How To Stain Unfinished Maple Floors

The use of oil based pigmented stains on maple results in a very blotchy looking floor.

How to stain unfinished maple floors.

Using 100 grit sandpaper attached to a hand block or an oscillating tool with a sanding accessory begin sanding from one end. Staining maple is generally not recommended by finish manufacturers since the dense grain does not allow the penetration of most pigments. Maple is a difficult wood on which to achieve uniform stain and the appearance can look as if the stain was not applied. Staining maple can be done and it can be done very well.

Some types of wood like pine cherry birch and maple are notoriously difficult to stain. Having said that diy maple floor staining can be tricky and often best left to the pros. Staining a hardwood floor is almost always done as an application to bare wood one of the finishing steps when installing new unfinished hardwood flooring although it is also possible to change the stain color of an existing floor by staining over the old finish. Woods like cherry pine and birch can become blotchy and unattractive when stained unless you use a sealer before staining.

When staining maple do not try and force dry times. Because maple floors are characteristically hard and very straight grained they show every sanding imperfection. Because of its clean light appearance that is easy to decorate around maple has become the flooring of choice when a light design is required. This is because maple is very tightly grained generally but there are turns in the grain that are more absorbent.

One thing is for sure good communication with your customer is a must. First a natural maple floor finished with water based finish is going to look a lot different than a maple floor that is finished with an oil based finish see pics below. When i sand maple no matter if i m doing it natural or staining the floor i finish off with 120 grit paper on my big sander. Luckily many brands already offer pre stained maple hardwood planks so you don t really need to go down the diy staining route unless you really have a very unique or custom blend color in mind.

This is even more true for older floors because of the hardness. Maple flooring has had a major resurgence since white floors lost popularity in the early 1990s. You can read what the wood flooring association has to say about maple flooring here. For the best results test the possible finishes on scrap pieces before you start.

Everyone should be on the same page about the expectations and what to expect. Lay the maple flooring on a worktable surface one piece at a time.