We bought an ordinary Edwardian mid terraced house in an ordinary town, some years ago. Unlike our neighbours, our ideas of DIY home improvement don't include uPVC windows, satellite dish, decking, uPVC 'planks' over the magpie work and fitted carpets.
We have been living with cheap rugs over bare floorboards for some years, getting on with other stuff while trying to figure out what to do with the floors. Our neighbours advised hiring a sanding machine and then varnishing. The floorboards look to me to be pine (albeit more close-grained than the stuff seen these days), so I don't want to varnish and get something hideously orange, like a naff 70s country style kitchen
It also seems to me, that sanding off the old wood might weaken the floor ?
After living with the floors we got to like them and actually want to do as little to them as poss. In some rooms the wood is completely bare, in others there seems to be a dark varnish or paint around the edges, in some it's all over the floor and in some areas it has worn away a bit and has a nice distressed look.
The first step is to deep clean, but with what ? I have looked on various forums (fora?) and seen suggested vinegar, vinegar + water, sugar soap, sugar soap + water, ammonia (!), Windex window cleaner, rubbing alcohol, mineral spirits, white spirit, silicone spray polish (eek I'd never use it on furniture). I'm thinking of white vinegar as I did a test patch and it really makes a difference on bare wood. What do you think please ?
After cleaning, can you suggest something that isn't health-hazardous to seal/help protect the floors without using polyurethane/urethane please, that can cover both bare wood and previously varnished ? Oil ? Wax ?
Many thanks
We have been living with cheap rugs over bare floorboards for some years, getting on with other stuff while trying to figure out what to do with the floors. Our neighbours advised hiring a sanding machine and then varnishing. The floorboards look to me to be pine (albeit more close-grained than the stuff seen these days), so I don't want to varnish and get something hideously orange, like a naff 70s country style kitchen
It also seems to me, that sanding off the old wood might weaken the floor ? After living with the floors we got to like them and actually want to do as little to them as poss. In some rooms the wood is completely bare, in others there seems to be a dark varnish or paint around the edges, in some it's all over the floor and in some areas it has worn away a bit and has a nice distressed look.
The first step is to deep clean, but with what ? I have looked on various forums (fora?) and seen suggested vinegar, vinegar + water, sugar soap, sugar soap + water, ammonia (!), Windex window cleaner, rubbing alcohol, mineral spirits, white spirit, silicone spray polish (eek I'd never use it on furniture). I'm thinking of white vinegar as I did a test patch and it really makes a difference on bare wood. What do you think please ?
After cleaning, can you suggest something that isn't health-hazardous to seal/help protect the floors without using polyurethane/urethane please, that can cover both bare wood and previously varnished ? Oil ? Wax ?
Many thanks
