RESTORING OLD WOODEN FLOORBOARDS, CURRENTLY UNDER CARPET

[Charlatan]

hi, i live in an old terraced house in london, under the carpet in the bedroom, there is some 6mm ply boards, sitting on top of the original wooden floorboards, which look ok nick (the bits i've seen from pulling up corners of carpet)

The boards underneath have got what looks like plaster or LOADS of dust on them.......

How long would it take me to take off carpet, take off ply boards and then brush down floorbaords - just hoovering & wire brush......to get them to useable state. 1 day? 2 days? (am i well out??!!)

2nd stage would be staining/polishing/varnishing but just want to get to dust free state at moment....

help much appreciated. apologies if this is another thread couldn't see the answer to my question.

 

[joe the floorsander]

hi, floorboards will be in good order,dont be put off by what they look like after ripping up plywood. hire a sander,hiretech ht8 are ok. simple and effective. start with 40grit. go with grain, then 80grit. dont bother with edger they create more problems than they solve. buy a draper random orbit 125mm sander bout 20quid. use 60,80grit velcro sanding discs. re edging, then go over floor with 100grit velcro discs 125mm, draper machines arent that good but shold be ok for a couple of floors. then hoover floor carefully, try to use a water based polyurethane, sadolin is good 50quid 5 litres. apply by brush,3inch good quality,harris no loss is ok. 3coats then sand floor by hand with 240grit paper hoover again, then 4th coat. important varnish takes a week to cure completely.so be gentle with floor during this time. ps woodworm holes common on old floors,usally a good dose of varnish hardens up holes. crumbly holes need to be replaced.with a board or two. hope this helps.joe

 

[WoodYouLike]

dont bother with edger they create more problems than they solve.

don't agree with this. Not using an edge sander will create uneven surface, part rough and part smooth. After applying any finish this will show forever!

Using an edge sander will create a slightly different appearance (because of the circular movement of the sander versus the 'straight' movement of the belt-sander), but that will gradually disappear over time, specially when you use grit 120 also on the edge-sander for a smoother effect.

 

[mattysupra]

ye not to sure i agree either. Apart from the fact a edge sander is hard to use correct for a diy person who hasn't sanded before.

 

[joe the floorsander]

okey dokey, edge sanders too fast, yes they remove stock well,but they require another machine to remove swirls they create. namely random orbit sanders. my views were were based on budget method, clean floor, bedrooms generally are! most hire stuff is hiretech. edger needs to have variable speed, try edger on dreaded black stuff 24 grit, 3 foot of cut if that. try random orbit 40grit. you might be surprised! hire peoplemake money on abrasives, more u use more they make. i can tell u the margins if u want. its huge, floorsanding sheets are designed to wear out or break, more they sell more they make, cora sheets are good, hire people wont use them as they last tloo long, 24grit open coat,its a great sheet. im trying to save the punter money.regards

 

[joe the floorsander]

ps, re osmo. if one follows instructions on tin, re app,and maintinence. i dont doubt its durability. having had first hand knowledge of osmo. i will never use it again. the reason being,customers wont maintain finish. its easy to oil floor and leggit, giving customer info re maintaining. it covers contracters back, and also the makers, we had rep down to look at floor. he asked had floor been re oiled at first signs of wear. customer hadnt done this, at time i argued two pack acid laquer. its a family kitchen floor! builder went with people who laid floor, their advice osmo, i applied osmo as per tin instructions. interestingly job was in kent.t.wells.patio doors straight into garden,big dog.lots of cooking etc. osmo should not have been recommended in that area. 6 months it was off. i went back re finished with 2pack.its been 4years,havent heard a thing.a contrite builder paid me again.mmh, some opinons need to be challenged, then to be found spurious. be vigilant against twits.

 

[WoodYouLike]

What we always do (even for DIY-ers who buy materials from us) is to hand-over a maintenance leaflet with clear and simple instructions how to maintain the floor (any floor - also varnished and lacquered floors need maintenance).
Then, because we like to keep in contact with the customer, we send out a little letter three weeks after the floor is installed (or bought by DIY-er) again about the easy maintenance and the correct way to treat the 'investment'. And then again after 6 months (where we also include a maintenance service option for the customer: we can take care of the 6 monthly maintenance for you).

Our job isn't finished as soon as the floor is installed, that's our customer service policy.
(And the number of maintenance contracts grows every month, so it's a worthwhile effort to keep in contact, constantly).

End of marketing lesson

 

[joe the floorsander]

our view is that we dont go back to jobs, unless to do another floor, i dont need to send my customers a maintain schedule. with waterborne polyurethane it isnt neccersary. domestic floors. i dont recall you mentioning a maintain schedule when you were waxing lyrical re osnmo. if you had, i wouldnt have felt compelled to challenge what you said. of course oiled floors need reoiling, depends on wear. we have just done a job in hastings, customer had oiled kitch floor. hadnt looked after floor, gone black by sink and door. we hve done living,dining room. polyurethane. looks great, by comparison kitch looks awful. how would a customer know to reoil a floor? when the tannins in oak start reacting to wear? too late! you know this, so when you send your maintain schedules to your happy clients. its not a marketing exercise,your covering your back. i have confidence in my ability, i dont need to cover mine! regards.asda madras curry, cold cider, count my money? sorted!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Joe, not sure if you get the Floor Forum International? In the latest issue there's a terrific article about hardwaxoil, how to apply it, how to take care of it etc.
Hardwaxoil floors DON'T need re-oiling when you take proper care of them. We are NOT covering our backs, we our taking care of our customers.
Every wooden floor needs after care, varnished, lacquered, oiled, hardwaxoiled, old fashioned wax floors, every one of them. Even Melamine Laminated flooring.

Go ahead, think what you like and just close the door after every floor you've installed. We don't and get an increasing number of new customers recommended to us by our existing customers. And that's the way we like to work, because in the end that's the most profitable way to do business: WOM

 

[yoocan]

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