I have a few sample boards to play with to see if I can get a nice stain and finish for beetle kill pine flooring. This is Logepole pine with the blue streaks. I am not big fan of pine but I am going to give it a try. I want to have a darker and more antique look to it. (Not dirty brown, but a bit more golden.) I am thinking about using Waterlox as the finish. Waterlox suggests you use an oil stain (1:4) in the first coat. (or in more coats for a darker color) Then a few clear coats on top.
I am wondering if using a dark dewaxed shellac in the first coat (or two) might be a better choice.
Any other suggestions? I will document and post my sample boards as I go along.