- Different levels of shine and gloss or different levels of coat thickness are linked to several possible causes from improper application of the stain to contamination during drying and even a slanted floor. Unfortunately, no simple solution is available for this problem; strip the stain and re-stain the floor.
- One of the most common problems with hardwood, whether stained or not, is darkening under the sunlight, which happens not as a result of the stain but as a result of natural oils found in the wood. Over time, wood exposed to direct sunlight will darken significantly, leaving obvious boundaries and even shapes where rugs and furniture have covered the floor. Using a stain that includes UV protection can help minimize this effect, and moving your furniture regularly will help floors darken more evenly.
- Occasionally, stain or finish laid on a board will not harden properly but instead will leave a sticky residue. In this case, tannic acid in the wooden board prevents the stain from adhering properly to the wood; the stain sits on top and coagulates into a sticky mess. Replace boards that react with stain or finish in this way.
- Even minor stains left by pets can noticeably mark and discolor the finish of a hardwood floor. While very minor stains, if cleaned quickly, are removable by light sanding of the finish, heavy stains or stains that have set over time can seep past the finish and into the wood. Refinishing is necessary for heavy stains, and using a medium-toned stain can help minimize the look of stains that darken the wood.
- The mark of someone in a hurry, streaks are left in hardwood stain by users who are spreading the stain too quickly or are using the improper amount of stain. Especially visible in water-based stains, moving too fast through a staining job can dry the stain at different rates, causing streaks to form. Streaks are minimized by adding an even coat after re-screening the floor.
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