Asked on Mar 04, 2016
Trying to preserve the original flooring
by
Cathi
+19
My husband and I moved into a 114-year-old house last summer. We love the place, but it needs a LOT of love and care (and renovation). We're both in our 60's and things are getting more difficult, but we would like to do as much of the work as we possibly can...the pockets aren't very deep. I love doing new and challenging projects. YouTube is my friend and I'm learning a lot on forums and by Internet searches. My husband is good at electrical projects, but that's about where it ends. This house is a challenge for both of us, but we're really proud of what we have been able to do to this point. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions in the future. Thank you for your input!
The floor in our back entryway had multiple layers of tile, particle board and more tile which I have removed. After spending a month scraping and sanding the tar paper from the floor, I'm almost ready to fill the nail holes and give i
The floor was left with quite a few holes from the particle board being nailed in. Many of these holes are surrounded by dark spots. Was there some sort of chemical reaction between the nails and the wood? Is there a way to get rid of
10 answers
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Been restoring a home built 1901, not my 1st. 1st identify is the supporting structure, floor joist's are sound, squeak's may be able to be an easy fix, using a finish nail gun, 1 1/2" finish nail on an angle, try for the joist's. Your home is old & is full of character, sand the floors down, save the dust, mix w/ wood glue to a paste & fill holes and re-sand area, stain & varnish, type your choice, poly is easier
JOHNNY
on Mar 05, 2016
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Watch for asbestos in old tiles!
None
on Mar 05, 2016
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Our home is 106 and after sanding heart pine floors upstairs we also had discoloration here and there,,,but actually left it like that to preserve the history and not go for "new" looking. The floors are spectacular, warts and all! Good luck!
Julie Crawford
on Mar 05, 2016
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Filing in holes often can make the restoration look cheapened rather than to leave the history show.
Johnchip
on Mar 05, 2016
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I believe I would fill the nail holes and then do a careful faux painting job over them with a color that will match the floor AFTER it is sealed. Use a tiny brush. I did this with an old Hoosier cabinet.
Laura Williams-May
on Mar 05, 2016
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Cathi, If those are oak floors they should look brand new after sanding they shouldn't look grey unless maybe there was water or chemical damage?? The sanding should have taken down enough wood to get rid of that grey discoloration and around the nail holes. Johnny's suggestions for the sawdust and glue is a great idea. That being said if you already sanded and the floors are grey filling in the holes with sawdust and glue will only make them stand out more. Before you proceed get a professional opinion. I would find someone reputable that does flooring to come in to check what you have done. The few dollars that may take may save you time and heartache. He or she may tell you that you didn't sand down enough. Good luck :)
Leslie
on Mar 05, 2016
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Have a 100+ yr old house. This flooring looks very much like that on my 3rd floor and in the basement. Looks like fir. Would just give it a good cleaning, fill as Laura Williams-Maysuggested - then put on a couple of layers of poly. If it's fir, you will get quite a lot of colour variations but this adds to the charm.
Marion Nesbitt
on Mar 06, 2016
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Thank you, everyone, for your input. I think I'll just fill the holes and go forward with staining and using poly. Take a look at a picture of what the floor looked like when we moved in. Ya, I'm quite happy with the transformation...even with the dark circles around the holes!
Cathi
on Mar 06, 2016
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Ok so if they are not that gray, then test out Johnny's suggestion in an inconspicuous area. In the places where the wood is still grayish, unless you can match the hue of the gray I wouldn't touch. You are going to have to make the call in the end on this. Maybe experiment with tinting the sawdust and then letting it dry before mixing with the glue will give you a decent match. Sawdust and glue or wood filler will do the job in most cases. Good luck :)
Leslie
on Mar 06, 2016
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Heading to the store to try to find some Oxalic acid today. I can't wait to give this a try. I have a feeling this is the solution to my problem. Thank you!
Cathi
on Mar 12, 2016
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