NEW WAYS WIT OLD FLOORS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 320, 24 December 1929, Page 5

NEW WAYS WIT OLD FLOORS.

A very good way to darken a wooden floor is to use equal quantities of linseed oil and vinegar. Boil the vinegar, mix it with the oil, and apply to the floor very evenly with a brush. Should one application not produce the required tone, repeat the process. The effect is lasting. A still darker colour may be obtained by using brown umber and linseed oil. For a floor of ordinary size, mix together five ounces of brown umber and about a quart of boiled linseed oil. See that the floor is clean and smooth before applying; rough patches should be smoothed with sandpaper.

Should a light oil stain be desired, use five ounces of yellow ochre in place of the brown umber. Rub the stain into the boards by means of a flannel pad. Two ounces of permanganate of pot-* ash crystals in a pint of boiling water will provide yet another excellent stain. It should be applied with a pad of flannel tied to a stick. Do not use a brush, for the stain is powerful in its action and would destroy the bristles. Care should be taken also to keep it from the hands. Give two or more coats to obtain the desired shade, but let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next. When the last coat is dry, rub the floor over with a rag moistened in linseed oil. This fixes the colour, brings out the grain of the wood, and gives quite a professional touch to the work.