Newbie Questions on Sanding Old Floors

[jcraig]

8924189240


Hi Guys,

Today I've starting pulling up our carpet exposing the old floorboards underneath. RenovateForum is my starting point for research and have read through a number of forum pages already.

So from the photos attached does anyone know what boards they are? 1961 built QLD style cottage on Gold Coast. 60mm boards.
Are drum and edge sanders usually better from hire shops like Kennards or am I better off with the Bunnings Hire Shop (assuming both are not going to be as good as a pro)
the boards don't appear to have any large gouges or marks, and most the exisiting vanish pretty much seems worn off. Should I start with 80 grit, then 120 then 150?
I read to sand from corner to corner instead of straight up and down, is that how everyone does it?
The carpet has left heaps of small holes around the perimeter, is there a particular filler that works best for this type of wood, and is it best to apply, before first sand or after first sand?
I've got a fall in the boards of about 30mm over a meter from lounge room to kitchen, is that common for these old houses? I'm assuming its not changing anytime soon, and that a satin finish would be better then gloss so as not to highlight this problem too much.


Thanks for your help.

Cheers
James

[Bloss]

They look like brushbox to me but you need to sand an area and get some better pics. In any case Qld HW flooring form that era will come up a treat. The fall in the boards is more likely a fall in the sub-floor and I'd be looking at that first, where and why and then fixing it. Sanding floors in one job I leave to the professionals unless it is s avery small area. finish is your call - I like full gloss and don't care about imperfections - it's timber and the only time timber is perfect is when humans have messed about with it!

[jcraig]

8925189252

Thanks Bloss.

I sanded a small patch, I only had 120grit paper lying around, so havent taken much off, but you should be able to see more clearly now the grain and colour.

the drop in the floor is def sub-floor, it leads into the kitchen, and I have a lino to pull up in there next, so will get someone in to look at it shortly. the hours is on lots of stumps about .5 - 1m off the ground, would you expect it to be difficult for a tradie to raise a single bearer section bow by 30mm?

[Bloss]

Close up looks more like tallowwood or an ash - maybe on of the Qld guys can help with type as it's years since I was up that way. The raising is not a hard job - and one a DIYer can do also. Can be fiddly though and so when paying an hourly rate can add up. depends what the problem is though. If you can get underneath with a decent torch (eg: LED headlamp) and a camera get a few shots. What you are looking for are gaps between the top of stump and bearers or between bearers & joists or flooring and joists. You might find none, some or all. If none it points to soil movement - and well connected timber sub-floor. But likely you will see some gaps. Do a search on this site for 're-stumping' or 'level floor' and you get planet of info on what next. But pics needed really as specifics will vary with your actual circumstances.

[jcraig]

Thanks Bloss, I sanded the floor over the weekend after pulling up 500 plus staples under the lino and they have come up great. I just hired the drum sander and edger from bunnings. Found the machines pretty easy to use, and overall very happy with the end result. Hard work though, didn't help with the lino glue that was on the floor in the kitchen. I'll take a photo soon of the wood, and see if anyone can work out what it is. I haven't sealed or stained it yet, as I have some corners I need to hand sand. Is there a tool to use to get to the 90 degree corners that the edger can't get to or is hand sanding the only way?

With the floor drop, it's around 10-15mm. Do you think to just leave it? I am concerned that the bathroom is within 2m of this bearer, and my new tiling or waterproofed walls might crack if i try to fix it. Unfortunately the floor drop I only noticed when I pulled up the carpet and Lino, it was hidden well.

[ringtail]

Ive got a section of brushbox in my house.
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Photos are a bit crap. I'll take another one in the daylight. Brushbox was used heaps up here in the day according to my floor sander

[goldie1]

To get in to the corners use a scraper look hereFLOOR SANDING - SCRAPERS & PUTTY KNIVES - FLOORKING.COM.AU (http://www.floorking.com.au/categories.php?category=FLOOR-SANDING/SCRAPERS-%26-PUTTY-KNIVES)

[Bloss]

Ive got a section of brushbox in my house.
I'll take another one in the daylight. Brushbox was used heaps up here in the day according to my floor sander

After his 2nd photos as certain as I can be that OP's is not brushbox - but it'll sand up a treat anyway and that's what counts.

[namtrak]

Tassie Oak/Vic Ash

[jcraig]

http://www.renovateforum.com/attachments/f203/89799-newbie-questions-sanding-old-floors-sanded.jpghttp://www.renovateforum.com/attachments/f203/89798-newbie-questions-sanding-old-floors-floorsealed.jpg

Ok, heres the two pics, first before sanded, and the other after first coat of clear CFP Oil based Satin. Still think Tassie Oak?

[namtrak]

Brushbox

[Gaza]

Brushbox

2 nd that great looking at that

[jcraig]

Thanks goldie1, the scrapper made life a tad easier :)

The floors are all finshed now - 3 coats of oil based satin Cabots CFP. 240 grit hand sanded between coats, then vacummed. Will leave furniture off for another 5 days.

For anyone else undertaking a similiar task, I've never sanded a floor, just read everything on renovate-forum, watch all the u-tube videos, ask questions when you hire the machine, and start first where you intend to put the couch haha Just take it nice and slowly and not rush yourself. Overall I found the Bunnings lever hire sanders easy to use. For approx 40 m2 it cost just less than $400 for sander hire (24 Hrs), paper, scrapper, oil (8L), oil applicaters, turps, filler, brushes and carpet end strips and plastic for bedroom entrances.

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