Removing varnish from wooden floor prior to wood stain Help, advice, information, answers and tips on all types of flooring from laminate and carpet to timber and vinyl

[tomski]

Hi people

bloke doing my floor has replaced some damaged timber boards with new wood. The idea was that he would then stain them to make them colour fit in with the old boards. Thing is he's varnished them already with a water based varnish.

I'd like to stain them to match the older boards and would appreciate any advice about what I'll have to do to prep this new (varnished) timber so that the stain will take. I'm thinking of using a water based stain.

Do I have to re-sand the new boards to remove the varnish, or can I get away with rubbing down with some kind of solvent?

any ideas gratefully received.

t.

[Tall Tone]

To be able to stain the wood, the water based lacquer needs to be fully removed. Rubbing down with a solvent will not remove the lacquer.
The best option here would be to fully remove the lacquer by sanding and then stain the wood the colour you want and re-seal.

Another option, although by no means the best looking is to use a colourised lacquer. Dulux Dimond Glaze can be "tinted" at your local decorators merchant, this can then be applied over the current lacquer. I would then recommend a clear coat over the top or you will end up with tracking marks where you start to wear the surface.

The cheapest option is to accept that the new wood will darken over time, and if he has used the same wood for replacement it will eventually become a similar colour

[tomski]

Thanks mate, it's pretty much what I figured.