How can I fix these orange Cyprus Pine floors?

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26890#Comment_26890

So sorry to hear that you've not achieved the look you were going for, @elliza88.

I am not aware of any bleach or tint that can lighten your flooring.

Cypress Pine has a very orange-coloured heartwood that is amplified when coated. I have Cypress Pine floorboards, and they are WAY more orange-coloured than yours.

Typically a water-based coating is more clear and colourless, whereas an oil-based coating has quite an orange hue. However, a water-based coating over orange-coloured timber like Cypress Pine is still going to give you a slightly orange result. I suspect that the coating used on your floor could have been an oil-based product.

Your flooring appears to consist mainly of orange-coloured heartwood, with the limited lighter white sections being sapwood. Your inspiration image has far more lighter sapwood than your flooring, which adds to the overall Scandi style.

I just wanted to bring to your attention that your inspiration image looks rather unnaturally de-saturated. I've bumped the saturation, and the flooring then appears quite orange. If the flooring were actually blonde with no orange, then when bumping the saturation, the timber wouldn't change to orange. No doubt your flooring is far from your desired look, but I just wanted to point out that the inspiration image might not truly reflect something you can achieve with an orange-coloured timber.

Let me mention @dorabulldog, who had their flooring bleached with acid to strip colour from it. Perhaps they have some advice. You can see their results in the discussion Kitchen refresh using paint and bleached floor.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

elliza88

Thank you that is interesting

I was wondering though if I should have applied a white tint prior to sealing- this might have helped get rid of the orange?
do you know what acid bleach it was?

thank you

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/76112#Comment_76112

Having a look online, it appears some people are applying a whitewash to the timber prior to sealing which seems to neutralise the orange tint to a certain extent @elliza88. We have the Feast Watson 4L Liming White Satin Timber Floor Stain And Varnish or Feast Watson 1L Liming White if you'd like to control how white the floor goes before applying your polyurethane coating.

Unfortunately, I don't believe @dorabulldog was told by the professional what the acid bleach was.

Mitchell

dorabulldog

Hi @elliza88 and thank you @MitchellMc for the mention!!! Yes, I had really good success with a professional because I was advised that simply sanding and re-coating wouldn't get the fundamental colour out and achieve the look I wanted. It was always going to be quite dark / yellow / orange.... I am so sorry to hear your experience with this was not what you were hoping for....

I also didn't want to bleach it myself as that was quite a high risk for a complete flooring novice (and my whole apartment is wood so it was a lot of timber to do myself).

I am afraid Mitchell is right, I don't know what the exact bleach / acid was but I will see if I can find out. If you are based in Sydney let me know and I can private message you his contact details.... I am sure other professionals would have a similar technique if you show them my photos? I don't think everyone does it, so be sure to query them properly on the process - we had to sand my floorboards and then he applied the treatment and I was not allowed back in to the apartment for one whole week while it took hold, and then we applied a clear water based coating. I hope this helps you and good luck!!!!!

elliza88

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26915#Comment_26915

Oh yes please that would be amazing to get the professionals contact details! Thank you so very much. I am a few hours out of Sydney but I’m sure someone would travel! Hopefully!!

AliMP

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/76125#Comment_76125

@elliza88 @ did you manage to find out what the acid wash was that was used on the floor of @dorabulldog ? They look so beautiful!

We are in the same situation. I absolutely love the raw colour of the cypress timber now but as soon as the clear varnish goes on (which it has for one section) it is far too orange. I've gone from loving the floors to not!

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/103363#Comment_103363

Hi @AliMP

Let me tag @elliza88 to make sure they are aware of your question. I'm curious to know myself if the bleaching process gave the floor a less orange appearance.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26890#Comment_26890

I too have Cypress Pine and loathe the orange look. I used a waterbased coating last time...looked great for the first few months, but then darkened and produced those typical orange tones. This time after sanding back, I used Feast and Watson Liming White Stain and Varnish. It's been an absolute nightmare! I followed the instructions absolutely, but each time the roller touched previously laid-down coating, it grabbed it causing sticking and clumping. The more you try to even it out, the more blotchy and botched it looks. I sought advice from Feast and Watson who said that humidity is CRITICAL to how it looks. Well, nothing about humidity on the can, why would a reputable company leave such 'critical' advice off the instructions? On speaking to one of their senior experts I discoverd that some of the advice provided on their chat line had been incorrect, which didn't help. On the experts advice as an alternative to sanding the whole lot back again and the extra cost, time and exhaustion that would involve, I tinted the varnish with additional white to hopefully even out some of the dreadful roller marks and clumping. This time I ensured humidity was below 60%, I also put the aircon on in the other room on dry setting to further reduced temp and humidity. Guess what....same issue! Looking at reviews for this product, I'm amazed how many similar disaster stories there are. It obviously has very limited environmental conditions for its application and it's reprehensible to sell this product with sub-par instructions. I'm left in a terrible situation of having to either paint the floor in an opaque white paint and lose the lovely wood grain, or having to sand it back. Physically, I am unable to lift the sanding machine from my car to the house and after all this cannot afford a professional. I sanded the floors myself but the equipment from Bunnings Hire was faulty, both the floor sander and the edger (the staff were great) but it took an additional 4 days of work with a hand-sander I had to buy to minimise the gouges produced by the faulty edger (there wasn't a replacement available). Right now, I have no idea what I'm going to do.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79329#Comment_79329

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience, @ezzie, but I'd also like to welcome you to the Bunnings Workshop community; you've come to the right place, and hopefully, we can help you resolve this issue.

I've contacted Feast and Watson and gone over your troubleshooting with them. High humidity certainly plays a factor in drying times, but it doesn't rule out the application of the product. As the label states, when humidity is high, extended dry times are to be expected, so you'd need to wait longer before applying your second coat; it doesn't necessarily explain the blotchiness.

Regardless of the application of the product, there's still the issue at hand to deal with. I'll reach out via private message for further details so I can connect you with a manager at your store of purchase. They'll be able to discuss what options are available to you moving forward.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79329#Comment_79329

Hi @ezzie,

A manager from Bunnings Castle Hill will be in touch shortly.

Many thanks for your patience.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79329#Comment_79329

Hi @ezzie,

I'm pleased to hear the team at Bunnings Castle Hill has been in contact and will reimburse the product cost and provide the sanding equipment free of charge.

When it comes time to re-apply a product, please let me know, and we can work through the process together.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/104047#Comment_104047

Mitchell, you've been a star. The disasters continue though...Mark, the manager was brilliant at organising everything and I have the sanders today. A bit of a hiccough as the store didn't have 40 grit, so I bought 60 grit - which proved useless at removing the coating. I had to drive to another store and grab the last 4 x 40 grits in store. Surprisingly, these aren't much better. Either the machine is set too high OR, I'm wondering if because the coating was only put on a week ago, if it's still soft enough to be clogging the paper? After a few ineffective passes, there is zero coating being removed. I've already spent nearly $300 on sandpaper for these machines - last time I did my floors, I used very few rolls and discs. Could these machines be set too high? Any suggestions? Apart from a few dots of varnish, the roll is surprising still looking fresh and feels sharp enough that it 'should' be doing the job. 40 grit.jpg

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/119084#Comment_119084

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/128075#Comment_128075

Hello @ezzie

That is a bit puzzling as 40 grit sandpaper will usually strip your floor bare in moments. I'm sure you've double checked, but can I please ask you to check the settings on the floor sander to make sure that the belt is locked in place with the sanding pad in full contact with the floor. I would also like to ask if you can test the floor sander in another section of your floor.

At this point I'm just trying to suggest some trouble shooting measures. I'll give Mark a call now to inform them of what's happening. Once you've tested the sander, please let me know if you get it working.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133928#Comment_133928

Exactly Eric! 40 grit should rip through it like butter. I had the same issue with previous machine, but this one is MUCH worse. Settings....what settings? The roller is definitely engaging, but I think not low enough. If I not only release the handle to drop the drum onto the surface, but actually push it down a little further, it's then engaging more but it does become unstable. Mark is off today.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137580#Comment_137580

Hi @ezzie

Allow me to get in touch with you through private messaging so that I can provide you with further assistance.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133928#Comment_133928

I've done the entire room...it's taken two hours of solid work to remove 'most' of the varnish. This should have taken 20 mins at tops (3m x 4m). Only settings are on and off. The drum 'seems' to be to floor...concerned about how I can push the lever further forward.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/104019#Comment_104019

Woo hoo! Finished (well, didn't have the energy to finish off the edges in 100 grit). It took all day with the sander issues, but the edger worked like a dream, but damn, it's heavy. Found some rope wrapped round the floor sander drum which probably didn't help. At one point the drum sander seemed to start sanding correctly but was then leaving black marks everywhere...no idea what they are, but it was working! Thank you Mitch, Eric and Mark the manager who went above and beyond to help a gal with a dodgy knee at the end of her tether.

Finished!Drum sander left these black marksLots of them...

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/119088#Comment_119088

Hello @ezzie

It's good to hear you've made some progress. In regards to the black marks, I suspect that the sanding pad is not totally centred and is rolling slightly off the drum. I recommend removing and repositioning the sanding pad to get a better fit.

In order to remove the black marks, I suggest doing a quick pass with the edger to remove them.

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric

tom138

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/119088#Comment_119088

Hey @ezzie, I’m reading your saga and I’m hoping to avoid the same ordeal when I do my floors 🙂 Just wondering if you managed to achieve the end result you were hoping for? If so could you please share what product did you use and any advise that might be useful to somebody wanting to do the same? Thanks, Tom

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131230#Comment_131230

Hi Tom, my floors are a disaster - a mix of bad product and faulty hire equipment. However, I am now more knowlegable (don't use the finish that professes to be 'the best' floor finish - not sold at Bunnings). I'd use plain ole Cabots or Loba clear mixed in with a double dose of Loba whitener for Cypress. I'd make it extra white as the Cypress will mellow under the coating, but the white will offset it. You buy the little bottles of it and mix it well into your floor sealant. It's brilliant. Personally, I'd leave the sanding to a pro. I've done it twice now...never again. Previously I used Cabots and it did what it said. In other countries you can hire light sanding buffers (circular) which allows light sanding occasionally so you can add extra coats every couple of years....I've not found them in Australia unfortunately. I'd love to put a layer of Cabots + Loba whitener over my floor now.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131230#Comment_131230

Hello @ezzie

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. Let me tag @tom138 to make them aware of your recommendations.

Eric

tom138

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/135791#Comment_135791

Thanks very much for your advise @ezzie! Sorry to hear that your project did not go well. Do you suggest to use water or oil based?

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/138902#Comment_138902

Hello @tom138

Let me tag @ezzie to make them aware of your questions. I'm leaning more towards the water-based products simply because of the ease of cleaning. You don't need to use extra chemicals to clean your brush or roller. It's easy to wash off your clothes if you attend to it immediately, and you can dilute the product by adding more water.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric