Hardwood Floor Staining in Irving, TX

Bernard Hardwood Floors does hardwood floor staining in Irving, TX and across Dallas-Fort Worth. Stain is what gives a wood floor its color, from a light natural look to a deep brown. The right stain can make an old floor look new and make a room feel bigger or warmer. We have stained floors in North Texas homes since 1999.

When a floor needs staining

People call us about stain for three main reasons:

• A new color. The floor is orange, yellow or too dark, and you want a modern look.
• An even color. Old repairs, sun fading or worn paths make the floor look patchy.
• A matched color. New boards from a repair or an addition have to blend with the old floor.

Stain only goes on bare wood. That means staining is part of a full hardwood floor refinishing job, where we sand off the old finish first.

How we stain a hardwood floor

1. Sand to bare wood. Our dustless floor sanding system takes off the old finish and keeps the dust down.
2. Test the colors. We put stain samples on your floor so you see each color on your wood, in your light.
3. Apply the stain. We work the stain into the grain evenly, board by board.
4. Let it dry. Stain needs time to dry before the finish goes on top.
5. Seal it. A durable, low-VOC topcoat protects the color.

One customer wrote in a Google review that Aldo “was there on the first day to help get the bottom floor ready and to show me the stain choices.”

Picking a stain color

The same stain looks different on different wood. Red oak has a pink tone that shows through light stains. White oak has a cooler tone and takes gray and natural colors well. Light changes the color too, so a sample near a window can look lighter than the same color in a hallway.

A few tips we share with Irving homeowners:

• Look at samples in the morning and the evening.
• Darker stains hide less dust and show more scratches.
• Natural and light colors make small rooms feel bigger.
• The sheen of the finish, matte or satin, changes the look as much as the color does.

Matching stain on repairs and new boards

Matching an existing color is harder than picking a new one. Our customers mention it often. One wrote: “We had a room re-sanded and stained, but it needed to match the rest of the house. The crew did an excellent job matching stain color!” If you need boards replaced, see hardwood floor repair. If you are adding new wood next to old floors, see hardwood floor installation.

Why trust us

• Since 1999 in Irving and Dallas-Fort Worth.
• Owner Aldo Solis runs every job hands on.
• 4.9 stars on 128 Google reviews. See our reviews.
• Licensed and insured, with a workmanship warranty.
• Written quotes from our shop at 1823 Finley Rd, Irving, TX 75062. For typical ranges, see our cost guide.

Questions about hardwood floor staining

Can you change the color of my hardwood floors?

Yes, if the floor is solid hardwood or engineered wood with a thick enough top layer. We sand the floor down to bare wood, which removes the old stain and finish. Then we apply the new color and seal it. You can go lighter or darker, though going much lighter is harder when the old stain soaked deep into the grain. We check how thick your wood is during the estimate. If it is too thin to sand, we tell you before you plan around a new color.

Can you stain a floor without sanding it?

No. Stain has to soak into bare wood to work. If there is still finish on the floor, the stain sits on top and wipes off or dries blotchy. Some products tint the finish coat instead, but that is not the same as staining the wood, and it wears off in walking paths. To get a real, even color, the floor has to be sanded first. If you only want to bring back the shine and keep your color, a screen, buff and recoat may be enough.

How do I pick the right stain color?

Start with samples on your own floor. We apply several colors to a sanded area so you can see each one on your wood, in your light. Look at them in the morning and in the evening, and look at them next to your cabinets, trim and furniture. Think about how much dust, pet hair and wear you want the floor to hide. Medium colors hide the most. Very dark and very light colors show more. Aldo walks through the samples with you before we stain the whole floor.

Why does the same stain look different on my floor?

Each wood species takes stain in its own way. Red oak has open grain and a pink tone, so stains look warmer on it. White oak has a cooler tone, and gray or natural colors look cleaner on it. The age of the wood matters too, because older floors darken over time. Even the grit of the last sanding pass changes how much stain the wood takes in. That is why we always test colors on your floor instead of trusting a sample board or a photo online.

Is a natural finish the same as no stain?

Mostly, yes. A natural finish means we sand the floor and seal it with a clear topcoat and no color added. The wood still changes a little, because a clear finish brings out the grain and adds some warmth. Many homeowners pick natural white oak for a light, modern look. It is also the simplest option, because there is no stain to dry before the finish goes on. We put a clear coat sample next to stain samples so you can compare them side by side.

How long does stain need to dry?

Stain has to dry before the topcoat goes on, or the finish will not bond well and can peel later. Drying time depends on the product, the color, the humidity and the air flow in your home. Darker stains and humid days take longer. North Texas summers can slow drying, so we plan around the weather. We build the drying time into your schedule and tell you in writing which rooms will be closed and for how long, so you can plan your week.

Can you match my new floor to my old floor?

Yes. Matching is one of the things our customers mention most in their reviews. When we add new boards next to old ones, we pick the same wood species and widths where we can. Then we sand the old and new wood together and blend the stain until the color reads as one floor. One customer wrote that we had to match the stain on a repaired area to the rest of the room and did a beautiful job. We test the match on your floor before we finish.

Will stained floors show scratches?

All wood floors scratch, but stain color changes how much you see. Dark stains show scratches and dust the most, because a scratch shows the lighter wood under the color. Light and natural colors hide small scratches better. Medium browns are the most forgiving overall. The topcoat matters too. A matte or satin sheen hides wear better than a glossy finish. If you have big dogs or a busy house, tell us during the estimate and we will steer you toward a color and sheen that will look good longer.

Do you stain engineered hardwood?

Sometimes. Engineered hardwood has a real wood top layer over a plywood core. If that top layer is thick enough, we can sand it to bare wood and stain it like solid hardwood. If it is thin, sanding can go through it, and then the board has to be replaced. We check the thickness at a vent or the edge of a board before we quote. One of our reviews describes engineered floors that we deep cleaned, buffed, stained at the deep scratches and sealed with a new matte finish.

Do you stain floors outside of Irving?

Yes. Our shop is at 1823 Finley Rd in Irving, and we stain and refinish floors across Dallas-Fort Worth. That includes Coppell, Dallas, Grapevine, Southlake, Colleyville, Keller, Arlington, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, The Colony, Highland Park, Prosper and McKinney. Every job starts the same way, with a look at your floors, color samples on your own wood and a written quote that lists the color, the finish and the schedule. Call (469) 870-5631 or reach us through our contact page, and we will set up a time Monday through Saturday.