Reducing height of old floorboards for reuse

[sixeighth]

Hello,

I've taken some old T&G flooring boards from a skip to use for a floor in a small room (10m) in an old cottage. Current flooring is 18mm chipboard but the boards are 28mm x 135mm so I need to lose around 10mm on the boards - maybe slightly less as the room was carpeted.

I don't know what type of wood the boards are - the bare bits I would describe as light salmon pink in colour but the wood 'looks soft' if that makes any sense.

Is 10mm too much to try removing with a belt sander (assuming I can get one) or an edger? Would it be better to try planing the boards down before fitting then finishing with a sander?

Would a pic of the boards help?

 

[big-all]

belt sander 10mm = 10-20 mins a foot

planer thicknesser around 3 passes 3 seconds per ft 3 time so 40-60 seconds a plank take your pick

 

[sixeighth]

Many thanks Big All - if there's a risk of me finishing too quickly I'll go for the sander.

sixeighth

 

[ColJack]

why reduce though?
18mm chip + 5mm underlay +5mm carpet = 28mm..