Restoring/sanding old floorboards

[Will B]

Hi All

Just moved to a new house and pulled back the carpet in the lounge to find the old floorboards (I assume pine?). They've been painted quite a thick dark green (see pic attached) and I would like to try and restore them back to their original wood and treat them.

IMG_6133

• Will B
• 20 Nov 2015

Has anyone ever done the same, how did you do it? I am planning on hiring a floor sander for the day to strip it back. I'm assuming the paint will come off fairly easily with a sander?

Any ideas or tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[gregers]

good luck,that looks a pig of a job to do.

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I'd think of another floor covering......that paint will be well soaked into the grain and also the grooves of the boards.
A large floor sander won't go right to the edges so they'll have to be hand finished.
If you do bash on, remove the carpet grippers first, and watch those pipes! Any proud nails will need to be sunk in to avoid ripping the sander sheets.
John

 

[ree]

A Belt Drum Sander and an Edging Sander properly used will make short work of that floor - its an absolutely everyday sanding job.

Any awkward areas have to be hand scraped (use a right angled paint scraper) and hand sanded with a block of wood and a rip of paper.

You can hire the machines but its advised to practice before setting off on the actual floor.

Make sure you are shown how to safely work the machines and change papers.

Read Similar Threads at the bottom of this page.

 

[getitdone]

I'd agree with ree, but before you go to the expense and trouble of hiring out the sanding machines, it may be worth seeing if one of the boards can be lifted out without damaging adjoining ones. This way you can get a sense of the condition of the boards and just manually sand it back to bare wood. You'll then know what species of wood you've got and therefore what's possible in terms of the final look that you'd like your floor to have at the end of the job.

 

[chappers]

I too would agree, and the boards to look in quite good nick. But Burnerman does make a fair point, you may have to go a bit further than just getting the flats of the boards sorted as paint may have seeped into the gaps.

 

[gregers]

another idea?dont laugh just an idea.

if your really handy lift the boards and turn them over.??

 

[ree]

As a DIY'er no way attempt to lift those boards - they appear to be T&G and if old will be fixed with cut nails. You could end up with splintered and mixed up boards.

Use a small sander to sand a sample patch in an obscure corner - check the result. Remember that a flooring sander can cut mm's off the floor with each pass.

 

[Will B]

Thanks all for your input - I don't feel too confident taking any boards up so I'll have a test in a corner and see how they come up. If the green paint is well and truly sunk in we could always paint them again.

Well here goes!

 

[Burnerman]

Good luck with your project Will.....you'll soon see if there's much cupping and warping of the boards, and what sort of nick they are in. Hopefully the green paint isn't linseed oil based!
Just a wee tip if I may.....it's not unknown for big sanding machines to produce sparks over any proud nails and cause smouldering within the dust bag so be aware of that. (This comes from a chief Fire Officer I know, and personally know of one such event where a house was severely fire damaged.)
John

 

[Bugwug]

how did you get on? Do you have pics?

 

[Nige F]

Bit late M8 - ree became Vinn and after having a wobble or 2 left the site. Better 4U to start a new thread about floor sanding.