Changing the Colour of Your Wood Floor

Wooden floors are beautiful but tend not to be thought of as a versatile option. Yet if you are thinking of changing the colour scheme in a room you can adapt your wooden floor to fit in. When it comes to changing the shade of your floor there is a wide range of options available before you take the drastic step of pulling up the planks and starting again.

Coloured Oils

If you have a solid wood floor, perhaps in pine, oak or beech, you may have been Finishing the Floor it with an oil. Many people choose a clear or colourless version in order to make the most of the natural tones of the wood but you can choose to change the shade slightly. Check with the manufacturer of the floor and the producer of the oil to ensure the product is suitable but look in shops and on the internet and you will find oils in a variety of different browns, as well as in greys, off-whites and even black.

Stains for Floors

Another option is to buy a floor stain. Not only do these come in a huge range of colours but you can also vary them yourself by putting on the product to vary levels of concentration. Again, check these solutions are safe for you floor before applying. Ideally, try the stain out on an off-cut before coating the whole floor. Experiment with different amounts to find just the right colour for your floor. Most of these stains come in wood-related colours – “antique pine,” “light oak” etc – but you can find black, white and red shades if you want a more contemporary, less natural look.

Shades of Varnish

If you want to give your floor a tougher finish, you may opt for a varnish or lacquer. Here there are several different alternatives, ranging from water based options through to those with an oil or spirit base. If you wish to simply darken the colour of your wood, you may find a clear varnish will give you the shade you are looking for. Otherwise, choose a coloured variety. Again, these tend to be available in wood shade – “beech”, “rich mahogany” etc but applying them could allow you to change your pale floor into something much darker or to give your honey-coloured wood an even warmer look.

Floor Paint

The final option for changing the colour of your wooden floor is, of course, Floor Paint. While this is a much more drastic step in many ways, it does also give you the choice of far more colours. Not only will you be able to create almost any shade you choose to go with the new interior design of your space, but you will also be able to consider different levels of glossy finish. An added bonus will be that you can also bring different colours together to create patterns. Again, check the product is right for your wooden floor before applying it. You will then need to use a primer before starting with the colour. Depending on the paint you choose, you may then need several coats.