Original hardwood floors

4 years ago

Hello! Seeking opinions on whether or not I keep our original hardwood floors.

They are in good condition and I like the color. Some of the floor is creaky and uneven (to be expected) but generally, it’s in good shape for its age.

If I replace, it’d be with either real hardwood or engineered hardwood in a wide/long plank in a warm brown color similar to this inspiration photo. I know some people would be appalled at swapping real HW for engineered but that doesn’t offend me, heh.

Reasons to keep:

less waste/environmentally friendly (I asked my GC if the wood could be salvaged so I could build a playhouse with it, but he said it has hundreds of nails so it’s not a good idea)
retains home’s charm (not as important to me but maybe for a future buyer many years from now)
saves money to be used for something else!

Reasons to change:

put thicker subfloors and make everything even/not creaky (the neat freak in me loves this)
possibly add sound insulation (my toddler is a VERY light sleeper and it would be nice not to walk on eggshells when he’s asleep)
floor may eventually need to be replaced anyways and it’s nice to get it done now while we’re remodeling everything else

I’d like to poll others’ opinions since I’m genuinely torn. :)

Thank you!

The photo of the closeup is the original flooring.

The photo with the kitchen in background is the inspiration photo that illustrates the possible new flooring option.

Featured Answer

raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio

4 years ago

floor may eventually need to be replaced anyways

This would be true of engineered flooring, I believe, but definitely not of the original hardwood if properly cared for. Also, a few damaged boards of real hardwood can be replaced without having to replace the entire floor; with engineered, matching replacement pieces might not be available in several years, unless you thought to buy an extra case. Even with that foresight, the existing pieces will likely not look the same as the floor that has been in use for a few years.

Creaky spots can be fixed.

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Comments (15)

PRO
Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
4 years ago
I would keep the original hardwood. You said yourself they're in good shape and you like the color. A little squeaking wouldn't be a big enough reason for me to invest thousands in new flooring.
Tamara Kremer
4 years ago
I would keep. :-)
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I'll agree with ProSource Memphis, you need to install an engineered wood floor because of the concrete. For our customers that are in your exact situation we offer engineered products, prefinished and unfinished (site sanded/finished), that have 3-5 mm wear layers. Some of these products can withstand 2-4 sandings, which equals way more lifespan than a cheap engineered floor. This equals less cost in the long run, but higher cost up front. Basically the thicker the wear layer, the better chance your engineered floor will last longer (80 years + estimated for 4-5mm), and the more expensive it will be. ProSource is correct, gluing a 3/4" solid floor down can be problematic and not worth the risk. Especially when there are high quality engineered floors that offer essentially the same thing. Engineered is going to be more stable with your fluctuating climate as well. You'll want a hygrometer in the home to monitor relative humidity. It should be somewhere around 30-60% RH for the floor to play nice. There are so many more variables involved in this discussion that entire books can probably be written. But that's my $.02
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RTHawk
4 years ago
If your close up photo is representative of the whole area, I would keep it.
ericakn
4 years ago
I would keep them. How old is your house? We were looking for houses built in the 40’s or earlier and ruled out any with Engineered flooring.
PRO
Suzette Sherman Design
4 years ago
Both are very different looks. The new one is updated but yes a lot of cost involved. The old floor has great graining and its a nice color. Seems the verdict is stay with what you have unless you have deep pockets ; - )
Cici Chouse
Original Author
4 years ago
The home is over 100 years old and the closeup photo is representative of what the rest of the home’s flooring looks like. :)
PRO
Oak & Broad
4 years ago
Yes keep what you have! Refinish if you must.
Kaylie
4 years ago
If it's a 100 year old house I would definitely keep the original. Most buyers of older homes want character and the new wide plank stuff just doesn't look right, even when they try to make it look reclaimed or whatever. It also just doesn't wear as well. We just refinished floors very similar to yours in our old house and they came out great. They also take abuse better than I was expecting them to.
Jody
4 years ago
Another vote for keeping your original floors.
Cici Chouse
Original Author
4 years ago
@raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio

"creaky spots can be fixed."

Given the age of the home (100+ years), I'm not sure what, if any, type of subfloor there is under the hardwood flooring. Is it still possible to fix the creaky spots? If yes, that would be amazing and the no-brainer solution to keeping the original flooring!
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
4 years ago
Do you have a basement that doesn't have a finished ceiling? In my 80 year old house, I can look up from the basement and see what the floor construction is. There will be some kind of support for the hardwood on top of the joists.

There are several different methods for fixing squeaks -- google this and you will find videos from several sources (like This Old House, Bob Vila, and various floor repairmen) showing how it is done.
SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
Check to see how thick the wood is. A full sand and refinish requires 3mm of wood ABOVE the tongue and groove. You might find your wood floor has made the decision for you.

If you still have another sand/refinish left in those floors, I would have them refinished. A professional flooring installer/refinisher can come in and deal with some of the squeaky areas (some use screws from below if possible, some screws from above with patch to cover the screw heads). Once the squeaks have been dealt with as much as possible, the sand/refinish can happen.

And to be helpful with a baby who is a light sleeper, you can install/plug in a 'white noise' machine (aka a small fan) in the room. This will reduce the impact of sudden noises on babe's ears.

And be aware that installing new hardwoods (engineered or solid, doesn't matter) the 'fixing' of the subfloor could double the cost of the project. Yes. Double.

A sand/refinish is roughly $5/sf. If you add in some 'squeak maintenance' you can add another $2/sf to that. A new subfloor that has been shimmed and reconstructed to be flat and level could be $5-$7/sf (materials and labour). Then you have the cost of the wood floor and the cost of the install.
girl_wonder
4 years ago
Keep! It's the charm of the house. Not sure if you noticed, but 2/3 of your reasons to change are not even sure things "possibly add sound insulation" and "we may need to replace someday."
Carolae
4 years ago
The original floors are classic and beautiful. They will look nice with any style. I love the color too. I’d keep them!

Original hardwood floors

raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio

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Original hardwood floors

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