I only pop my floors if its stained maple or the darker stains on oak.
Water popping red oak floors.
Water popping may not be necessary as oak accepts color pretty good.
It s where a thin even layer of misted water is applied to freshly sanded hardwood before the stain is applied.
It allows the stain to be applied more evenly across the floor.
Generally you would do a water pop on an oak floor when you are staining it.
It isn t a good idea to wet mop and if you do you should dry the floor immediately after mopping.
Benefits of water popping it allows the stain to be applied more evenly across the floor it raises the wood fibers so the stain goes deep into the wood for a nice finish it helps create a professional look and feel without any sanding marks it makes the color stand out.
It is especially recommended for those looking to do dark hardwood floors and go as dark as possible as the water pop will allow more stain to be absorbed and hence a darker color.
I don t have extensive use with oil penetrating finishes a couple a year but i have yet had to pop it to achieve the color.
Water popping is an added step in the finishing process.
The drawbacks to doing a water pop are first and foremost it costs more.
It helps remove any small remaining sanding marks that may have been missed.
This step is applied to hardwood flooring that is going to receive a stain.
It darkens the stain color by allowing the grain to absorb more of the pigment.