# Staining a new wood floor, questions..



## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

Well I've already stained a new wood floor and put two coats of poly on. The problem we had and still do is that the stain showed overlap marks. I used a roller and then tacked it off with a lambswool pad applicator. I thought the pad would've been sufficient enough to take out most of the overlaps. This thing looks bad, I'm pissed off about it but I've been paid in full. I'm just hoping they don't get to pissed and want me to sand the damn thing down and restain/repoly. 

A sidenote here, the GC won't let me wipe down the floor after we stain it. He wants to let all of the stain just soak into the wood. I told him stains are made to be wiped down after five or ten minutes. Any thoughts from fellow pros?


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## Damon T (Oct 13, 2008)

You may have to sand it down at this point, at least if you want it to look right. This is the danger of getting into sidelines that we're not experts in. You pay for your education one way or the other. Most floor guys I've watched sponge the floor with water first to "pop" the wood grain, then one guy wipes on the stain with a rag, and another follows and wipes off. I'm no expert though, so don't take what I say to mean much.


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## DRC (Dec 4, 2008)

Dorman Painting said:


> A sidenote here, the GC won't let me wipe down the floor after we stain it. He wants to let all of the stain just soak into the wood. I told him stains are made to be wiped down after five or ten minutes. Any thoughts from fellow pros?


You have identified the problem right here. Now your challenge will be getting the GC to admit it is his problem and not yours.


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## smadax (Oct 8, 2008)

When doing hardwood finishes we rag the stain, never paint. Takes a little longer but the stain is consistent whether you wipe it off or not. 

We never use the lamb wool applicator, it's junk. I'd recommend the applicator manufactured by BONA, or one simular. It's a pivot wand w/dowel type applicator head that acts like a squeegee rather than a brush... works great and it's quick!


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## mullaman (Jun 16, 2008)

Dorman Painting said:


> Well I've already stained a new wood floor and put two coats of poly on. The problem we had and still do is that the stain showed overlap marks. I used a roller and then tacked it off with a lambswool pad applicator. I thought the pad would've been sufficient enough to take out most of the overlaps. This thing looks bad, I'm pissed off about it but I've been paid in full. I'm just hoping they don't get to pissed and want me to sand the damn thing down and restain/repoly.
> 
> A sidenote here, *the GC won't let me wipe down the floor after we stain it. He wants to let all of the stain just soak into the wood.* I told him stains are made to be wiped down after five or ten minutes. Any thoughts from fellow pros?


Everyone loves a know-it-all, don't they?:laughing: Looks like to me that its his problem. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Also, with furniture and/or area rug down the average person will never see any stain imperfections, right?


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## capital city (Mar 29, 2008)

Ive learned not to do stuff I know wont look good no matter whos the one telling me to do it. If you had that discussion with the GC then its their fault but good luck getting him to admit it. Two questions though, why would you put 2 coats of poly over stain that looked like crap? Didnt some of it start to dry when you were there and didnt you notice it was lapping and looking bad?


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## zerowned (Dec 28, 2008)

> I've been paid in full


paid in full, doesn't that mean they have accepted the paint job acceptable, i wouldn't pay in full until it was fixed, if i were you..... run! :thumbup: 


if you did it to the gc's spec then explain to him that it was his request to do it that way and that's how things work... and for next time do what you KNOW is right and rag it off after, do it right the first time and you wont have to post here trying to find magical answers that just point to the obvious...



[edit] did the HO or the GC complain about it? don't even bring it up if they haven't actually came up to you about it, if the HO asks you about it refer to GC.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

capital city said:


> Ive learned not to do stuff I know wont look good no matter whos the one telling me to do it. If you had that discussion with the GC then its their fault but good luck getting him to admit it. Two questions though, why would you put 2 coats of poly over stain that looked like crap? Didnt some of it start to dry when you were there and didnt you notice it was lapping and looking bad?




:thumbup:

100%


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## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

I think I'm in the clear, haven't heard anything else about it and I was over there doing TU the other day. The floor certainly doesn't look great but it's not as bad as originally thought. 

I knew the correct way to do this was by ragging the stain off to achieve evenness. That's not what the GC wanted and well, you all know how that goes. This GC knows just enough about painting, carpentry, drywall etc. to get himself in trouble.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

capital city said:


> Ive learned not to do stuff I know wont look good no matter whos the one telling me to do it. If you had that discussion with the GC then its their fault but good luck getting him to admit it. Two questions though, why would you put 2 coats of poly over stain that looked like crap? Didnt some of it start to dry when you were there and didnt you notice it was lapping and looking bad?


The reason persons do that which they do not agree with, is they think they will get a "Better Return" for their accommodation. In simpler words it is know as "Prostitution"!


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

To late now, but I would have told the GC to mind his own business. That is why you were doing the floors, because you were considered the "expert" even if you weren't. Sounds to me like you were an employee of this guy and he was telling you how he wanted the job to progress. If you were a sub he wouldn't have the authority to tell you how to do your job. He could only put restraints on you, like how it needs to look in the end and when you could work there and when it needed to be completed. You screwed up because you listened to him, you should have told him to walk.


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## Terrorron (Nov 7, 2008)

Damon T said:


> You may have to sand it down at this point, at least if you want it to look right. This is the danger of getting into sidelines that we're not experts in. You pay for your education one way or the other. Most floor guys I've watched *sponge the floor with water first to "pop" the wood grain*, then one guy wipes on the stain with a rag, and another follows and wipes off. I'm no expert though, so don't take what I say to mean much.


A few things to add here, for those that read this post and decide to "water pop" a floor...

Water application must be made directionally with the grain of the wood and _must be uniform_...treat it the same as a "wet stain" (where you're not going to wipe afterwards).

Once the grain has been raised, you must treat it like your "walking on glass"...anything dragged, slid, etc., cross-grain will leave _nasty_ scuff marks in the raised wood fibres. Work in your sock feet and *do not*_ drag your feet when you walk on it._ Stain application on a "water pop" is not for the inexperienced (particularily dark stains on Red Oak)...Oil based (long open time) stains are a must...unless you're an experienced floor guy; and if you are one, then you already know what I'm talking about here.... Alcohol based "dye stains" and other "fast dry" cabinet wipers should only ever be attempted by _very experienced_, (very fast) floor tech's or wood finishers, under _ideal ambient conditions_.

Just trying to be proactive, in case someone sees your post and figures that "water popping" is the "easy solution" to acheive an even stain job...

As for the OP? 

As others have said; if the stain job was "sketchy", why the he11 did you go ahead and seal it? IMO, once you've sealed it, it becomes "your" problem...fighting the GC on this will probably get you nowhere.

Solution?...sand, sand, sand...:whistling

I'd _strongly_ advise that you *hire a floor guy* to do the resand and "take your lumps"; the fact that _anyone will rent you a floor sander_ does not mean that you have the requisite skils to operate one properly...:no:

Cheers, Ron

Just noticed that you "dodged the bullet" on this one...attaboy!
Cross your fingers that the client doesn't have any friends that are "floor guys" over for the housewarming party...


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Dorman Painting said:


> I knew the correct way to do this was by ragging the stain off to achieve evenness. That's not what the GC wanted and well, you all know how that goes. This GC knows just enough about painting, carpentry, drywall etc. to get himself in trouble.



I got myself one of those. We are finishing up a 4 month remodel, it is our first job together.
He has been told (I hate using stern words) by me that he needs to back out of my mix and let me do my job, that is why he hired me.
It worked for about 2 weeks. 

:shutup:


Then he started up again.



I guess that is why they are called General Contractors and not Skilled Contractors.

:laughing:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

WisePainter said:


> I guess that is why they are called General Contractors and not Skilled Contractors.
> 
> :laughing:


The "General" makes the orders stick!! NOT!!! Jawole Commandant!


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> The "General" makes the orders stick!! NOT!!! Jawole Commandant!


Malco.You must have missed the memo.You are not allowed to post in this area unless you are a certified painter.....:jester:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

JumboJack said:


> Malco.You must have missed the memo.You are not allowed to post in this area unless you are a certified painter.....:jester:


Please Define "Certified". And NO, I DO NOT paint. It goes EVERYWHERE when I do. Imagine that!


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Please Define "Certified".


White pants and white t-shirt.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

JumboJack said:


> White pants and white t-shirt.


Easy now.

You are outnumbered here "GC"...



:laughing:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

JumboJack said:


> White pants and white t-shirt.



Good comeback Jack!!!


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Good comeback Jack!!!


Thanks.I'll be here all week!


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