I finished laying my floor a month ago. Reclaimed maple gymnasium flooring. Got 'er sanded and am happy as heck with the outcome. I didn't have time or money to do the finish at this stage so I just applied sealer. I strategically located the different bird'seye and curly pieces around the house for maximum viewing pleasure. But, the sealer didn't do squat. In fact, the figure is less noticeable now than when it was bare wood.

I want the figure and grain of the maple to be striking. I used Duraseal Super Base sealer. What can I do as I plan on a finish to get the figure back out? Will I need to buff out the top coat of finish?

Thanks for your help.

should have opted for an oil based sealer to bring that fiqure out

Am I totally out of luck now or can I sand off enough of the water based sealer to use a oil sealer?

you can try a mineral spirits tack to mellow the effect of the sealer but you might be surprised how some finishes can help extract grain character