Not successfully. You may have seen products at your local large retail store that feature this capability. In fact, such is the confusion that the finish is often referred to as “stain” by the average homeowner. Many believe that you choose the color of the floor finish to apply. This is not like this. All floor finishes are clear and dry. “Stain,” on the other hand, is a stain or stain for wood.

Mixing the two is not the recommended way to stain a floor.

A floor is properly sanded to bare wood, meticulously prepared, and then your chosen color is applied. After it dries and cures, the clear topcoats seal and protect the floor. This is the recommended and approved method of “staining” a floor.

Many years ago, products were introduced that allowed two steps to be combined into one, that of staining a floor and covering it. About 12 years ago, a major industrial refinishing line made an attempt to provide a top coat that resembled the look of an aged finish. This was in response to consumer demand that they did not want to refinish the entire area of ​​the home. Many were looking to repair damaged local areas, possibly just a room or portion that would be adjacent to existing floor areas that were possibly restored many years earlier. The intent was to duplicate the look of the 50 year old flats, an old weathered hazy yellow look. It was not successful.

We tried without success and the line was discontinued. Stain mixing in the finish compromises the integrity of the finish itself and will, in most cases, void the warranty provided by the supplier.

From time to time we still see this attempt even by some professionals. Doing so tends to wash out the beautiful grain of the wood, somewhat “masking” its natural beauty. More often than not we have found this to become a desperate last minute fix to mask a poorly refinished hardwood floor.

However, you may have heard that this is a common practice in the “cabinet” industry. Yes it is, and it is very successful and produces beautiful results. The purposes are different as are the application methods. BUT… remember, you don’t walk on cabinets! Often a lower grade of wood can be masked to appear “high end.” For example, maple (which stains poorly) can be made to look like “cherry”. “Hevia” or commonly called “rubberwood” can be stained to resemble mahogany.