I’m back with the final chapter of my hardwood floor refinishing project — and I couldn’t be happier with how the dark walnut stain turned out.
If you’re joining late to this little renovation story, here’s a quick recap: I bought a house where the second floor had carpet that was removed before the sale. The exposed floors were in rough shape and needed a full refinish before I could move anything upstairs. I hired a professional to refinish them, and now the work is finished — beautiful, uniform, and ready for everyday life.
Below are a few photos showing the finished floors in different rooms:
You’ll notice the floor tone appears slightly different from one image to the next. That’s simply down to varying light, camera settings, and the angles in each room. The important takeaway for anyone choosing a floor stain or paint: always test samples in your own space. A color you admire in a photo, on social media, or in someone else’s house may look different under your lighting and against your finishes. Sampling can save a lot of regret.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look around the rooms.
Hardwood Floors: Dark Walnut Stain
I chose Dark Walnut for the stain, paired with a satin poly finish. The floors are Red Oak, and the darker stain really accentuates the natural grain and character of the wood. The result is rich, warm, and far from the orange undertones I was trying to avoid.
Below you can see a comparison of the downstairs floors (left) and the newly finished upstairs floors (right). Choosing a darker stain helped create consistency throughout the home while keeping the tones from leaning too warm or orange.
One of the things I appreciate most about this stain is how it highlights the grain. The texture and subtle variation add depth and movement, which helps hide ordinary dust and minor scuffs between cleanings. The satin poly finish offers a slight sheen without being glossy, keeping the overall look natural and refined.
A small snag: some stain got onto the base moldings during the process, so I’ll need to repaint those. That’s a straightforward fix and fits into my plan to refresh paint in these rooms later this year.
I was advised that furniture could be placed back on the floors after about 72 hours, but I chose to wait roughly ten days before moving anything heavy upstairs. That extra time put my mind at ease and reduced the risk of accidentally marking the new finish while it continued to cure.
Since then I’ve begun furnishing the upstairs with what I had on hand and a few new purchases. My mom visited for the first time, so I bought a queen mattress for one room and two twins for another. It’s still a work in progress, but the space is already feeling more lived-in and comfortable.
I’m planning to share a short updated video tour of the home soon, so if I can get a few more things organized I’ll post that early next week. For now, I hope this first look at my refinished hardwood floors gives you useful ideas if you’re considering a similar project. Dark walnut on Red Oak with a satin poly has given these floors a timeless, inviting look that feels right for the house.
Thanks for following along — I’m thrilled with the outcome and excited to continue making this house feel like home.