Clear floor varnish

[taybert]

Can anyone recommended a good floor varnish for wooden boards that really doesn't yellow? I want a matt finish and to see the real colour of the wood. Any experiences appreciated. Thanks!

Hopeful bump for very boring subject!

It is the boards themselves that yellow.

If you don't want them to yellow you have to stain them before you seal them with varnish, wax, etc.

Don't use varnish - Osmo oil instead...?

No reason why the OP shouldn't use varnish. Osmo is an alternative.

I've just been looking at Osmo oil- they do this stuff which has a white tint to it which seems to tone down the yellow and gets good reviews. Anyone used it?

I'd never really thought about what causes the yellow, since where the varnish has worn is paler, I assumed it was the varnish. Well every day's a school day!

Ronseal diamond hard clear floor varnish. Supposed not to yellow. Hasn't for us but I think if in bright light it might.

Osmo is excellent! We've used it on our floors. Have a Google for Osmo white 3111 if you fancy going white whilst still being able to see the grain.

it might be that older oil varnishes used to yellow. I have been using water-based Diamond Floor Varnish for a few years and it doesn't seem to yellow.

You sometimes find the same with white oil paint.

Pine is notorious for yellowing with age, I prefer a warmer tint and stain with a wood dye (used to use Colron Spirit Based, now replaced with a water one that is not as good) with a bit of redness in it. I think it's called Light Teak but to randomise the appearance you can have a few jars on the go as you work, such as Walnut or Medium Oak with a drop of red Mahogany in it. Try out some samples on a scrap piece of wood or the back of a clean board to see what you like. As long as you keep to the same colour on any one board, it will look quite natural if adjacent boards are a similar, but not identical, colour. You must apply dyes on clean bare wood, not waxed or varnished.

Examples in pic

I apply it sparingly with a small soft natural brush, but you are supposed to rub it on with a rag.

Don't spill it....

I'd use the Osmo Raw. I've never been disappointed with any Osmo product and I've tried a lot of them! It is a lovely finish for timber.

I think the osmo raw is the thing I'm looking for, I've got a sample coming so we'll see.

I put Osmo matt varnish on my engineered oak boards and regret it - I'm sure the boards are yellowing. Does anyone know how disruptive it would be to have them re-sanded and oiled (I assume this is the only way to rectify)? The boards are in perfect condition.. just not a good colour. I see there's dust-free sanding but I'm not convinced on how dust-free it is.

Wood darkens and changes colour over time. It's unlikely to be what you put on top of it that has changed, especially now these things has fewer VOCs in them.