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Design Dilemma Renovating Dining Rooms

help on varnish colour!

5 years ago

Hello 👋
We are redecorating our dinning room (to have a nice place for the next few years before we can do a full kitchen/diner extension).

We have sanded the floorboards and we need to decide on the varnish color.
Floorboards seems to be pine, and are quite yellowy/orangy colour (pictures below make them look lighter than they are).

Walls are going to be painted a dark navy blue (Stiffkey Blue F&B) and I am thinking of painting the brick fireplace black (still TBC), so the room will be quite dark.

I am not sure what varnish colour to choose. Reviews from the brands available at B&Q are terrible.
We would want something mid tone: not to light but not dark, and not yellow/orange tone.

Any recommendations on colour and brand for varnish those floorboards?
Your help would be appreciated :)

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Julie west

5 years ago

Some of our rooms after lye and osmo treatment.

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Comments (21)

Sonia
5 years ago
That floor has come up lovely. We did the same a few years ago and we used 3 coats of Ronseal Diamond Hard Satin Varnish. It didn’t turn the wood yellow. Although it was lovely at first, it certainly wasn’t diamond hard, and it began to wear off pretty quickly, especially with the dogs claws. I’m not sure any product is hard wearing enough for a floor to be honest. We also white washed our bedroom floorboards, then varnished on top, and that was even worse with the varnish and paint chipping off. Sorry to be negative but that has been my experience.
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
Bona varnishes are very good. Bona traffic we have used and were pleased as it never scratched. Water based varnishes are the least likely to yellow.

https://www.ambiencehardwoodflooring.co.uk/bona-traffic-hd-varnish-4-5-litre.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3vr5qO-n7QIVHePmCh1M8gOPEAQYAiABEgIs0vD_BwE
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Daisy England
5 years ago
Your need to look at Monocoat. Look at their website. It’s fabulous stuff with many colour choices.
C D
Original Author
5 years ago
Many thanks to all for your recommendations! :) really appreciated. I did not know the brands Bona and Monocoat so great advices. And Sonia, your experiences seems to be in line with the B&Q reviews I had read, so I will look at other options ;) Thanks

In terms of colour, do you think we should go for “clear” (even if the pine boards are a bit on the yellow side) or should we stain it darker?

I was saw the Terra color from Osmo (https://www.ambiencehardwoodflooring.co.uk/osmo-polyx-oil-tints.html) but I was wondering if that would be too dark with the dark walls?
Sonia
5 years ago
As you are going navy for the walls, I think you could leave the colour as it is? Natural floorboards seem to go very nicely with blue, as can be seen in the examples below pinched from Pinterest. But of course if you want a darker shade then do so, after all it is in your home. However try it out on a piece of wood first just to make sure you like it.
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
Osmo are lovely products but they are oils and oils react with light and do darken and yellow.
C D
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh 😟 thanks for the advices on Osmo - did not realised it was oil... 😕

And many thanks Sonia for the exemples! I think you are right, the natural color will be better. I am concerned it will be too dark otherwise.

Thanks all! Really help me making a decision .
I will post the finished pictures 😉
88wj88
5 years ago
Lime wash ? If you want a lighter colour
Julie west
5 years ago
I would definitely use Osmo. We have sanded away varnish from our pine floors. Also wanted to avoid orange look, but that is what will always happen with pine. We discovered that if you use lye first it will avoid the yellowing of the pine. We then used the white toned Osmo and now have beautiful pale pine floors.
Julie west
5 years ago
Our floor after lye and white osmo treatment.
Julie west
5 years ago
White pine with oval room blue.
Julie west
5 years ago
White pine and oval room blue
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
@Julie west did you just use the White Osmo or put clear over the top too? Your floors looks lovely. I have used white plus clear, Raw plus clear and just white on bannisters but not floor. I was told that the white alone isn't practical and Osmo recommend the clear over the top. It's the clear that yellows it I think. Mine changed over about two years.
obobble
5 years ago
We mixed our own colour from Ronseal colours then protected with diamond hard clear - 12 parts dark oak, 3 parts walnut, 1 part teak = 4 750 ml tins dark oak, 1 750ml tin walnut + 1 250 ml tin teak. We just played around using medicine tots to measure different proportions and testing it on spare floorboards ( ours were new) til we found a tone we liked.
Julie west
5 years ago
We did osmo polytints 3040 followed by 0smo raw 3044. Wood finishes direct give advice about this. See their blog’ beautiful white wood finishes for dreamy white interiors’. Prior to any of the osmo we applied lye to the floors. This is apparently what will stop the eventual yellowing of any other treatment. The final effect is very natural looking. See the photo of white pine with oval room blue. This room was finished about 3 years ago and gets full sun as it is south facing.It is really easy to keep and does not need sanding back again before re applying in the future. It is not for you if you like the shiny polished floor look! Hope this helps.
Julie west
5 years ago
Photo of same room before we varnished the floor. Very orange!
Joyce Brereton
5 years ago
This is great advice!! @Julie west
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
That is very useful @Julie west Osmo Raw over White after Lye. Osmo told me to use clear over the Raw and the White which doesn't make sense as it yellows. What a palaver!
C D
Original Author
5 years ago
Many thanks to all for all your comments and advices. Really super helpful!!

In the end, we order a medium oak stain specific for pin floor (from floors finishes direct which was a link someone posted) with a clear Matt varnish.
I will do a test in a corner this weekend and will let you know the results :)

Many thanks 😊
C D
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi all,
Quick update: received the tint and varnish.
Did a test area with 3 levels of dilution of the tin:
- pure (which I really like but I think will be too dark with the dark navy walls)
- diluted with 25% water 75% tint
- diluted at 50% water 50% tint
Picture below show those wet as the varnish will a permanent wet effect (according to the sale lady)

We are thinking of going with the 75% dilution.
Will post update once we have done the whole room 😉

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