Pine floors

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

We just bought a 1790 historic home (modernized in many ways, with 22 acres, barns, etc. super excited) and it has old wide board pine floors. They previous owners had large area carpets on it and now there are very light areas (several shades lighter) were the rugs were. It looks like it was stained around the rugs, but it is probably just the worn areas I guess. Any ideas how to make the old look like the new part? Or should I just try to match the color with a stain? It is a very noticable difference. Thanks, Pam

-- Pamela Hood (pamandmatt@earthlink.net), August 04, 2001

Answers

We have lived in log homes the past 20 years. WE have noticed that if you hang a picture, for instance, a few years later if you move it, the same thing you described has happened. If we leave the picture down eventually it all blends together. The sun is what does this, primarily. It changes the color of wood. If you leave that area rug off, eventually is should become less noticeable. This may take some time, be patient. The only other thing you could do is strip and refinish the whole floor. If it doesn't need it, that seems a shame. Hope this helps. jean

-- jean (dandrea@duo-county.com), August 04, 2001.

the floors arent finished now?? then try cleaning them,, amonia should work. Then finish them, either stain first or not

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), August 04, 2001.

A diluted bleach/water combo cleans pine floors and walls very well. We built our pine log home 12 yrs. ago (with 9" to 17" wide pine board flooring). We planed the flooring on one side and put them in place. In the last 12 yrs. I have washed the exposed flooring just once with bleach and water. They are not treated with any stain or "poly". I use braided rugs in the high traffic areas, but really like the worn look and "patina" that certain areas are acquiring!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), August 04, 2001.

O.K. how does the pine hold up ? We need to put down new floors in the living room and are thinking REAL hard wood .PIne would be much cheaper than hard wood.Thanks

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), August 04, 2001.

As for the mixmatched color, I believe it will be very difficult to make the wood the same tone, unless you have them sanded down, which means losing some of that old patina. As for a new wood floor, I would try to stick with a hardwood. Pine works if you don't mind the dings and scratches. But, I believe that southeren yellow pine is harder than white pine, so if that is available to you than mayby that is an option. I have been looking aroung for "inexpensive" hardwood for flooring for my hewn log house, and have found some for $1.00 per bd ft., which is actually cheaper than pine at the lumber store. You have to plane it down though which is time consuming. Oak

-- OAK (StrugglingOak@aol.com), August 04, 2001.


Patty: I put Pine 2X6 tongue and groove down on the floor of the cottage I'm building and used a couple of coats of marine varnish. No stain. I'm really pleased at the honey appearance.

I has been scraped and dinged up some already but its really simple to just hand sand the spots and touch up with varnish. Not that easy with hardwood.

However my kids are grown and I don't mind the rustic appearance so if you want perfection what I did is not the way to go. I am actually thinking it would look even better doing what Marcia did and nit have a finnish at all.....Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (Kirkay@tahoo.com), August 04, 2001.


It's likely the lighter colour is more original, and the darker is more dirty. Find an inconspicuous place. Try small patches of various washes as above going across both areas that were previously covered and uncovered, with and without scrubbing. It's likely one or more of them will bring the wood to the same colour. If not, then the dirt may be ingrained - try a light sanding in one patch with a fine grade of glasspaper. Whatever you ultimately do, it's going to be easier starting off with the wood all the same. Things will change with age, and even if you stained clean wood to match dirty it wouldn't stay matched for long, and it would be harder to deal with then.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 05, 2001.

The way I look at it is that every nick, scratch or worn spot becomes a "memory" that you can look back on. In our home today, our 3 yr. old granddaughter is making "memories" on our stairway. And I am definitely keeping track of her height on a trim board...something I never did with our son (regretfully :-( ). It's hard to make such memories with hardwood. Martha Stewart probably uses hardwood flooring :-)!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), August 05, 2001.

I LOVE pine board floors! We will be installing ours this fall. We have been told many times about how they will get dented etc but we don't care. Thats the look we want in our old house. We will probably go with a darker finish though because the walls are mostly pine tongue in groove and that popular honey color. I think to have the floor that shade would be too much of a good thing. Good luck with your floor.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 06, 2001.

Hey I would love you all to post pictures of your floors on the countryside friends picture page .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), August 06, 2001.


Patty: I posted a interior picture that picks up a little of the floor. I'll take a better one later....Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (kirkay@yahoo.com), August 08, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ