The Art of Blending Old & New Maple Floors: A Wisconsin Story

Maple floors can be tricky to match up, especially when you're trying to blend the old with the new. I recently wrapped up a project in Oshkosh that drove this point home.

With maple trees so abundant in Wisconsin, it's no surprise you'll find beautiful maple floors in many older homes throughout the state. When homeowners want to renovate or expand their living spahttps://www.signaturecustomflo...ce, though, things get interesting.

On this Oshkosh project, the homeowners had a specific vision: They wanted to open up their kitchen, move some walls around, and extend their existing maple flooring into the new space.

Makes perfect sense, right? They wanted that seamless, open feel throughout their home. (And, yes, hardwood in the kitchen is absolutely a good idea.)

We installed the new maple flooring first, set the cabinets on top, and then came back when our schedule allowed us to do the sanding.

The thing about maple, though—and I see this all the time—is that the new boards have a lovely blonde color, while the older floors develop a yellowish patina over time. It's just what maple does as it ages—kind of like how we all get a few more character lines as we get older!

The homeowners had gorgeous black cabinets installed, so they wanted to go with a lighter floor to create some contrast. We had to get creative with the staining process to blend the old and new sections together. It's like solving a puzzle; you've got to find that sweet spot where both surfaces can meet in the middle.

The game-changer for this project was using a UV-cured finish. This stuff is amazing for homeowners who don't want to wait forever before using their new floors. You can walk on it almost immediately after application!

The end result? Well, I wish you could see it in person. The way the old and new sections flow together now, you'd hardly know there was ever a difference. The whole space feels more open and connected. It's amazing how something as simple as continuous flooring can transform a home's entire feel.

It’s about more than making the floors and the rooms look pretty, though that's definitely part of it. It's also about adding real value to the home while creating spaces that just make sense for how people actually live. When you can walk from room to room without those awkward flooring transitions, it just feels right.

If you’re considering a similar project, here are a few quick tips I've learned over the years:

• Pay attention to the wood's direction. It makes a huge difference in how well old and new sections blend.

• Consider the natural aging process of maple when planning your color scheme.

• Don't be afraid to use stain to help blend differences between old and new wood.

• Think about the whole space. How will your flooring choice interact with your cabinets and other elements?

Our goal is always to create spaces that feel cohesive and natural. Sometimes, accomplishing that means embracing both the challenges and the character of working with natural materials like maple.