I have just secured a job in a very old building which is going to be used as an art gallery. The thick pine floorboards are well worn and I am thinking carefully before stripping or sanding off the old finish because I know that wood can become darker with exposure to sunlight, so any sanding may radically change its colour. The customer loves the rustic appearance with all the gouges and unevenness but wants his floor to be much cleaner before the grand opening. I know there’s no magic recipe for removing finishes but I am seriously considering using non-powered hand tools before bringing the belt sander in. An alternative would be to use chemical methods, but I don’t like the idea of that as I’m uncertain of the building’s historic significance, and obviously don’t wish to damage the surface. The customer prefers Hard-wax oil to a Lacquered finish and I suppose this can be likened to a retail outlet similar to a shop with high traffic in certain areas. Excess wear in these areas could then be repaired as necessary. Any advice would be welcome. Bob www.floorfixer.co.uk
Hi, Do you know what's on the floor at the moment? How long has it been in the state it's in? What size m2?
Thanks for your interest. Many layers of varnish have been applied since the Victorian era and it's 32 square metres. Bob www.floorfixer.co.uk
If it's thicker than this there's alot of handscraping need before you hit it with the belts, but it should become like this when done.....
Thanks to mjfl for the example pics, but the boards I have been asked to restore have been down at least 150 years and the customer said he wishes to retain its 'rustic' appeal, unlike the fantastic result you have created. I haven’t fully grasped exactly what he means by his description and that is why I have posted this on the forum, hoping someone could shed more light on the subject. I have decided to involve him at every stage – just like I would when doing a test area for a stain. He is expecting me to use the Hummel belt sander because I explained the usual procedure and what affect each tool makes during the survey. However, I have found that perceiving the customers desires during a survey visit to be one of the hardest elements to learn and even when you feel fully competent, it is impossible to know exactly what final outcome the customer wants. It’s easy to do the measuring, estimate how long a job will take and what materials will be needed during a survey visit. But comprehending the customer’s expectations exactly is almost impossible – even when you have asked every question you can think of at the time. Bob www.floorfixer.co.uk
If you use the Hummel and properly prepare the old pine boards, its pretty much impossible to keep its 'rustic appeal'...which could be a euphemism for virtually keeping it as it is...i've done a few of these for people, one last year where the clients did another room themselves [old floorboards]...very badly i might add, put 3 thick coats of Osmo oil on and wondered why it wasn't dry 2 weeks later, and was as dark as hell...she didn't take too kindly when i told her the job her son did was basically crap and completely incorrect in putting 3 coats of Osmo down. I was asked to sand off [only] the floor [100 yr old floorboards] but not take out the 'character' which i think borders on the impossible, you either sand it off correctly or just don't bother at all...This was a job i should of walked from, as, after preparing the floorboards in a textbook manner, she applied the oil and had the cheek to say it looked nothing like the room her son had done [badly] Personally i'd consider walking away if the client thinks you can properly sand the floorboards off and still leave the 'character' which are the old 'dings' 'gouges' and marks from 50 yrs ago...imo it can't be done like that... Has anyone else had similar experiences ??
I walked away from a similar job. Old pub that had been turned into a home...really old floor boards with lots of "character" in them. I thought the only way to do it was by hand and it was around 70 m2. I was considering putting in a massive price but as I spoke to a few manufacturers about the finish non of them would guarantee their finish over a floor unless it was completely sanded back to the wood. I felt it would be one of those jobs once you start your in for it and thinking why did I bother!
You can age a new board looks but it'll never look like a 100year old board. People think you can just run over it lightly/quickly and make it look better, as you guys all know once you've started that's it.
I know exactly what they want but you're really going to struggle to keep character to that extent and clean it up too. You're probably better of to screen off prime and seal with something oil modified like Granwax Granglaze. http://www.granwax.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/granglaze-data.pdf
There's no getting out of this one now - customer has paid up front for the entire job saying he wanted the cheque to be cashed prior to the end of the current Tax year! I still think having him involved to get his approval of a "test" at the start of each stage is the safest method. He will see just what the end result will be before going ahead, and won't be able to say something like "it's not what I envisaged". Bob www.floorfixer.co.uk
Once did a carpet in a house(a few years ago) ,while there a couple of guys were fitting a reclaimed floor.Because the floor looked "too new" they stressed the floor using various hammer heads, Gouge's and stains using artsic paint brushes. Really a bit of an art.
