Oak Floor Streaks

The sapwood is a lighter color and is thus not as desirable in darker oaks of the clear and select grade of flooring.

Oak floor streaks. The complaint included the presence of random yellow streaks of old finish and the black spots. Streaks are generally cause by mineral deposits within a tree s rings though cherry wood also sometimes displays gum streaks an area of wood darkened by the tree s own sap. Fill a clean spray bottle with acetone and mist the surface of the floor so it is covered with undiluted acetone. The floor i was dealing with was 740 square feet of red oak flooring.

Regularly vacuum your hardwood floor with a brush head and damp mop for regular maintenance. You may need to clean your floors with acetone up to three times to remove all of the accumulated build up. Minerals can cause graying in oak. In fact streaks less than 6 in length are allowed even in clear 1st grade flooring.

However if you re looking for a multipurpose cleaner that can be used on more than hardwood opt for the murphy oil soap liquid wood cleaner view at walmart. Try misting the floor with a light spray of water and mopping it with a microfiber cleaning pad. Acetone will eat away at waxy build up that may have started to leave streaks on your wood floor. Mineral streaks deposits are naturally occurring and they are often considered to add value and visual appeal to the wood.

Apply extra pressure to the black streaks between the joints. White oak tends to have more mineral streaks so it s a bit more linear in it s pattern again leading to more up to date style. Mineral streaks deposits are a discolored line spot or band in the wood that may range in color from light gray to tan olive green brown purple blue or black. Streaks mineral streaks are created as sap transports food and in oak flooring they can be just as natural looking as grains.

For a simple and effective floor cleaner go with the bona hardwood floor cleaner spray view at walmart. Cleaning by hand will allow you to reach between the cracks more easily. Its 38 year old oil poly had been sanded off and the red oak had been coated with waterborne urethane finish. Minerals and nutrients pass up through the pores of the wood.

This product is greenguard gold certified and it doesn t streak. Wipe the cloth across the floor working in 2 foot by 2 foot sections at a time. White oak is a bit harder and more durable white oak is bit harder then red oak on the janka hardness scale white oak is 1360 vs red oak is 1290. They are referred to as mineral streaks and some people seek them out as a desirable effect.