What to Use to Get a Warm Soft Oil Finish for Wood Floors

Sanding

• Before you add any type of finish to a hardwood floor, you have to sand it down. Proper sanding opens up the wood's pores while leaving a very soft, smooth surface that will become attractive once it is stained and sealed. Sanding a hardwood floor is a two-part process. You must sand the wood down with medium-grade sandpaper, and sand it again with fine-grade sandpaper. Before you apply any sort of oil, you must clean up the dust with a damp rag.

Linseed Oil

• When applied to wood, linseed oil provides a warm, light finish. As the oil dries, it hardens and usually gives the finished wood a soft, glossy appearance. If you have wood that is very light or has a weak grain, such as maple, linseed oil can enhance the grain without covering it up. Some darker products, such as pre-tinted varnish, will overpower the grain and simply cover it up. Linseed oil enhances the grain while having a minimal impact on the wood's pigment, giving it a warm, oiled finish.

Tung Oil

• As with linseed oil, tung oil hardens when it dries, giving the wood surface a glossy sheen that will help protect it from moisture. Tung oil provides a much darker finish than linseed oil, and a tung oil finish darkens with each application of oil. This means you can control how dark or light the wood is with the number of coats you apply. No matter how dark you make the wood, the end result will be a warm, oiled look.

Oil-Based Polyurethane or Varnish

• After you sand wood down, it is not necessary to stain it at all. However, sealing the wood is necessary to preserve and protect the integrity of the wood. If you use an oil-based polyurethane or varnish to seal the wood, it will dry and harden to a soft amber color while enhancing the wood grain. Because the sealer is oil-based, it will give the wood an oiled sheen. Oil-based polyurethane or varnish can be used to enhance the soft oiled appearance of wood that has been stained.