Investor · Dubuque, IA · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 10 votes
Below are pics of what I'm working with. It's an 1880's home and everything I've read says they used pine and the lumber store said it was either pine or fir so I'm guessing it's pine. In my opinion the floor is great in 90% of the area but the 10% that's bad is fairly bad like the last picture where I would need to replace some boards. Is this possible? Has anyone refinished old pine like this and what did you do with bad spots? I can try and use closet boards but they're fairly short.
Also pine is fairly soft even if 1880's pine was harder than modern pine. Will a drum sander just tear through these? I have a lot of paint and junk to get off the top and get to fresh wood.
Investor · Harker Heights, TX · Member since 2015 · 76 posts · 34 votes
10y
arrgggh! painting wood floors! Please see (almost any) episode of Rehab Addict. Drum sander and poly can make these floors look amazing. Your floors aren't in bad shape at all.
Personally, I'd hire that out, leave the drum sanders to experienced operators.
Try gallon of Rustoleum. I like the gloss sheen, can almost see my reflection in it. It's oil-based and you should be able to get away without priming or using poly. Comes in a variety of colors and it's $25 a gal or $8.50 a quart at Walmart.
Investor · Dubuque, IA · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 10 votes
10y
For anyone interested I got the floors painted and they look really good! We'll see how they hold up. I ended up using Zinnzer Oil primer (can't remember the exact name, its in a yellowish can). Then I used Valspar Oil-based Porch and Floor paint. Painting with oil-based sucks. I'm not even bothering cleaning brushes and stuff, directly in the trash. Attached are some pics. Thanks for the help everyone! I hope they hold up.
Investor · Dubuque, IA · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 10 votes
10y
Yea I wonder that too. When I did research lots of people said black actually shows dust worse than white so it might be the same for both. I figure people won't be wearing muddy shoes upstairs in bedrooms so it can't be too bad... right? :/
Real Estate Agent · Mechanicsburg, PA · Member since 2014 · 529 posts · 217 votes
10y
@Ryan King I know painting the floors was much easier, but I am not sure on this decision. I understand you are targeting college students, but I personally don't like it. I think you will attract frat stars instead of the quiet nerds.
@Ryan King I know painting the floors was much easier, but I am not sure on this decision. I understand you are targeting college students, but I personally don't like it. I think you will attract frat stars instead of the quiet nerds.
I know what you mean. For me it was worth the $800 minimum in savings. I really don't think anyone in my area or price range would like/not like the place any different if there was laminate upstairs instead. I guess we'll find out.
Residential Real Estate Broker · Chicago Suburbs, IL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 594 votes
10y
@Ryan King and anyone else...I have also been trying to figure out a similar dilemma, see picture below. House built in 1952, Pine subfloor, tongue and groove, attached directly to joists, nail heads showing, in two second floor bedrooms and hallway in between. Some gaps in between boards where the tongue and groove separated or tongue broke off.
Since reclaimed wood furniture is still in style, as well as distressed wood floors; I am thinking I could save these floors, appeal to those that like wood floors, and save money?
@Ryan: Have people moved in yet? Do you know yet how the paint is holding up?
I've had two flooring contractors look at it (I don't DYI) and neither was thrilled with the idea of refinishing the floors in terms of sanding and staining, one citing that there would still be gaps remaining. The other wasn't thrilled about refinishing and so when I asked what he would do he suggested I do wall to wall carpet which is NOT happening-we do not put that in our rentals. I was surprised neither brought up what could happen when nails hit their sander as a reason; I brought it up and they didn't agree that it was an issue...they just both didn't like the idea.
Then I thought, maybe I could skip sanding(?) and have the floors painted a rich brown color that I found someone else online did in their home and posted about...but then a couple of people on bigger pockets have said repainting the floors would be needed between tenants which I don't want either...ugh. There will be heavy furniture such as beds in a bedroom of course to scratch up the floor.
I even thought about not doing anything to the floor, getting two big 10x12 area rugs for $200 each from HomeDecorators.com that would leave a 2' border of wood around the room, and just throwing them out and buying new ones as needed.
Open to opinions from anyone else as well. Here is what I am starting with. There are no bad boards.
Investor · Dubuque, IA · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 10 votes
10y
You're floors look better than mine were. I've moved in and they're holding up well so far. Even moving bed frames and such across the hasn't produced any scratches that I can see. You can see Some spots where the wood chipped because it's old but that's only a few small spots and I can paint over them. If you want to sand and stain them I think you're going to have to have someone set all those nails in. Could be costly rather than paint or laminate on top.
Contractor · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2014 · 651 posts · 510 votes
10y
@Kimberly H. As long as the boards are solid and the wear layer is not too shallow, you should be able to sand & refinish this floor. The nails should be set first.
Try to find another refinisher; it sounds as if these guys just didn't want to do it.
Investor · Canton, GA · Member since 2014 · 727 posts · 500 votes
10y
IMHO
Once this shows to look badly after the traffic areas shows wear of the paint, put down a layer of Surply, sound underlayment, and grade 3 or better laminate and you'll be done with it for a long time.
Investor · Dubuque, IA · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 10 votes
10y
I was on my phone before, looking at your post and pictures again I would totally refinish those. I think they would look really good. Mine had a bunch of glue/paint already on them but your's look really good. Like I said before I do think you'd need to set the nails but if you pay someone, that's their job/problem and should be included in the cost of refinishing. Good luck!
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
If you are renting the place refinish them. Even if they are not perfect you are going to have a character floor, not a modern no gaps perfect floor. People like it. Set the nails and they will sand them and poly urethane x 3. No stain, if they are older they will darker when you coat them with poly. look at my pictures and the floors were bad.
I personally don't like the paint. I painted one floor years ago with a tan paint and did some edge stencils like that inlay you sometimes see in wood, it looked good but it wasn't my first choice. if you paint porch and deck paint is good and lighter but not white tones are better, so tan, grey. I have also seen some people do some interesting designs but me I would not go past
Rental Property Investor · Leander, TX · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 51 votes
10y
I may be a little late on this one, but I recently finished the floors in the upstairs unit I'm occupied in. It used to be an attic, so the flooring is old nasty pine boards like in many of the pictures above with large gaps. I ended up using a Java Gel Stain (looks black after applied a couple coats). I also sealed all the cracks and gaps with a black flexible caulk. I then sealed the entire floor with a semi-gloss high traffic floor sealer. The end result looks pretty great for how crappy the floors were to begin with, but it's by no means a "high end" looking floor. But I'm definitely happy with how it turned out.
The caulk in the floor cracks seems to be holding up really well so far. I didn't use wood filler for fear that it would crack and fall through the floor during expansion/contraction of the wood. I'll try to post up some pictures as well.