Not very easy to see in the pictures but my money would be on pine.
Regards Dave
Hi all,
We're about to move into our house. The floorboards are in relatively good condition but a bit worn in places. We only have a few days between the tenants moving out and us moving in, so thought we'd get professionals in to sand and polish. However, we can't get people to look at the place beforehand so are relying on phone quotes.
Someone we spoke to on the phone said that they would recommend a natural varnish for all types of wood but pine - and that if the floors are pine we may want a stain too. But we have no idea what timber the floor is! I know the photos attached are not the best but does anyone have any ideas? The building report suggests that the house is 30-40 years old.
Thanks so much - it is our first home and a bit overwhelming!
Vonnstar
Not very easy to see in the pictures but my money would be on pine.
Regards Dave
Looks very much like a pine of some sort. Very similar to the lining boards on the ceiling in one of the shots.
Staining will probably cost you a good deal more than just clear coating. Could cost you around $50 per sq. metre. as opposed to around $30 per metre for clear coating. Unstained, pine looks very pale, almost white, with a tinge of honey colouring, but quickly deepens in colour to a darker amber colour within 6-12 months.
If the floor is only a bit worn you might be able to just re-coat it without the drama and cost of a full re-sand and polish. Only about a half or one third the cost of full sanding.
I wouldn't advise doing anything without a firm quote and inspection from a decent and honest floor sander.
That's really helpful advice.
I don't think the floor is too worn. Only in a few parts and to the degree that it might look funky if it were in an inner city cafe!
Does it seem then that it is pine with a clear varnish? Or has it been stained?
If we were to just recoat it - should we get it done with a clear coat and assume it will darken with time? Or try and match a stain?
The floor sanding people I spoke to were recommended by our real estate agent so was hoping they'd be ok. However, they quoted over the phone $15/sqm for sanding and coating (extra $300 if we wanted a stain). From looking at other posts, this seems well under-priced (though perhaps I misheard and she said $50?!)
I've just added another photo of the kitchen - what you can vaguely see is probably the worst of the wearing.
Any thoughts?
Hi . I am a new member too. If you are interested in diy, it is not as hard as you may think. I have knotty pine boards as well, and after taking care of cupping (from under floor lack of ventilation?) used Cabot's CFP with the addition of CFP Plus - a high wear accellerator. The boards are notorious for getting dings in them but that is part of their atttraction. CFP brings out a beautiful honey colour, which has not darkened in the 3 or 4 years since I did it.
I agree that the attraction of pine floors is their "lived on", knotty character rather than laminex type perfection lots of people want to achieve. Timber is a natural and imperfect product, plastic isn't.
If you can live with the dings I'd just put 2 coats of a clear satin or low sheen polyurethane over the top to prevent you wearing through to bare timber which turns grey then black. Check those quoted prices, $15/m sounds very cheap to sand and polish. As a DIY job recoating is quite easy but test a small, inconspicuous patch first for product compatibility.
hi - the flooring is Baltic Pine. Ceiling may be Western Red Cedar or Possibly Vic Ash with some fiddle back in it but I doubt it ... I don't think $15 per square metre is correct, but hey, if it is let us all know! .....![]()
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Steve
Kilmore (Melbourne-ish)
Australia
....catchy phrase here
Not really worried about dings - but there are parts of the floor that do look like they have turned a bit grey/black so perhaps a sanding would be the best bet. Then perhaps just a natural varnish and wait the 6-12 months for the honey colour to come through?
seriph1 - I recall being told that the ceiling panels are cedar!
Here's hoping the $15 was right - I've been trying to recontact to confirm but no luck yet - will let you all know.
Thanks again.
you could always spot sand these areas by hand and then spot varnish with a polyurethane in the sheen that suits you .... the overall effect would be pleasing unless you are only wanting to achieve a pristine finish all over
Steve
Kilmore (Melbourne-ish)
Australia
....catchy phrase here