What You Should Know about Hardwood Floors in a Historic Home |
Posted: May 16, 2018 |
When you own or are considering buying a historic home, you expect hardwood flooring. In fact, hardwood floors in Toronto homes of a century ago were considered standard. Anything else is a disappointment. However, not everyone knows what to do with these floors in century-old houses. Here are some tips to help you navigate this issue.
Restore Rather than Replace
If possible, it’s always best to restore the floors already in the house. These old hardwood floors are meant to last a lifetime. In fact, many of them have lasted for centuries even with little care. The boards are thicker than what you find with many materials today. You can sand them down even if they have significant damage and re-stain them to have the floors looking like new.
Many times, you can replace boards that have rotted away instead of replacing the entire floor. The woods used back in those homes were local to the area because they didn’t have the ability to get the boards imported. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find similar boards in that same area today.
Replace with Like Wood
If you have a floor with a wood species you can’t find or other issues with making repairs to your floor, you will need to replace it. Choose a wood that was found back when the home was built to make it look more authentic.
You should do some research to see what was popular and what characteristics in the wood were accurate to the era. For instance, wide or thick planks may have been common. Dark wood may have been most used in certain time periods. You want the wood floor to reflect the era of the home.
Decorate Your Wood
If you want to update the floor of an historic home, you don’t have to replace it. Sand and stain the floor a new color if you want something lighter or darker. Add a glossy finish if you prefer that look. Wood is one of the easiest materials to update without the expense of replacement.
You can even paint the floors if you want a completely different look. If you get tired of the paint color, you can sand it once again and come up with something new.
Consider It an Investment
While any home should be looked at as an investment, a historic property is even more so. Any changes you make should be with the goal to enhance the value of your home. If you aren’t sure what options will achieve that goal, talk to an expert in historic renovations.
Buying, owning and maintaining a historic property can be quite a challenge. The hardwood floors are just one aspect of the design that should be kept historically accurate. Once you learn how to restore or replace your floors, you’ll find your home takes on a new life of its own, one that is in keeping with the era that you’re trying to recapture.
Canada's premier hardwood flooring store. Proudly selling Hardwood Flooring in Toronto since 1977. We have hardwood, laminates, engineered, and exotic flooring; we also provide hardwood flooring installation.
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