Natural Timber Finishes Vs Stained Floorboards: Which One Is Right For You?

When choosing timber floors or revamping your existing ones, every homeowner has this question coming up to us: Natural timber finishes or stained floorboards? Which one should I choose? While this is not a tough question to answer, here are a few things to consider that will help you determine the right one for you.

1. Consider the look you want to achieve
2. Your time and budget
3. The availability of the floorboard that matches your interior

While both natural and stained floorboards are great looking timber floors, each has its unique benefits. So, let’s see them first.

Natural Timber Finish

Natural timber floorboards are timeless beauties. They are the ones that do not have any artificial colour or stain added to them, and hence they look rustic, warm, and natural. With just a protective finishing and coating, natural floorboards look simply breath-taking, highlighting all their natural grains, knots and other features. With floor sanding and polishing at regular intervals, natural floorboards look stunning, fresh, and new for years and years.

When choosing natural floorboards for your home, always consider the other design elements like the colour of your wall, wardrobes, and kitchen cabinets so that your timber floors look harmonious with them. Also, consider the amount of traffic your floorings will receive, and the maintenance work your timber floors may require to choose the right floorboard.

So go for natural floorboards if:

• You like to keep the warm natural look
• Your room is dark or has dark painted walls
• The other rooms have natural floorboards, and you want to keep the same aesthetics
• If your wood species is not a suitable option for the stain you would like to have

Natural Timber Flooring Options

There is a wide range of natural floorboards available, as each wood species has different characters, looks, and feel. Most importantly, they come in varieties of colours, ranging from greys, pinks to reds, browns and dark brown. So, some floorboards can look exceedingly dark, and some seemingly light. Some of the most common wooden floor species in Sydney are Cypress Pine, Blackbutt, Jarrah, Bluegum, Tasmanian oak, Brushbox and Ironbark.

Stained Floorboards

Staining is the most popular way to enhance the look of your timber floors. It is perfect if you are trying to achieve a particular look or want your timber floors in your favourite hue. Staining also helps to match the aesthetics, designs, and colours of the interior decor of your home or business. It is usually done with floor sanding and polishing for long-lasting results.

One of the misconceptions that many homeowners have about stained timber floors is that staining hides the natural grains and patterns of timber floors. This is simply not true. Staining is different from painting. It does not form an opaque layer as paints do.

Staining enhances or darkens the existing colour or natural colour of your timber floor, keeping the natural features like marks and knots visible.

So go for Staining if:

• You want a dramatic look or replicate the look of an expensive timber floor
• You want to change the appearance, colour, and look of your timber floors
• The room has plenty of light and looks bright
• You are trying to match the colour of your timber floors with other design elements and wall colour
• You don’t like the way your existing timber floors look

Staining Options

When it comes to staining, you have tons of different shades and colours to choose from, leaving you spoilt for choice. There is no colour left that you can’t try on your timber floors. Some of the most popular stains are limewash, shades of grey and black.

So, both natural and stained timber floors give amazing results for your home or office. If you need our help, contact our team at Abacus Flooring for professional assistance and floor sanding and polishing services in Sydney.