i've read about problems staining maple.

1. what is the best way to stains new maple flooring?

2. my kitchen cabinet are maple. the cabinet makers told me they first sealed the wood and then applied the stain. they did it to get a more uniform color. is that possible on flooring?

thanks,

zman

Yes, that is done sometimes. But then the stain will be lighter. Minwax makes a product called stain controller.



I recommend not staining maple. It is a light wood. Use a darker wood if you want a stained or darker floor. There are "tricks" to staining maple but they are risky at best and usually, they do not turn out all that great.

As I understand the stain applied to maple cabinets is usually sprayed on and then allowed to dry without being wiped off. Perhaps is is back-rolled. But this "trick staining" will give a less effective bond to the wood and might cause failure under the stress of foot traffic. Whereas your cabinets just need to sit there and look good.

Though staining a maple floor is not recommended,"water popping" a maple floor should help open up the tight grain and allow the flooring to accept the stain more evenly.

I would be cautious as a professional staining maple. As a homeowner it might offer an interesting challenge.

Your right Barquios,

When I've stained cabinets, and when I've watched painters do it, it can be done a couple of ways. One is the typical solvent (oil-based) wiping stain. This is the way that can leave the most splotchy/uneven color maple is noted for. The other way is with lacquer based spray stains. I used this method when staining some pine cabinets to look like a dark cherry. It works great. One keeps lightly misting the wood with the stain until the right effect is achieved. Basically, you're painting the wood with a transparent, super fast drying stain. With this method, the stain sits on the surface and isn't wiped off. Then you use sanding sealers and lacquer for the finishing. This is not for flooring. I've heard about water popping maple to help get a more uniform stain acceptance. I know this works great on oak and ask and other similar hardwoods. I have not tried it on maple though. As you know, maple is one of the more unforgiving woods to finish in the flooring trade. Everything shows.

Water-popping maple doesn't necessarily make it any less blotchy, but it does make it look better IMO. If you don't water-pop a maple floor that has been sanded by a rookie and is going to be stained dark, it'll look like total crap. You'll probably have sanding marks everywhere, and the areas sanded by the edger and the drum/belt sander will be different shades.

I don't have a picture of a "bad" maple stain job, but here's a couple of a good one:

Fabulous looking floors! Nice job Stone.

I had to dig this thread up and bump it ! First off. I against my own judgment took on a stained maple floor. Large job for a potentially new customer. Fortunately the stained maple was only 200 sq' ft of a 1,800 sq' ft. job. The stain specified on the job was minwax cherry with 3 coats of OMU poly. I drummed and edged up to 100. Screened up to 100 grit against and then with the grain. Absolutely atrochious result. I redid it with the same process although taking many more precautions and time during the staining process. It is somewhat better still does not meet my standards nor the architect. I am stumped and dont believe water popping alone will get me where i need to be. There are many scratches a couple of small drum marks and the blotches. No screen marks.Is it time for me to bail out ? They will not consider a clear finish. Of course the painter and the GC feel they've got the answer " sand it finer, to 220" The remainder of the project was existing wide plank pine stained with cherry also and is absolutely beautiful and everyone is happy. What do you guys think ? I know I made the mistake of not voicing my concerns before the start but I was trying to impress the peoples involved and honestly thought I could pull it off. I was greatly mistaken.............

I can't imagine not popping a maple floor to accept stain. I just finished one last week. Very Dark. I also have pictures of a Habitat floor stained maple posted on this site.

Without popping the grain is too tight. Finer sanding will only make the wood accept less of the stain.

Do you have any pics of the problems?

I do not and did strip the floor today. When I arrived today I was somewhat surprised that they were calling for it to be re-done..........The GC is pushing hard that I sand to 220. Obviously that is not going to happen. My plan is to sand upto 100 and screen to 120. At that point I may ask for a sign off before I apply or stain, or perhaps leave the floor with finished sanded and walk. I'll keep you guys posted. Oh, popping the grain is not an option per the GC. He's never heard of it and therefore has advised me to not do it..............Fine with me I guess. I've never popped a floor yet anyway. Guess its time to try it in my own home !! I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks.

Sanding it finer, and brunishing (closing up the grain even more) is going to make it look worse.

I would sand it to 80, water pop it apply the stain.

Open that grain up!!!! You have open it up, for it to accept the stain. Closing it up and you will get the same deal you already got.

Austin, THanks. His concern is the sand scratches. They are inconspicuous but still there. Mostly from the edger. There's not a lot of em but they dont want ANY. So, now he's under the impression I've gotta go finer and not more of it. {screening}

It's done. What a fiasco that was. I ended up doing the job 3 times. The 3rd and final sand job came out great, although very light in color due to the oversanding I did. Sounds like water is the way to go. I'll never do another one without water popping it.

Glad to hear that you got it behind you. I hope it didn't bite you too bad.

Glad to hear that elliot07 .. You have to use the same grit paper on the rotary as you do on the edger to remove the scratches .. Just have to run the rotary a little longer and slower around the edges .. then same grit screen .. 100 grit screen is not going to remove scratches from a 80 grit paper .. [etc].
But i guess you know that ..

Hand sanding to blend and feather out scratches, is often done by professionals, that take a great deal of pride in their craft.