Help - orange victorian pine floor being stripped tomorrow can't decide how to stain or varnish

[Spatz]

We have a Victorian flat with a rather grand sitting room with a huge fireplace and a varnished pine floor that looks orange.

It will be sanded tomorrow and I need help with the next step - should we stain it darker and then varnish? I would like it fairly dark, I think.

Anyone have any experience/advice?

anyone any tips?

I think oak stain looks nice, but make sure again it doesn't have orange tones.

maidamess have you done this yourself - does it look even and good? Did you varnish on top?

ronseal clear non-yellowing varnish (diamond hard) if your floor is a nice colour and wood is in decent condition after you have stripped it.

I find the most natural looking stain for wood (and the only one without a hint of orange) is walnut stain. It's pretty dark, but you can dilute it to make it less so.

Whatever you do try it in an unobtrusive place first!

I don't like varnished floors, I prefer oiled or waxed myself.

Not floorboards, but bare wood bannisters. I stupidly went for something too glossy and orange. But my new solid wood floor is a lovely oak colour. Have a look in B&Q for samples of solid wood flooring that you like and can take to match the colour to a stain. I think stain then varnish either matt or gloss is best.

I think I want it fairly dark - the room really is quite grand and I think a light floor looks too modern.
Maybe a stain and then oil?

It is unlikely to look orange when sanded, ours was a lovely light pine when stripped. I would not stain but if you must no darker than oak, IMO.

twelvelegs after stripping what did you cover it with to keep it light?

anyone else with experience?

clear varnish, quick dry about 6 coats.

ours is stained quite dark and varnished. i quite like it. i think oil might not be so hard wearing.

thanks everyone I guess I just need to see how it looks sanded and try out a few test areas.

Do you have a floorboard that needs replacing - use that as your test piece.

friend did hers walnut and it does look lovely - not too dark

did your friend colour then varnish or was the colour in the varnish? I really don't understand the detail and we live in central london so can't just pop to bandq.