Should we remove old worn out wood flooring?

Mirna Morales
by Mirna Morales
We own a 1948 home with really worn out wood flooring and we want to replace it with new wood floors, but I am not sure if the old flooring should be removed?
Please help! mirnamoralesre@gmail.com, sorry, can't upload video

  5 answers
  • Absolutely remove the old floor. My flooring installers would refuse the job if you did not. It creates an awkward transition and tripping hazard. They would not want the liability.

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jan 24, 2018

    Hey Mirna, if your wood floors are as old as your home that actually may be basically the only layer you've got. (In my 1915 farmhouse I had two thin layers of hardwood, one a tongue and groove that went in first and then the next and last layer that I refinished because I love my old floors.) Back in the olden days when wood floors were not as popular as they are now those wood floors may have been put in just to be covered up with linoleum and getting them out would be VERY difficult.

    If you're going to hire a contractor to put in your new wood floors you can always ask him and see what he says. Are your old floors not savable?

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 24, 2018

    Call in a flooring company to give you a price and some advice, you don't need to go with them, but you will know what would be required.

  • V Smith V Smith on Jan 24, 2018

    Find a place in your home where you can see how the floor is constructed, like the basement. Look up and see if it is tongue and groove subfloor. Find a hole in the floor -- remove a heat vent or look near a pipe and find out how thick your floor is. If you have thick tongue groove with the strip hardwood above you may not need to lay a new subfloor BUT if you have squeaks you would want to address that before you lay new flooring. Also, your current flooring can be refinished but by age I am guessing it is top nailed, you would have to sink the nails first.