Comments on: How can I tell if I can refinish my wood floors? http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/ everything you were wondering about it... Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:14:34 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jim_of_Oz http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/comment-page-1/#comment-755 Jim_of_Oz Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:34:29 +0000 http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/#comment-755 Our home was built in 1908. We pulled up the carpeting and hardboard and found linoleum. Under that was a layer of 1917 newspapers. There were a lot of places to see how thick the flooring was. Our floor was in pretty good shape (except for the bazillion holes left by the staples used to hold the hardboard down. I renailed a few places and replaced some broken boards and filled some of the worst holes. After pulling all that up we lightly sanded the floor and cleaned it with TSP (trisodium phosphate) and then painted it with porch/floor paint. It turned out pretty nice. I think the bottom line of this is too pull it all off and see just what it looks like. Don't be surprised if the wood in the center is different from the type of wood around the edges. Our home was built in 1908. We pulled up the carpeting and hardboard and found linoleum. Under that was a layer of 1917 newspapers. There were a lot of places to see how thick the flooring was.

Our floor was in pretty good shape (except for the bazillion holes left by the staples used to hold the hardboard down. I renailed a few places and replaced some broken boards and filled some of the worst holes.

After pulling all that up we lightly sanded the floor and cleaned it with TSP (trisodium phosphate) and then painted it with porch/floor paint. It turned out pretty nice.

I think the bottom line of this is too pull it all off and see just what it looks like. Don’t be surprised if the wood in the center is different from the type of wood around the edges.

]]> By: winterrules http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/comment-page-1/#comment-754 winterrules Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:38:54 +0000 http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/#comment-754 In 1916 it was probably built with wood floors and rugs would have been used in some rooms, but not wall to wall carpet. If the floor has not been sanded too many times it can safely be sanded and refinished. Flooring is usually tongue and groove boards. If too much wood is removed by sanding the top side of the groove will be too thin and likely to crack and split. Put a thin blade between the boards to check how much wood is left in that part of the board. Do this in several places. You want at least 1/8 inch of wood above the tongue after sanding. Any less than that is too thin. That doesn't mean you can't refinish the floor. You will just have to use chemical strippers to remove the existing finish instead of sanding. In 1916 it was probably built with wood floors and rugs would have been used in some rooms, but not wall to wall carpet. If the floor has not been sanded too many times it can safely be sanded and refinished. Flooring is usually tongue and groove boards. If too much wood is removed by sanding the top side of the groove will be too thin and likely to crack and split. Put a thin blade between the boards to check how much wood is left in that part of the board. Do this in several places. You want at least 1/8 inch of wood above the tongue after sanding. Any less than that is too thin. That doesn’t mean you can’t refinish the floor. You will just have to use chemical strippers to remove the existing finish instead of sanding.

]]> By: Elliott M http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/comment-page-1/#comment-753 Elliott M Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:32:35 +0000 http://www.earet.com/2010/02/how-can-i-tell-if-i-can-refinish-my-wood-floors/#comment-753 all wood floor are good for refinishing as long if there is not to much damage. some of the planked floors are pine but you can work with them.go to diy.com and refine your search or ask .com or this old house .com all wood floor are good for refinishing as long if there is not to much damage. some of the planked floors are pine but you can work with them.go to diy.com and refine your search or ask .com or this old house .com

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