Bona Nordic Seal On Red Oak

Bona Nordic Seal On Red Oak Before And After

As you may or may not know, red oak is known for its prominent grain patterns and warm, reddish hues.

These features add character but can also present challenges when aiming for a lighter, more contemporary appearance.

Our red oak floors were stained a dark cherry stain so we never dealt with the orangey red tones that many complain about but I do know, from homes that we have renovated, they can turn orange really quick.

This is especially true if they have an oil based clear top coat.

Note: if you put an oil base clear top coat on red oak, they will turn orange over time.

Here are what the red oak floors look like after we refinished with Bona Nordic Seal.

Pretty crazy transformation right?

We also painted the dark stained trim and staircase the same color as our walls, West Highland White which also helped modernize and brighten up the interior.

I realize some prefer the dark floor and trim look (which is totally fine btw!) but for me, the lighter more modern look makes the house feel so much brighter and happier!

Challenges with Red Oak Undertones

The inherent red and pink undertones in red oak can be difficult to neutralize.

We tried so many stain colors, it was somewhat obnoxious 🤪 BUT I really wanted to make sure that whatever stain we used, did NOT enhance the red and pink tones that red oak flooring has.

As you can see below, we tried Bona Amber Seal and Intense Seal and both of them enhanced the warm orangey tone that I was trying to avoid.

The Intense Seal was not as bad as the Amber Seal but parts of our house (because of the lighting) really showed pink with the Intense Seal so it was quickly eliminated as a choice.

Achieving a lighter finish often requires specific products and techniques to counteract these natural hues.

The Bona Nordic below is clearly much lighter and “less orangey” than the Amber and Intense above.

I snapped this picture above before we decorated but I wanted to show you the beautiful contrast between the hardwood floors and the rug.

If you read this post, best red oak stains, you know that we tried more than a dozen stain colors (yes, I had little square samples all over our floor for days) included three products from Bona Floors, the Nordic, Natural and Classic Seal.

The Best Bona Sealer for Red Oak

This is strictly my opinion, but the Nordic Seal is by far the best sealer for red oak.

Let me share with you, my experience with all three Bona Floor products.

Keep in mind, the color and tone of a floor is strictly “your” preference. What I think looks good, may not be the perfect tone for you.

I personally felt that the Bona Nordic and it’s whitewashing effect toned down the pink and red tones the best.

As you can see above (as with any oak flooring), there are pieces that vary in color and tone. Overall, if we had done two coats of the Bona Nordic Seal (we only did one coat for budget reasons), the darker variations above would have been less noticeable but we were totally fine and loved how the floors transformed with just one coat of Bona Nordic.

Bona Natural Seal

Designed to retain the appearance of unfinished wood, Bona Natural Seal contains a small amount of white pigment, creating a close look and depth of pure, freshly sanded wood.

Overall, the Bona Natural Seal was my second choice but ultimately, it showed too much warmth in certain areas of our home.

Bona Nordic Seal

One of the biggest features of Bona Nordic is it offers a whitewashed, Scandinavian look by providing a milky whitewash color that tones down the red in red oak floors.

The best part, if one coat isn’t “light enough” for you, you can apply a second coat and the whitewash effect is even more prominent.

We opted for one coat as it was just enough to neutralize the pink but still have a smidge of warmth. When I say warmth, I don’t mean orange. I mean a nice sandy color that mimics natural white oak.

What is Bona Red Out

Bona Red Out is a product designed to neutralize the red tones in red oak flooring, effectively bleaching out the red tone.

However, some professionals may not be familiar with it, so it’s important to consult with your flooring expert before use.

We did not use Bona Red Out.

It added another layer of cost to the project and our flooring professional was confident we did not need it.

That’s not to say it isn’t a good product, we just do not have any experience with it.

What is the Best Bona Sealer for Red Oak?

Choosing the right sealer depends on your desired outcome.

For a lighter, white oak appearance, Bona Nordic Seal is highly recommended due to its ability to neutralize red undertones.

If you prefer to maintain the natural look of red oak, Bona Natural Seal may be more appropriate

Avoiding Application Errors

One of the biggest issues we had with applying the Nordic Seal was making sure the drip marks were brushed evenly when applying to stairs or near baseboards.

Once the Nordic Seal dries, drip marks or runs can be easily sanded but what a pain! The tone of the sealer is a whitewash so you need to really pay attention when applying it as it can be hard to see sometimes.

The other thing to watch for is over applying the sealer.

When you are rolling it on the floor (click through to this post, how to make red oak lighter), you need to pay close attention to make sure that the roller marks overlap so you do not end up with gaps because once it dries, it will look streaky.