Floors were installed on concrete slabs with hot tar used as adhesive. Every part of the process was done by hand, mostly using cheap laborers to scrape, sand, shellac, wax, and buff the floors to a suitably impressive finish.
How was wood flooring finished in the old days?
There were several ways that wood flooring was finished in the old days, and none of them were particularly effective or long lasting. Floors had to stand up to lots of foot traffic bringing in dirt, sand, and water which all served to wear away the flooring.
What is the history of wood plank flooring?
The abundance of wood brought common use of wood plank flooring to the masses during the Colonial Era (1607-1780). At last the new Americans could get off the earthen floors and enjoy the resiliency and warmth of wooden floors.
Can you install hardwood flooring over wood floors?
Installing new hardwood over older wood floors can be extremely time saving in lieu of removal that can become expensive, dirty, and even dangerous depending on how the original floor was installed. For instance, I will look at much older floors that were nailed into floor joists before the widespread use of subfloors.
When did wood flooring become popular?
From 1800-1945 wood floors were available in local species of trees and were installed in relatively simple patterns except for the ultra rich. When it came to residential flooring wood was king for these years. Competing only with tile or linoleum in the bathrooms and kitchens. The cost of wall to wall carpeting was still prohibitively high.
How were hardwood floors finished 1930?
Hardwood floors installed in the 1930s featured substantially narrower boards–2.25 feet in width as opposed to the common 3.5-foot width of today's hardwood flooring boards. Polyurethane was the finish of choice.
How do you install original hardwood floors?
2:2410:43First Time Laying Hardwood Flooring - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I started my flooring off by ripping down a board that will act as a transitional strip betweenMoreSo I started my flooring off by ripping down a board that will act as a transitional strip between this tile. And hardwood floor. And you'll see that on this particular strip.
How were wood floors finished in the 1800s?
During the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800's and early 1900's, companies began mass production of hardwood flooring. This flooring was made by gluing strips of wood approximately 1 1/2 inches by 5/16 of an inch, to heavy cotton fabric and rolled onto a roll, which was then sold in catalogs as hardwood carpet.
How were hardwood floors finished 1950?
Around 1950, modern-day polyurethane became residents' go-to finish. Unlike the varnish that just soaked into the wood, polyurethane served as a hard protective surface layer that could be mopped and cleaned easily while holding off typical wear.
What goes under hardwood flooring?
Simply put, underlayment is a layer of material between your subfloor and your floor. While some flooring comes with the underlayment attached, others will require you to install a separate underlayment. Most of the time, underlayment consists of rubber, cork, foam, or felt.
Can you lay a wooden floor on top of a wooden floor?
Hardwood flooring boards (either solid wood flooring or engineered wood flooring) can be fitted onto existing wooden floor boards. The hardwood flooring should run perpendicular to the existing floor boards to provide maximum strength and stability.
What wood was used for flooring in the 1900s?
Tongue and groove hardwood was the most popular kind of flooring in the U.S. at the beginning of the 1900s.
What kind of wood was used for floors in the 1950s?
In the 20's up through the late 1950's, the type of wood installed in a home aligned with the income level, those who could afford White Oak would put it in their homes, others would select Red Oak, or some mix in between. Today, the pricing for these two woods are very close and Oak is plentiful in the United States.
How can you tell if you have real hardwood floors?
"The two best indicators to tell if a wood floor is not salvageable are cracking or breakage along the perimeter of individual planks, and exposed nailheads—meaning the flooring has been sanded down so much the heads of the original blind nails are exposed," says Murray.
What flooring was used in the 1960s?
Wooden floors in the 60s were often painted over in bold colours and strong varnishes to look as contemporary as possible. Vinyl flooring and LVT was also very popular for many homeowners in the 1960s as it was and still is a low-maintenance flooring choice. Essentially, any bold, statement floor will do the trick.
When did they start using polyurethane on wood floors?
Polyurethane – Polyurethane was discovered in 1936 and became commercially available around 1940. Though this type of floor finish was not a part of most historic homes because of its late discovery, it by far the most common after-factory finish applied to wood flooring today.
What flooring was used in 1950s houses?
In addition to linoleum, wood floors were also incredibly popular in the 1950s. And, if you're currently renovating a 1950s home, you'll also know (thanks to lots of blood, sweat, and tears) that they were likely also covered up with carpet or other flooring materials in the intervening years.
How much does it cost to install 1000 square feet of hardwood flooring?
between $6,000 and $12,000Installing hardwood flooring averages between $6 and $12 per square foot. On average, wood flooring costs between $3 and $7 per square foot for materials and $3 to $5 per square foot for labor. An estimate for installation of 1000 square feet of hardwood flooring runs between $6,000 and $12,000.
Can I install hardwood floors myself?
Hardwood floors are beautiful, last a lifetime, and are easy to install. With no special tools, you can go from subfloor to breathtaking in as little as a day.
Do you nail hardwood flooring?
Solid hardwood floors must be fixed into position by either gluing or nailing down to the subfloor. Engineered hardwood floors can be glued or nailed into position, but they also have the option of being floated over an underlay.
How do you nail the last row of hardwood floors?
3:225:31A quick tip on installing hardwood flooring when you get close to the wallYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI would say four to five to six finish nails to hold it in place so. I've gone ahead and I'veMoreI would say four to five to six finish nails to hold it in place so. I've gone ahead and I've highlighted the two holes. Now I'm going to take this finish nail. And I'm going to drive it in by. Hand.
What is parquet flooring?
Parquet is the method of arranging pieces of wood in geometric patterns (herringbone and diamond being the most common) and affixing the pieces to the subfloor with tiny nails. This process was hugely labor-intensive, as each piece had to be cut and fitted by hand. To smooth the surfaces of the wood to a consistent level, the entire floor was scraped and planed by hand, then varnished and/or waxed.
What was used to finish wood floors before the power sander?
These were finished with coats of orange shellac and then waxed. Interestingly, this was considered a maintenance finish; when marred or worn, the shellac was scrubbed off and then reapplied—a very different approach than at the turn of the century and later, when varnished (and later, polyurethaned) surfaces had to be sanded down to the bare wood. Wood floors were not typically stained; the vintage ones you see have darkened varnish.
Why do floorboards open up?
Although the wide floorboards were butted together on installation, gaps would open between them due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, allowing damp, cold air to pass into the living area from the basement. Small objects were also prone to falling through these gaps, disappearing into the depths below. This was eventually rectified by ship-lapping the boards, a simple technique wherein the long edge of the plank was planed with an “L” profile that interlocked with the adjacent board. Now, when the wood shrank and drew apart, the gap was concealed by the edge of the adjacent board.
Why are parquet borders so popular?
Parquet borders were popular for achieving a high-end look ; similar treatments are available from modern manufacturers.
What was the most popular wood floor in the 1870s?
The hardwood floors of this period were typically white oak, chestnut, maple, or black walnut milled into 2″- to 3″-wide boards. Maple was popular in kitchens due to its strength and resilience, since it had no open pores that might absorb spills. Around the 1870s and 1880s, it wasn’t unusual to find floors in public rooms laid in alternating strips of walnut and maple . Toward the turn of the century, fir became the wood of choice, first in kitchens, but then creeping into other rooms.
What is the name of the carpets that were invented by the power loom?
The then-recent invention of the power loom meant that carpet was becoming more affordable to the growing middle class: stylish flat-woven carpets called Venetians and Ingrains, and pile carpets known as Wilton, Brussels, and Axminster.
When did polished hardwood flooring start?
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that average Americans began to have what we now think of as polished hardwood floors in their homes. Appearing first in public rooms and kitchens, finished hardwood flooring quickly spread to bedrooms and other private areas.
What is the best tool to remove a floor?
Removal would require cutting around the perimeter of each room up to the wall area. Today, a nifty tool called the toe kick saw makes removal a much easier task. For other types of installations, expect the floors to be installed with expansion in mind.
Can you put parquet over vinyl?
Although parquet is no longer as popular as it once was, a few precautions should be considered specifically with those products that are installed using Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) adhesives with vinyl or cork flooring requiring an additional underlayment. Additionally, any parquet flooring patterns installed over existing strip or plank flooring should also have a minimum 3/8” underlayment added.
Is newer adhesive stronger than old?
In years to come newer adhesives may be stronger than what is being used today. What may happen is the new actually pulling the older floor from what was thought to be a permanent bond . Easier solutions with installing over old glued floors would be floating floors.
Can you nail over an old floor?
By simply nailing over an older floor, don’t expect old squeaks to go way. If they were there before starting the job, make sure permanent fixes are put into use. Often older flooring loosens from the floor joists or the sub floor. Common decking screws or ring shank nails can be used to shore up some squeaks.
Is it better to remove old flooring or install new?
We get opposing views on this one, but most professionals feel more secure by complete removal and then installing a new floor. There can be too many unknowns in so far as the bond between the older floor and the underlying adhesive. In years to come newer adhesives may be stronger than what is being used today. What may happen is the new actually pulling the older floor from what was thought to be a permanent bond.
Is it dangerous to remove old floorboards?
Removing can become dangerous as there’s no room to work from once floorboards are taken up. It becomes a tightrope scenario, trying to balance from one area to another unless some temporary platforms are put into place.
Can you remove a floating floor with nails?
Sorry, the answer is no. The older floating floor has too much flex for another floating floor or an attached floor with nails or staples. Besides floating systems are the easiest to remove, but some care should be used when removing from under door casings and the like.
Why was hardwood flooring so popular in the New World?
Hardwood flooring was much more common, and transcendent of class in the new world because trees were so abundant there. Such a greater availability of timber allowed hardwood flooring to be available at prices more reasonable to the average family. Since many colonists built their own houses, they could factor wood flooring into the plan, and not just for upper levels, but even for the main level. It was a warmer way to live, so most homes were built this way.
What was the most popular flooring in the 1900s?
Tongue and groove hardwood was the most popular kind of flooring in the U.S. at the beginning of the 1900s. At the same time, mills started putting grooves along the undersides of planks to help eliminate the warping of the boards which remains a common issue with real hardwood flooring. Some flooring was laid on concrete with an adhesive made of hot tar. Carpet being more expensive than hardwood, parquet flooring was often used to border the edges of an area rug. A pattern known as “Herringbone” grew in popularity as well, both as a border and for entire floors.
Why are planks two feet wide?
The norm was unsanded, unstained, unfinished planks, because the material used tended to be slow growth pine. Such a soft wood would be worn down, becoming smooth and polished over time by regular foot traffic.
What is marquetry flooring?
Marquetry refers to covering a structural piece with veneers in a fancy pattern. In flooring, it ends with the floor bearing an image, a picture or symbol. A process called sand shading, in which a piece of veneer to be put over the wood is dipped into hot sand to darken part of it, led to, well, “shading”, and a three dimensional look to some marquet images. It was the style to have a piece of artwork within the floor in the center of a room. Parquetry results in a decorative pattern, possibly a shape, but if so, something abstract, like a diamond, rather than representational, like a cherry tree. You would find these in parlors and dining rooms, and sometimes hallways, areas of the house where guests would be able to appreciate them.
What was the Baroque era?
What was later termed the Baroque era brought about a general trend toward elaborateness, exaggeration and abundance of detail in theater, music, painting and architecture. This lead to the introduction of high level craftsmanship with hardwood flooring. If one could afford it, elegance was available, ornate floors, finished and elegant.
When did hardwood flooring become popular?
Popularity for hardwood did not really return until the 90’s. Engineered hardwood flooring was part of that. Designed to overcome the climate and environment problems innate to regular hardwood, engineered hardwood gave the world a wooden product that wouldn’t shrink, cup or buckle with changes in the temperature and humidity. It’s the most popular form of hardwood sold in Europe, and its popularity is on the rise in the U.S.
When was hardwood flooring first used?
Hardwood Flooring was the first kind of floor that affected how homes were constructed. It dates back to the medieval era , before which time the floor of most homes was the ground itself, compressed and flattened earth. If you walked in with wet shoes, the floor didn’t get muddy, it was mud. This was still the case for most European homes in 1625.
Why Wood?
We’ll leave you with some parting thoughts if you are considering tiling over or carpeting over your antique wood floors…don’t! Of course, we can’t argue for one person’s decorating taste over another’s, but wood floors are a resilient flooring choice that will last hundreds of years if cared for properly. Even the finest carpet wears out after only a few years of traffic. Tile can chip when something is dropped on it and does’t respond well to the years of expansion and contraction that houses undergo. Vinyl can tear just by looking at it crossly! Wood flooring is long lasting, easily repairable (by a pro), and breathes with your house over the years.
What was the first floor made of?
Flooring, just like everything else in the home had very humble beginnings. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, and that was typically slate or other local stones. Royalty were the first to enjoy the comforts of wood floors. These first wood floors were hand-scraped and literally “sanded.” The workers would lay down rough hand-hewn timbers and use hand tools to scrape smooth the flooring before bringing in handfuls of sand that they would rub on the floors until they were as smooth as possible. It was an arduous task that only the richest could afford.
What is varnish in wood?
Varnish – Varnish was an impressive improvement to wood finishes. It was discovered in the mid 18th century but didn’t really gain in popularity until after the Civil War. Compared to its predecessors, varnish is much harder and resists most anything. Tung and linseed oils were the principle varnish oils used as they penetrated the wood to provide for a relatively strong finish. The disadvantages of varnish is that they were slow drying compared to shellac and by todays standards provided a finish that was still fairly soft.
What is shellac made of?
Shellac – Shellac is made from the residue of the lac bug of India. Shipped worldwide in lac “flakes”, and mixed with denatured alcohol until the flakes are dissolved and then applied to the wood surface and allowed to dry.
What did the workers do to smooth the floors?
The workers would lay down rough hand-hewn timbers and use hand tools to scrape smooth the flooring before bringing in handfuls of sand that they would rub on the floors until they were as smooth as possible. It was an arduous task that only the richest could afford. However, things in the New World were different.
Is varnish good for wood floors?
While useful on furniture and trim, it was not the best on floors due to its delicate nature and its tendency to darken with wear and moisture. Often floors were shellacked and then had wax applied over top to protect the shellac. Varnish – Varnish was an impressive improvement to wood finishes.
When was polyurethane discovered?
Polyurethane – Polyurethane was discovered in 1936 and became commercially available around 1940. Though this type of floor finish was not a part of most historic homes because of its late discovery, it by far the most common after-factory finish applied to wood flooring today.
Where does wood flooring come from?
Between 20% and 30% of hardwood lumber (and also plywood) sold worldwide may come from illegal logging in protected forests.
When did 3/4" thick wood flooring start?
Widespread popular use of shorter-length thin-width 3/4" thick wood strip flooring began in the U.S. in the 1980's as the price of solid wood flooring and wood in general increased rapidly.
What is clear pine flooring?
Common clear pine was widely used as flooring in Massachusetts; if you can gouge the wood with a thumbnail - meaning it' s failry soft - it's probably pine; that's what the top board wood grain pattern resembles in your close-up photo below. When we see that wood grain pattern that board was "flat sawn" like the Ponderosa Pine wood sample I show above from Edlin (1969).
When was the Poughkeepsie house built?
Continuing with another photo of the Poughkeepsie home built ca 1900, the parquet flooring was surrounded by wood inlay border. Unfortunately this floor had been sanded several times, resulting in parquet and trim so thin that only the most gentle, non-destructive re-finishing was feasible.
How to tell if a floor has been refinished?
Look closely at the edge of the floor, perhaps pulling up quarter-round or baseboard floor trim to expose the very perimeter of the floor, and you may be able to determine how much thickness of the wood has been lost from prior re-sanding and re-finishing.
What is Jarrah wood flooring?
Below: Jarrah wood flooring, widely used in New Zealand, somewhat resembles teak in colour, but with wood grains less-straight than teak. Our second photo is of an antique wood floor in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Is hickory wood hard to damage?
Hickory is among the hardest of wood floor materials, and is very resistant to damage from rolling desk chairs and furniture or use. The lovely wood grain pattern shown is the result of work by the authors to pre-sort and arrange individual floor boards before the installers nailed them in place.
