensure a uniform even colour
Reduced AQUAPRO stains are designed to be applied directly onto the floor in a wet even application. It is best to apply the stain with a 6mm nap mohair roller or a flat pad applicator to provide an even colour across the floor.
Note: Depending on the stain, leave to dry or wipe off. (Refer to TDS for application method). When wiped with a cloth; the grain in the timber will be highlighted.
5. Dry Time
The dry time of the mixed stain depends on the amount of AQUAPRO stain reducer added and the ambient temperature and humidity.
AQUAPRO 1330 Fast Reducer 6 hours at approximately 20ºC before applying any further coatings. (Refer to TDS for more information).
AQUAPRO 1320 Slow Reducer 24 hours at approximately 20ºC before applying any further coatings. (Refer to TDS for more information).
6. Finishing the Floor
Depending on the stain chosen, the protective topcoat options are as follows:
AQUAPRO 2120 Water Based Dye Stain
First Coat / Sealer product options: FASTASEAL 3030 Clear Sealer, FASTASEAL 3540 Clear Sealer, DURAPOL 1045, 5840, 1044, 1050, NATUROIL 3100, 3120 or POLYTHANE 2043 Two PackSecond and Final coat: Any of the above plus, AQUAPRO 8270 Advance 2K or NATUROIL 3115 Low Sheen or DURAPOL Low Sheen coatings
DURASTAIN 2025 Dye Stain
First Coat / Sealer product options: AQUAPRO 8020 Clear Sealer, FASTASEAL 3030 Clear Sealer or FASTASEAL 3540 Clear Sealer.Second and Final coat: Any Polycure coating, AQUAPRO Water Based, DURAPOL Moisture Cure, NATUROIL Oil or POLYTHANE Two Pack.
AQUAPRO 2770 Water Based Pigment Stain
First Coat: FASTASEAL 3535 Sealer.
Do NOT use FASTASEAL 3540 over AQUAPRO 2770 Liming Stain.
Second and Final coat: Any Polycure coating, AQUAPRO Water Based, DURAPOL Moisture Cure, NATUROIL Oil or POLYTHANE Two Pack.
Some Final Tips
To reduce the risk of tram lining or white lining (white lines in board joints) on stained timber floors, choose your coating system carefully. Low gloss coatings over dark strong colours or timbers can become stretched with constant timber movement. Download our Technical Bulletin for more information
Take a look at our staining video to learn more about our range of stains. Polycure ANZ