10 Ways to Make the Most of Your Home's Original Floorboards
Save yourself the cost of replacing your old floorboards with these 10 tips for a brand new finish
Laura Wheat
4 February 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. Freelance Journalist and interiors obsessive, newly ensconced in a handsome Edwardian semi on top of a hill.
Houzz UK Contributor. Freelance Journalist and interiors obsessive, newly ensconced... More
If you live in a property benefiting from old floorboards, you can save a tidy sum on carpeting and instead, make a style statement by incorporating your original floorboards into your scheme. Timber floors are easy to maintain and wood that has already been in place for many years is unlikely to warp or shrink (provided you treat it correctly). Bare floorboards are also a practical choice, requiring only a quick vacuum and mop to keep them looking their best. There are numerous techniques to consider for finishing your floors – here are some favourites.
1. Soap floorboards Scandi style
For a subtle whitewashed, pale finish on pine or oak floors, take a tip from the Scandinavians and soap your boards. Typically, wood lye is used on sanded boards to lighten them and remove warm tones. After further sanding, a white-tinted wood soap is applied, which has an oily finish and acts as a protective sealant.
Soaped floors need to be maintained with frequent reapplications of soap solution. Look out for brands such as Woca, which makes Danish floor products.
For a subtle whitewashed, pale finish on pine or oak floors, take a tip from the Scandinavians and soap your boards. Typically, wood lye is used on sanded boards to lighten them and remove warm tones. After further sanding, a white-tinted wood soap is applied, which has an oily finish and acts as a protective sealant.
Soaped floors need to be maintained with frequent reapplications of soap solution. Look out for brands such as Woca, which makes Danish floor products.
2. Paint them white
For homes in need of a brightness boost, nothing matches the light-reflecting powers of white-painted floors. Instantly transformative, white floors add contemporary flair to period homes where boards may be in poor condition or mismatched.
Select a specialist floor paint – to avoid a slippery surface – and be prepared to mop weekly and repaint occasionally if you don’t like scratches or worn areas to show.
For homes in need of a brightness boost, nothing matches the light-reflecting powers of white-painted floors. Instantly transformative, white floors add contemporary flair to period homes where boards may be in poor condition or mismatched.
Select a specialist floor paint – to avoid a slippery surface – and be prepared to mop weekly and repaint occasionally if you don’t like scratches or worn areas to show.
3. Opt for elegant grey
When black might be too dark but white feels stark, try painting floorboards in a mid-tone, such as grey or pale grey-blue. A warm grey floor paired with pastel walls adds depth to a room and highlights attractive period skirting boards.
Need some expert advice in refreshing old floorboards? Find a flooring professional near you on Houzz
When black might be too dark but white feels stark, try painting floorboards in a mid-tone, such as grey or pale grey-blue. A warm grey floor paired with pastel walls adds depth to a room and highlights attractive period skirting boards.
Need some expert advice in refreshing old floorboards? Find a flooring professional near you on Houzz
4. Fall for varnished boards
For a hard-wearing, fuss-free finish, try a varnish for your timber floors. Most contain polyurethane, which coats timber with an impermeable, plastic-like seal. Finishes vary from gloss to matt, and brands such as Bona are pioneering innovative formulations for more natural-looking timber.
The downsides of using a varnished finish are that once the surface is damaged – by repeated wear or furniture scratching the surface, for example – it’s very difficult to spot-repair, and the best option is to sand and revarnish the entire room.
For a hard-wearing, fuss-free finish, try a varnish for your timber floors. Most contain polyurethane, which coats timber with an impermeable, plastic-like seal. Finishes vary from gloss to matt, and brands such as Bona are pioneering innovative formulations for more natural-looking timber.
The downsides of using a varnished finish are that once the surface is damaged – by repeated wear or furniture scratching the surface, for example – it’s very difficult to spot-repair, and the best option is to sand and revarnish the entire room.
5. Try tone on tone
Take a leaf out of interior designer Abigail Ahern’s style pages and match your floor and walls for a tonal effect. The difference in the paint finishes of each surface will create textural interest, and you can add punchy hits of colour with accessories in shades from the opposite end of the spectrum – this room contains a bright red floor lamp.
Take a leaf out of interior designer Abigail Ahern’s style pages and match your floor and walls for a tonal effect. The difference in the paint finishes of each surface will create textural interest, and you can add punchy hits of colour with accessories in shades from the opposite end of the spectrum – this room contains a bright red floor lamp.
6. Go back to black
If your property is already flooded with natural light or you’re keen to embrace a dark and moody hue, black-painted floorboards could be for you. Black floors add drama and make it easy to introduce dark-toned timber furniture and luxe textures on fabrics and upholstery.
Choose your finish carefully, as black gloss floors are notoriously difficult to keep in top condition. And remember that dark boards will highlight animal hair, so beware if you have a pale-coloured dog or cat!
Timber or Tiled Flooring? Let’s Compare the Two
If your property is already flooded with natural light or you’re keen to embrace a dark and moody hue, black-painted floorboards could be for you. Black floors add drama and make it easy to introduce dark-toned timber furniture and luxe textures on fabrics and upholstery.
Choose your finish carefully, as black gloss floors are notoriously difficult to keep in top condition. And remember that dark boards will highlight animal hair, so beware if you have a pale-coloured dog or cat!
Timber or Tiled Flooring? Let’s Compare the Two
7. Work a waxed finish
Fans of traditional timber floors may prefer to alter the appearance of their boards as little as possible. Hardwax products contain a mixture of natural oils, such as linseed and sunflower, as well as waxes to protect timber and highlight its natural grain. Clear hardwax will turn timber the same colour as it is when wet. For a paler tone try white-tinted wax; products are available from brands such as Treatex and Osmo. Finishes include matt, satin and gloss.
Wax is applied with a roller and left to set. After two coats, your floor will have a hard-wearing finish that can easily be maintained with top-up treatments in the future. The downside is that it will need these top-ups fairly frequently.
Fans of traditional timber floors may prefer to alter the appearance of their boards as little as possible. Hardwax products contain a mixture of natural oils, such as linseed and sunflower, as well as waxes to protect timber and highlight its natural grain. Clear hardwax will turn timber the same colour as it is when wet. For a paler tone try white-tinted wax; products are available from brands such as Treatex and Osmo. Finishes include matt, satin and gloss.
Wax is applied with a roller and left to set. After two coats, your floor will have a hard-wearing finish that can easily be maintained with top-up treatments in the future. The downside is that it will need these top-ups fairly frequently.
8. Go over to the dark side
To get a dark finish that also shows off the grain of the timber, your first step is to stain your floorboards. This is not a straightforward process and requires patch testing various stains on sanded boards to see which one works to create your desired final colour (so find a discreet spot destined to be under a piece of furniture).
You will also need to experiment with diluting your chosen stain to get the correct strength of colour and may even need to mix several tones together. The final stain must be allowed to dry completely overnight before finishing with at least three coats of clear varnish.
Don’t be tempted to skip the staining and go straight in with a dark-toned varnish, or every scratch will reveal the original pale timber underneath.
How to Decorate When You Have Dark Timber Floors
To get a dark finish that also shows off the grain of the timber, your first step is to stain your floorboards. This is not a straightforward process and requires patch testing various stains on sanded boards to see which one works to create your desired final colour (so find a discreet spot destined to be under a piece of furniture).
You will also need to experiment with diluting your chosen stain to get the correct strength of colour and may even need to mix several tones together. The final stain must be allowed to dry completely overnight before finishing with at least three coats of clear varnish.
Don’t be tempted to skip the staining and go straight in with a dark-toned varnish, or every scratch will reveal the original pale timber underneath.
How to Decorate When You Have Dark Timber Floors
9. Distress to impress
If you’re partial to the patina of well-worn boards and can’t wait for them to acquire a few scuffs and scrapes, you could experiment with achieving a distressed finish. You can try similar techniques to those used to distress furniture, including applying wax in some areas to prevent paint adhering, or adding several layers of paint and scraping off sections to reveal contrasting colours beneath.
I’d recommend trials on spare boards or scrap timber to see which finishes you prefer. There are various workshops around the country teaching techniques for using paint and wax in this way, though better yet, find a local flooring professional with experience in creating this vintage look.
If you’re partial to the patina of well-worn boards and can’t wait for them to acquire a few scuffs and scrapes, you could experiment with achieving a distressed finish. You can try similar techniques to those used to distress furniture, including applying wax in some areas to prevent paint adhering, or adding several layers of paint and scraping off sections to reveal contrasting colours beneath.
I’d recommend trials on spare boards or scrap timber to see which finishes you prefer. There are various workshops around the country teaching techniques for using paint and wax in this way, though better yet, find a local flooring professional with experience in creating this vintage look.
10. Install reclaimed timber
If you’re craving the tactile qualities of well-trodden real timber floors but your property doesn’t have floorboards, you could look into reclaimed timber.
Available from specialists and usually costing a pretty penny, reclaimed flooring uses boards removed from period properties to add character in new builds or to replace damaged areas where owners want a consistent finish.
Those craving a fancier floor could even opt for reclaimed parquet blocks, which add instant wow factor and can be arranged in a variety of different patterns. Be warned, however: fitting reclaimed parquet is a highly specialised job and will not be cheap.
Your turn
How have you flaunted the floorboards in your home? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Need some more advice on finding the perfect floor and finish? Read How Do I… Choose a Timber Floor?
If you’re craving the tactile qualities of well-trodden real timber floors but your property doesn’t have floorboards, you could look into reclaimed timber.
Available from specialists and usually costing a pretty penny, reclaimed flooring uses boards removed from period properties to add character in new builds or to replace damaged areas where owners want a consistent finish.
Those craving a fancier floor could even opt for reclaimed parquet blocks, which add instant wow factor and can be arranged in a variety of different patterns. Be warned, however: fitting reclaimed parquet is a highly specialised job and will not be cheap.
Your turn
How have you flaunted the floorboards in your home? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Need some more advice on finding the perfect floor and finish? Read How Do I… Choose a Timber Floor?
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Our bathroom floor is half reclaimed Vietnamese Kauri and half original NZ Kauri. To minimise the difference in colour, we had the floor whitewashed - it was hard to get the tradesman to understand the effect I was after, it seems whitewashing isn't common here in NZ. The rest of the house is a blend of original and reclaimed Kauri boards, which we waxed ourselves. Lovely effect but it's very soft and dents very easily!
Help. I’ve used Fishers floor wax for years but can’t get it any more. Other products aren’t as good. Any suggestions?
the wood floor in this house is very sticky apart from sanding is there another solution please?