Reviving transplanted oak floor

[Dean Heighington]

Have been given solid oak flooring we took up from a house where the chap wanted it replaced with cheap laminate click-lock... Don't ask/utter madness!

I have just relaid some of it in my dad's extension (still have 3x that amount left over!)

We're in the process of sanding it and cleaning up with White spirit soaked tissue. It's drying/evaporating with white patchiness and losing it's lustre in areas.

Before sealing it with Ronseal Hardglaze I want to try and restore some richness and get rid of the patchiness beforehand.

Ronseal's tech dept say not to use any kind of oil product as the varnish will then not adhere.

They have suggested a test patch to see if the white bleached areas disappear and if not, to then experiment with a bleaching agent to get the dark areas to match the light, rather than feeding the light areas to match the dark. Then If that doesn't work, to sand down deeper.

We're trying a test area now but am interested to know if you lot have any further suggestions :)

Cheers, D.

[stuart noble]

I'd treat the whole thing with 2 part woodworking bleach. Part A makes the wood look like nothing on earth but the peroxide freshens up hardwoods like nothing else IME. The white bleached area could be varnish residue. Urethane tends to sand to a white powder, but this disappears when any kind of film is applied over it.

[The Natural Philosopher]

try bleaching the lot and then applying a finish: Oak does darken with age and exposure to light.

[Dean Heighington]

I'll tell him to go down another 3mm... Lazy git :)

[Dean Heighington]

I think you're spot on there with the varnish residue... Sanding seems to have rubbed it into the wood below and when testing the area with the varnish, this seems to have taken up the white and made it part if the coat of varnish. It's quite a high traffic area and my dad wanted something hard wearing with a sheen, so at the moment it's looking good with just the sanding, cleaning with White spirit and a coat of the varnish. Won't know until full drying has occurred but at the moment everyone's happy.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, it's good to know what systems and treatments are available for future reference.

Ta, d.