What should I do with our 100 year old floors?

  7 answers
  • Fiddledd224 Fiddledd224 on Aug 16, 2017

    If they are in relatively good shape, you should try to restore them since the materials and craftsmanship back then were superior. If they need to be replaced, if it was my house I would try to copy the materials as closely as possible to keep the character intact.

  • Alyssa Alyssa on Aug 16, 2017

    Are they hardwood? I'd definitely refinish them. You can change the stain color if the old color seems dated, but old floors can look new again with a little sanding.

  • Leah Leah on Aug 16, 2017

    The best way is to sand and restain. If you have the money, a professional are usually reasonable. Or you can clean them thoroughly and use a floor restorer.I did this to my wood cabinets and they look like new. I USED A product that took all the old wax and dirt off---KrudKutter--and then wiped on wood restorer.

  • Beth Stern Beth Stern on Aug 16, 2017

    Resand them with rental sander and shine up those beauties.

  • Ken Ken on Aug 17, 2017

    I think they look great just as they are. The loss of the record of a hundred years of living would be a tragedy.

  • Cin21825342 Cin21825342 on Aug 17, 2017

    Sand and restain!

  • Twyla J Boyer Twyla J Boyer on Aug 30, 2017

    Unless you really know what you are doing, don't try to sand and refinish them yourself. It's worth the investment to hire a pro because they know how to keep them smooth and even without taking off too much wood. You can seriously diminish the life and structural integrity of the floors by sanding them too deeply yourself.


    If they are in decent shape after serious cleaning (like with Krud Kutter, as someone mentioned followed by a thorough rinsing), hand sand any spots that feel rough and then apply either a wood restorer or new finish. Be aware that if you sand off the original finish in spots, that will be show up when you refinish them. But also be aware that part of the charm of old floors is that they have character, so don't seek perfection. Seek smooth enough to be safe, really clean, and nice looking but not perfect.


    Also, older homes generally didn't have super shiny floors, so a more satin finish will look more original.