We're moving into a place with circa 1938 wood floors that have always been covered with carpet. I am told that no finish was ever applied to the floor. There certainly is no evidence of finish now.

We are hiring floor refinishers, but they will probably be the rough type rather than the artisan type.

They say the floors will be red-orange unless I go very dark with the stain. (I've heard some guys say the floor is fir, or Douglas Fir, and others say Red Oak.)

I've tested a clear finish and a minwax medium brown finish, and verified that, yes, they do go orangy -- much more orangey than the sample of red oak that minwax uses in its' display. (no, I don't intend to minwax the whole floor. I just wanted to do a test)

Can you recommend a treatment that would make them brown and eliminate the orange tones without going dark?

Thanks in advance.