First coat of stain looks horrible. Buff out?

[hctp]

Dealing with an oak floor. Sanded with drum and edger. Cleaned up most swirl marks form edger with orbital.

I put on first coat of stain yesterday and dozens of swirl marks from the edger are showing and the stain looks blotchy and uneven.

Should I try buffing with a 220 and re-coating or do I have to re-sand the whole thing?

 

[highup]

I'm not a wood flooring guy, but how many grits did you use altogether and what were they in the order you used them? I heard or read somewhere, that for staining, you needed to go down the scale one grit at a time to avoid those issues. If you don't stain, it's not so important. I have a friend who has installed and finished wood since the 70's and he hates when customers want stain for those same reasons. If you stain the wood, everything shows because the stain absorbs into the smallest of swirl marks and stands out like a sore thumb.
Like I said. I don't do nailed down sand and finish, so I'm only parroting what I have read and heard.

 

[highup]

By the way, welcome to the site.

 

[Nick]

You skip grits,staining, or not.
Swirl marks will show even if you don't stain.

You need to use the same grit screen as the paper that put them in there . to remove them.

 

[EliteFloors]

I've done wood flooring for several years now. After 100 grit on the belt sander we edge with 100, then we use 100 grit paper on the buffer to blend the edges in & remove any streaks for the big machine. Then we use a 6" random orbit on all edges to remove scratches from the edger Then 120 grit on the buffer to lessen those scratches. The final step we always do before a stain job is 120 grit paper on a square buff. Make sure u have the floor good and clean before each step. Btw if u use anything like 220 u will just be polishing the floor & make it not except any stain

 

[highup]

I like that advise, especially the square buffer. Yup, gotta clean before each step so that stray grit from the previous sanding doesn't get under the new paper.

 

[Nick]

You don't use a screen Elite ?

 

[EliteFloors]

Lol. Only on pine or other soft woods do I ever use a screen. That's the way my pops taught me!

 

[highup]

Wow, this is getting interesting.
OK, to screen, or not to screen.........is that the question?
Screening, not paper between coats tho, right?

 

[EliteFloors]

Haha. Actually I use the square buffer with 220 grit paper on a maroon pad before the final coat. 3 3" strips. Works great with no scratch pattern

 

[Nick]

The Screen is what takes out the scratch marks the paper leaves in .
And the more you use the screen the better it works.

Used it on Birdseye maple , and Southern yellow pine for years.
I agree with you on using the rotary after the edger . Did i mention i hate that tool. Breaks my back.

Hi, You use the screen once . same grit as the last grit of paper you use .
And a fast walk with a used one after the first coat to remove any air bubbles .

 

[HTSOPELAS]

are the bubbles fully removed removed by this?

 

[EliteFloors]

Sure, a screen can take the bubbles out if the finish. My problem with screening is it leaves swirl scratches. That's why I prefer a square buff and fine paper. finding a system that works best for u is what's best & stick to it