Can You Stain Hardwood Floors Darker if You Have Pet Stains?

The Problem With Pet Urine

• If pet urine has sat for a long time, it absorbs into the wood. Pet urine is acidic and contains salt crystals that are insoluble and that bind themselves to the wood surface. Urine also contains ammonia, which changes the color of the wood. In lighters floors, pet stains are very noticeable, and staining seems like the obvious solution to hiding these dark spots. However, staining the floor darker not only changes the color of the surrounding wood, but it also changes the color of the urine stain. Even the darkest wood stain may not entirely hide the urine. If the wood is deeply saturated, it's more difficult to cover.

Patching

• One option to hide pet urine stains that doesn’t involve a ton of work is to find an oil-based wood filler that matches your floor color as closely as possible. Lightly sand the areas until most of the staining has faded, and then press the filler into the wood to both seal and hide the stain. This option is more ideal for small areas where the urine is relatively new because it may not entirely hide the stain if it has penetrated further than the surface of the wood.

Sanding and Refinishing

• In small areas, typically you can lightly sand the urine stain out of the boards and refinish the surface. If the stain goes deep into the wood, there are bleaching products specifically designed for wood that you can find at most flooring stores. Follow the label directions, and either remove the stain or lighten it to a point where it is barely noticeable. Sanding and refinishing is ideal for stains that haven’t permeated the entire board. For deeper staining, sand the entire floor and refinish it a darker color. In this situation, consult a flooring professional before you begin.

Replacement

• Replacing the stained boards is another option. For newer floors, this is relatively simple, especially if you have boards left from installation, or you can purchase additional flooring from the manufacturer. On older floors, you’ll need to replace the boards with wood that is aged similarly to your wood, which might mean using a board from a closet or hidden area of flooring. Newer wood finishes differently than aged material, so using a new piece of wood will still be noticeable because the grains will be different, and old wood develops a patina not found in new hardwood.