Cleaning floorboards

[Pford75]

Just lifted the carpet in one of the studies, with the intention of waxing the floor and using a rug.

The boards appear to be covered in a mixture of plaster (looks like pink gypsum) and spots of paint. Suspect that the room was re-plastered and decorated and then carpeted.

Don't really want to strip the boards...any suggestions on the best treatment? Some boards also appear to have had worm in the past and feel very brittle (I could probably break a piece off with my fingers). Any suggestions on good source of old boards to match?

 

[Penners]

You may well find that the dobs of plaster will come off cleanly if you slide under them with a sharp edged decorating knife. If the floor was generously waxed in the past, the same might even work with the paint drips. However, it's more likely that you'll have to scrape these off with a scraper.

Then try a good scrub with a scrubbing brush, soap and water (always scrub along the grain). Try not to get the boards too wet, and dry them off immediately with old towels, plus gentle heat and plenty of ventilation. Don't attempt any refinishing or covering with rugs until the boards are thoroughly dry.

Any vestiges of paint should come off with gentle sanding.

 

[jinky32]

hi everyone!

we recently had our inglenook fireplace restored which involved taking up some of the oak floorboards upstairs (new brickwork had been added to the side of the inglenook and new ceiling joists needed ot be put in for support - long story!). Anyway, the guy who undertook the work has left us in the lurch, with a gaping hole in the ceiling / upstairs floor, and other poorly-fitting floorboards.

Can anyone recommend a reliable firm who would fit some reclaimed oak floorbaords for us, and whilst they were at it clean up the other floorboards upstairs (they have been covered in paint from many decorations by the previous owners over the years)?

Thanks!

 

[Penners]

Can anyone recommend a reliable firm who would fit some reclaimed oak floorbaords for us

It might help people to recommend if you tell us where you are.

 

[jinky32]

oops, sorry. i'm in buckinghamshire

 

[thiambal]

If the pink spots are gypsum then water and only a little elbow grease should get it off.

 

[jinky32]

Thanks. There are plenty of paint splashes over them too. do you think i could carefully get these off with white spirit?

 

[yoofookinwah]

Thanks. There are plenty of paint splashes over them too. do you think i could carefully get these off with white spirit?

Doing something similar at the moment. I am using an old chisel and paint scraper, as long as you do not scrape to hard the chisel will not plane shavings from the wood but will scrape off most if not all impurities.

As for the rot. Remove, replace, treat and burn the remaining I guess.

 

[Nigel]

Jinky32

Our georgian oak floorboards had been painted round the edges with white gloss. There is a company called Strippers (I think) who sell a fantastic stripping product that you apply like a poultice. You then cover with stretch and seal and leave for a while before washing off. It will remove paint with no damage to the boards at all - it did a brilliant job for us (it also removed wedgewood blue paint from an alabaster fireplace - previous owner had peculiar decorative tastes).

Whatever you do, don't sand the boards if you can avoid it as you will lose much of the character.

Good luck

Nigel

 

[Toby Newell]

Hi

Gypsum (which is an alkali) will react when in solution (i.e when wet) with the wood acids (tannin) in the oak. Therefore try to dry scrape/sand as much plaster without water. Methylated spirits and a scotchbrite pad (or washing up sponge etc) will remove emulsion. Cellulose thinners or white spirits and same will remove gloss/oil based paint. Try and avoid wire wool as this may discolour oak. Although Nigel says he has had some sucess with poultice based strippers on oak, I would never risk it. Those strippers are very, very alkaline (caustic) and react with oak to form a dark chemical stain, be careful.

Toby