Sanding & Staining Engineered Oak Flooring in Whitewash Finish

Before the works

The oak engineered wood flooring in this Paddington home was overall looking tired and in need of restoration. During our free home survey, we did thorough inspection of the floors and discussed with the client all possible options.

Our client has decided to go for staining of the floors in whitewash and finishing the floors in Bona Mega Natural lacquer.

How we did it...

Engineered flooring planks come in 3 main standards of thickness, which also defines how thick is the available for sanding oak top layer of the product.

Depending on the overall condition of the floors, the initial floor sanding may start with coarser or medium grid. The task of this stage is not only to remove the previous finish and get the floors to bare wood, but also to provide a good level throughout the entire floor. In the case of engineered wood flooring, the level of the floor is usually good, due the "click" or "tongue-and-groove" locking between the planks.

Sanding the floors with fine grids (80 - 120 gr) and a good rotary buff to the new oak timber surface with high grid buffing screens is the most important stage in the preparation of the wooden flooring for finishing.

A number of colour samples were provided on a sanded surface for the client to review and approve, prior to application and finishing the floors. The client decided to go with application of 2 coats of Bona White primer, to give the floors more Nordic tone.

Floors were consequently sealed with 2 coats of Bona Mega Natural water-based lacquer in extra-matt sheen with another light screen buff between the coats, for excellent final touch to the finish.