Quarter-sawn oak boards reveal exceptional wood grain detailsgrain details known as "medullary rays."
Quarter sawn wood, when it is milled, is essentially cut into a pie shape into predetermined sizes based on the diameter of the tree trunk. When milling white oak tree trunks using this process, grain details that otherwise go unnoticed are revealed. These grain details are called "medullary rays" and look like zebra stripes that run the length of the quarter sawn board. Staining quarter sawn white oak flooring brings these grain details out in a way that a few coats of polyurethane cannot. Stain your quarter sawn white oak flooring any color you like to make the medullary rays stand out. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Sand the quarter sawn white oak flooring with 200-grit sandpaper to remove splinters and to smooth out the wood surface. Remove all of the saw dust with a vacuum and tack cloths.
2. Stir pre-stain wood conditioner thoroughly with a wooden stir stick. Apply pre-stain wood conditioner to the wood flooring with a foam brush. Apply the conditioner to small areas (2x2-foot areas) at a time. Allow the conditioner to sit on the surface of the wood for up to five minutes, and remove the excess conditioner with a cloth rag. Apply conditioner in this way over the whole surface of the floor. Pre-stain wood conditioner opens the pores of the wood so the wood will accept the stain evenly. The conditioner should be dry before applying wood stain to the quarter sawn white oak flooring.
3. Stir the can of stain thoroughly with a wooden stir stick. Apply wood stain to the conditioned wood flooring surface with foam brushes working with small areas at a time. Allow the stain to sit on the wood for a few minutes, and remove excess stain with a cloth rag. Overlap adjoining sections of unstained wood when stain is applied to them. Allow the wood stain to dry for the recommended length of time according to the product label.
4. Sand the stained wood surface lightly. Remove the sanding dust from the wood. Stir a can of hardwood flooring-grade polyurethane thoroughly with a wooden stir stick. Use a floor polyurethane applicator to spread polyurethane over the surface of the stained wood flooring. Allow the first coat of polyurethane to completely dry. Lightly sand the polyurethane coat with a 220-grit sanding pad. Remove the sanding dust from the flooring surface. Repeat the application process for at least two more coats of polyurethane, sanding between coats. Allow the last coat of polyurethane to dry thoroughly.
5. Lightly sand the last coat of polyurethane when it has completely dried. Wipe the sanded surface so it is free of sanding dust. Clean tools as needed by rinsing them with mineral spirits or turpentine.
Tags: quarter sawn, coat polyurethane, grain details, medullary rays, quarter sawn white, sanding dust