Flooring

General Tips

Maintaining old wooden floors

• ♦  Do not wax them; it can create a build-up
• ♦  Recommend use of Murphy’s Oil Soap to clean without harming the finish
• ♦  Can also use a mixture of hot water and white vinegar to clean—see link below

Looking for a new “old “ hardwood floor?

• ♦  Old heart pine floors are available from many companies—often reclaimed and salvaged from historic buildings already slated for demolition
  • ◊  Suppliers vary—search online “heart pine + reclaimed”

Refinishing hardwood floors

• Only sand if you absolutely have to—older floors are often not even and can only be sanded down so many times.
  • ◊  Over-sanding can lead to exposure of the tongue and groove feature.
• Adding a coat to an existing finish could cause the finish to “lift” because of incompatible products and/or a large wax build-up
• Polyurethane versus shellac versus varnish
  • ◊  Polyurethane can withstand the most wear and tear
  • ◊  All come in a variety of sheens
    • −  Matte will look more appropriate in a historic home