Recommendations for hardwood floor refinishing?

hardwood floor sectionCourtney emails:

We've recently purchased a Victorian home approaching it's 150th birthday! We'd like to have the original hardwood floors refinished and restored to the beauty underneath years of use - can readers recommend someone for the job that is knowledgeable about homes built in the 1800s or specializes in restoration?

We're curious if there's a difference between refinishing 150-year-old hardwood floors and, say, 50-year-old hardwood floors (or younger). You know, are there a lot of quirks of very old floors that make them different to work on?

Got a suggestion for Courtney? Please share! And non-redeemable bonus points for a quick line or two about why you're suggesting that company or person.

Comments

I recommend Ashley Hanson Floors. We just bought a house in Colonie in March that had hardwood floors covered by carpet and were a mess. It took them 8 hours to sand them down to get all the oil off. Then they water popped, stained, and polyed them. They are beautiful now. Their phone is (518) 392-1269 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-Hanson-Floors/154024138017616

Also, I recommend doing the floors before you move in if you can. It makes it so much easier!

I had both the apartments in my house done by KC Hansen (518) 857-9096. My house is 1920s vintage and had a mixture of poly, varnish, and tar paper on them and he managed to make them look gorgeous. I used Tung Oil on my floors instead of the poly route and I loooove the look. It's got a mat/slight shine and looks great in an older home, and is super easy to put down and maintain. Pictures of my floors here: http://homesweetfixer-upper.blogspot.com/2013/07/floors-bring-hope-and-dust.html

Also, older floors will be a harder, denser wood than newer wood floors of the same species, and probably thicker if they haven't been refinished too many times previously.

Several years ago we replaced our vintage spruce floor with another vintage spruce floor, with wood purchased from Antique and Vintage Woods of America in Pine Plains (it used to be the floor of a factory in Brooklyn). The owner recommended George Quaid, also of Pine Plains, to install and finish the floor. George's work is meticulous, and he really understands and values old wood. He would come up this way to do a floor for you. You can find George via Google or call Antique and Vintage Woods for his number. FWIW, he installed a vintage floor in one of Derek Jeter's homes. We thought that was pretty cool.

Jim Przekurat (yes that's the spelling) 365-1528 All he does, he will tell you douglas fur, pine, oak, and all the history of your treads. He is reasonable as well.

Fitzgerald Wood Flooring

Restoration Specialists

Call for referrals: 518-470-7369

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