how do i restore 17th century oak floor boards?

[jonbod]

i have two sets of old oak floor boards that i need to clean before i use them on a project.

one set is covered in stain, wax, dirt and what could be varnish.

the other set looks like it's been reclaimed from a room that was stained around the edges but not in the center. the result is that about 3ft at the end of each of these boards is stained while the rest of the board is pale.

i don't want to sand them, so does anyone have any ideas how i could restore the varnished and waxed boards - and get the stain off the other ones.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I used a wet treatment - soapy water and fine grade wire wool- which is often not advised because it can cause raising of the grain. ( I decided that was the lesser of two evils, as like you I was concerned about sanding).

I'm sure wood restorers use sandpaper, but it's all about knowing when to stop!

 

[Penners]

Wire wool can cause problems with oak. Vigorous use leaves tiny metal fragments in the wood which are oxidised by the tannins in oak. This can cause mottled discolouration.

I do agree with Joce's suggestion of a good wash. Soapy water and a stiff scrubbing brush (used along the grain) can transform mucky oak. Rinse well, then dry off as much as possibly can with old towels.

 

[JoceAndChris]

That is much more cautious, and so much better, advice than mine. I think I removed all the wire wool fragments, as I spent several days scrubbing with plain water after the soap treatment. It's back breaking but amazing how much grime you get off.

 

[robgil]

wax can be taken off with spirits. i have 16/17 century floor boards here and we have been mopping them every now and then , they were almost black with ground in dirt but moping them with soapy water is removing it.
also i am using nb510 from strippers of sudbury on my stained oak beams with excellent results. always try the least damaging methods first.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Absolutely. I had to use something more abrasive than just a scrubbing brush because of all the hundreds of little paint splatters.

But a lot less abrasive than sandpaper.

 

[robgil]

i am a bit gutted to be honest that my ground in dirt is washing off , that is probably 400 or more years of soot and dirt build up that i am washing away. its a lovely deep brown almost black patina.

 

[jonbod]

thanks for all the advice... one further question... is it a good, or bad, idea to use methylated spirits on them?

 

[JoceAndChris]

I always use White spirit, but I'll be interested to hear what the others say.

Rob, have you waxed them yet? Mine were pale after washing, but very very dark again after waxing.

 

[LadyArowana]

I cleaned a piece of oak furniture that was looking a little sad ( small scratches, water spots, very uneven stain/ varnish ) with dish soapy hot water and old washing up pads ( ones where the scouring surface was a tad worn and not as abrasive as a new one ). It required several passes over each area before it didn't leave brown gunk on the cleaning surface. I used a very fine grade sandpaper on some of the scratches before the water washing. After it had completely dried it was quite pale, but after waxing as Joce said of her boards it was a darker colour. There are several threads here about oak floorboards and they were what I consulted before I started the project, I figured that what held for oak floorboards probably held for an oak window seat as well!

 

[chuckey]

I once tried to clean a piece of soft wood which had a split in it. After using the "wet" method, this split dribbled out a mix of water, wax and gunk. Never was a satisfactory job. So if there any cracks or splits, hold the wood upside down so any dribbles drop to the ground and not run down its face.
Frank