Finishing an Old Floor

Many homes in the early part of the 1900's were made with hardwood floors. The floor planking was thin, like bowling alley and many of the floors had great patterns like herring bone. Sometimes a different species was used as a border, a strip that came out from the wall about 1 foot and framed the room.

The trouble with the old hardwood floors was that they had to be copiously maintained. In other words they had to be polished regularly and and any water or mud would mar the sheen. They also scratched easily.

Every two years the paste wax had to be removed down to the bare wood with a solvent and then reapplied. This could take days if the floor areas were big.

So in the 1960's people began to put the new "wall-to-wall" carpet over these floors. This new product was low maintenance and made the home look great. In addition it was warmer and deadened the sound in big rooms. In some cases the wood floors slept for 50 years below carpet, linoleum or vinyl flooring.

When these homes were sold many new owners discovered the wooden floors lying beneath the carpet and other coatings. With the new refinishing techniques these floors were brought back to their traditional luster and the new urethane finishes made them a dazzling surface.

Why are these floors so treasured? First, the planks were cut from old-growth forests, almost devoid of knots and blemished. As well, they were quarter-sawn, that is cut in perpendicular strips from a log that was already cut in 4 pieces.

So, if you own an old home go into the closet and see what's under your present flooring. Lift corner of carpet or linoleum. You may get a big surprise!