Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - dARK sPOT

Hello. I just purchased a Frderal home in Pottstown, PA. The custom, inlayed oak floor (80 years old) has been refinished, but there is a large darkish spot that refinishing did not remove. It is not a solid dark color, but seems to be small spots closely positioned. It may be where a previous owner had a lerge plant holder or Christmas tree - who knows. I am inclined to believe it was caused by water. The dark color may be previous mold. The wood does not seem damaged. It is not softter than the wood around it.

My wife used to clean boats for a living. She said she used a cleaner on teak that remoned every imanigable stain. Is such a product likely to damage oak where it does not damage teak?

Does it seam logical that I would strip that dark area and then try to remove the spot, rather than sand? What type of finish remover would be best?

Also, a previous owner put carpet in one room. My father and I used to make cabinets. We used plastic wood, but that was 25 years ago. What is the best crack filler for oak floors these days.

Thanks for the help. Jesse Shoemaker, a9@epix.net, Pottstown, PA

i would first take a belt sander or vibrator samder and sand some of the finish off and get down there and smell the spots it may be animl urine and could have lightened up in color during a previous sanding.
If this is the case u may as well get to like your stain.

If your wife's teak stuff work and it is animal urine, please let me know me and you will market it under another name and trust me brother we'll be rich.

I wouldnt use any kind of stripper on a hardwood floor i have had customers do this as a favor for me before i got there to sand there floors and boy what a mess they have made for me and themselfs

any hardwood flooring supply company will have some of the newer ater based crack fillers the work great

More than likely the stains are permanent if previous sanding and refinishing did not remove them. Sometimes stains can be made to be less obvious by staining the floor a darker color. Affected boards can be removed and replaced with boards from an inconspicuous area such as in a closet or from beneath the couch.

It is not recommended that gaps between boards be filled, as boards tend to expand and contract as the temperature and humidity levels fluctuate in your home. Fillers soon pop loose and crumble, creating an unsightly mess.

http://www.finishingwoodfloors.com