Tatajuba Floor Refinishing in Education Hill, Redmond

We refinished the tatajuba hardwood floors in a home in Redmond’s Education Hill neighborhood, through the entry, hallways and kitchen. The homeowners wanted the floors lighter and more natural, closer to the original look of the wood, so we sanded back to clean wood and finished with Bona water-based finish in satin.

The situation

Tatajuba is a Brazilian hardwood that darkens noticeably with age and light, and an older finish adds its own amber tone on top. Over the years these floors had gone darker than the homeowners wanted. The goal was a more natural, less dark floor that looks like the original wood again.

What we did

1. Sanded to clean wood through the entry, hallways and kitchen, removing the old finish and the darkened surface layer.
2. Refinished the borders too. The border boards that frame the floor along the carpet edges were sanded and finished with the rest of the floor.
3. No stain. The color you see is tatajuba’s own, with its natural mix of golden and reddish-brown boards.
4. Bona water-based finish in satin. A clear finish that doesn’t amber the way oil-based finishes do, so the lighter color holds.

The result

A lighter, more natural tatajuba floor with the board-to-board color variation showing again, from the front door through to the kitchen. The satin sheen keeps it warm without looking glossy.