Walnut Floor and Stairs Swoope, VA
This project is a bit more exotic than we usually find in the local market. This customer wanted us to refinish his oak floors and install and finish a solid walnut floor in another part of his home. He also wanted us to install and finish a set of walnut stairs to match this floor. Walnut is an interesting wood. It can take stain fairly well, though mostly in darker color selections due to its naturally dark base color, but often looks best with just a clear finish on it to bring out the natural depth and character of the wood.
Project Location: Swoope, VA
Project Type: Refinish hardwood floor, install and finish hardwood floor, install and finish stairs.
Product Type:
- Solid ¾ inch walnut flooring
- Solid walnut stair tread, riser, and landing assembly
- Bona Woodline Polyurethane
Hardwood Floor Refinishing
For the first stage of this project we were contracted to refinish an existing oak floor in the client’s home. Hardwood floor refinishing is an artform in itself. The old floor had to be thoroughly sanded to remove the old finish and the top layer of the wood in order to make sure the pores of the wood were open and ready to accept stain. We matched the stain for this floor as closely as possible to what the walnut floors in the other parts of the house would end up looking like. Once the fine sanding and cleaning were done we applied a coat of stain to the floor. Sometimes it takes multiple coats of stain to achieve the proper depth of color, but this one was a very good color match and one coat was sufficient. When the stain was completely cured we applied multiple coats of Bona Woodline Polyurethane in a Semi-gloss finish, screening and cleaning the floor carefully between coats. The higher gloss level was chosen with the upcoming walnut floors in mind. Woods like walnut, when finished in a glossier clear, gain a depth and dimension other types of wood do not.
Walnut Floor and Stairs
The client wanted something a little more exotic in other parts of his home. He selected a walnut floor in multiple widths. We installed this floor through other parts of his home and on the landing of his stairs. The rest of the stairs were installed to match using treads, risers, pickets, rails, and trim all made from the same walnut material. We carefully sanded this install to a smooth uniform surface and cleared it all with the same Bona Woodline Polyurethane used on the refinished oak floors. You can see in the photos above how drastic the change in color and depth is between the unfinished walnut and the semi-gloss finish the urethane leaves. Walnut gives a truly amazing visual when a clear finish is added to the natural wood.
Conclusion
Exotic woods are a little harder to work with and cost a little more than traditional wood floor options. The striking visuals they provide certainly make them worth the investment. These types of floors are often found in engineered and prefinished varieties as well, which can help keep the overall cost of the product and installation down.
If you would like more information on these products or need to consult one of our staff about your own project, please Contact us or visit our showroom.
