But ... you didn't explain WHY you think it's a bad idea, geoffrey_b !

Beautiful! Thanks for coming back and sharing the end result.

YAY!!!! I am so happy for you - they look gorgeous. Just gorgeous. You will definitely get the cost of the refinish back down the road - original hardwood floors (especially in such great shape) are a very good selling point. And thank you for not staining them dark. They look great!

So lovely...I wonder if there's a name for that *shimmer* that certain woodgrains show? My description leaves much to be desired, but I know some of you understand.

Anyway, it's great and has wonderful character, and I'm sure you're thrilled!

@pennydesign I think you're describing burled or quilted wood grain. Very highly desirable. I know this only from reading guitar magazines, *not* because I have any experience with woodworking beyond grade 8!

Pennydesign - -that "shimmer" that I think you're referencing is sometimes called "figuring" or "curly" or "quilted".

Those floors are gorgeous!

Jeanna, they are spectacular! I am so happy for you! Thank you for sharing the photo. And maybe this is a good learning for all the people who said they were awful and rotten - NOPE! Yay for you!!!

Congratulations. They are absolutely gorgeous. Your floor people have done a wonderful job. Enjoy them. :-)

Oh, so glad you decided to save your floors... so beautiful all cleaned up!! How did the cistern patch turn out?

@beesneeds we left the square as is. Half of it will be covered by the kitchen island. We think it’s a great conversation piece! Unfortunately once the island is in we won’t be able to open it up and look at it. I will post pictures of it later today.

Stunning floors....glad you were able to save them!!

They came out beautiful, as I thought they would.
Wonder what all the naysayers up thread that said they were junk and rotten are thinking now! ;)

Way better than anything you could have gotten from the floor $tore!

Just beautiful. Lovely long, long boards!

Oh Jeanna- so happy for you. Yes!!! Wonderful job and the House will thank you over and over!!!! Beautiful job and these are floors you simply can't get anymore. Bet you are one happy camper!!!!

You have a variety of wood species I believe. One almost looks like Birdseye maple. Sometimes older woods get almost like petrified and have a iridescent look to them. Just gorgeous!! I would frame a photo of the floors "before" and find a cute spot to hang it, just so you remember what you were working with. So happy you had the courage to save these floors.

Glad Skil367 wasn't your floor guy. He was dead wrong. They look fabulous.

Beautiful floors!! So glad you were able to see the potential in them!

I would pay a premium for your floors. They are beautiful and so much nicer than all but the most wicked expensive hardwood available today. Nice job!

Beautiful! As others have said, you just can't get long planks like that any more. Thank goodness you kept them.

@Skil367 - c'mon back on here and eat some humble pie! C'mon you.

Jenna Marie:

Thanks for the steaming hot bowl of vindication. It is delicious.

I'm glad the OP is happy. That's the most important thing.

It's a pleasant surprise there wasn't any rot. Still, to me, they look much as I expected - awful. To each their own, but cracks, gaps, nail holes and discoloration are not what I'm looking for in a wood floor.

That is georgeous! And over time they will develop a fabulous patina.

Still, to me, they look much as I expected - awful.

Seriously??? You look at those and think “awful”???? Wow.

I was hoping for this from Skil367:

But instead we got this:

That wood floor is to die for. Beautiful. Some people just haven't a clue. Congrats to the OP!

Still, to me, they look much as I expected - awful.

Some people are philistines. Great floor, well worth the effort.

Beautiful!

And just for the record, many people pay extra for all that character.

Diane, you’re right: a lot of people pay for all that character. I own a 1940 bungalow and twice, over the years, I’d gotten bids to refinish the original Doug fir floors. Each time the guy said that people pay $$$ to get their new floors to have the kind of character that my floors already have.

There are people out there who highly dislike any imperfection -- they want their wood floors to look almost artificial. I am not one of them. Of course, over time any wood floor is going to develop imperfections as the wood expands, contracts and moves with the building. Then they rip it out and replace it or cover it with carpeting.

I wouldn't be too hard on anyone...this is post asked for opinions and they were given. To each his own.

Skil is a carpenter and has very high standards, clearly. I would like to see a floor that passes as "good" to him/her.

To me, though, perfection would be incongruous in an old house.

I would love to see more, Jeanna, when possible.

Way to go!

Any carpenter worth his weight embraces the character of wood. They know it is an imperfect material, and the imperfections add character. Skil is just p##sed that he was wrong.

Jenna Marie, the floors look really good and I think so much better than vinyl planks. Congrats on a good save.

I know I am late to this thread and am not trying to start any additional issues, but I have a quick question. When my site-finished hardwood floors were put in they filled the cracks between boards. Since your home is older was not filling a decision to match the original character of the floors to the time period the home was built? Again, not wanting a debate from others, just curious.

As I read the comments about this floor, I feel like I'm at Starbucks listening to lumbersexuals gush about the crude coffee tables they "craft" from shipping crates and pallets.

If the concern is preserving an old wood floor because of it's character and beauty, why is there no outrage about the refinishing job? There's been no attempt to clean out joints and cracks, fill gaps or putty nail holes. It seems the more flaws, the more damage, the better.

I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, Skil. Now I simply think you might need a relaxing vacation... :) Someplace with no wood floors. Definitely stay away from the Queen Mary.. :)

Skil, this is exactly what I referring to in wanting no debate from others. Back off.

"...why is there no outrage about the refinishing job? There's been no attempt to clean out joints and cracks, fill gaps or putty nail holes."

The refinish looks fine to me.

Yeah, a big splotch of filler in a natural knot. That would look great. I doubt you're going to get a topical filler between those floorboards that will stay permanently. Wood moves and you have to accommodate that, not fight it. Obviously, you don't know as much about this as you think you do and that's what makes you and those like you dangerous to our nation's historic fabric.

Cpartist- We have almost all original windows! They are gorgeous! We’re having a company
come in to replace the sash cords and tune them up. As my brother told me, these windows have lasted 115 years and new ones only last 30.

Jeanna, all I can say is thank you for being a wonderful steward to your old house. I had looked for 2 years for an old house in my area of FL that hadn't been remuddled to the point of no longer being what it was. No such luck. We wound up building a new craftsman inspired house. I love it but it's not the same. :)

BTW: If you haven't found it yet, there's a great FB page on old bungalows and houses from the era. American Bungalow FB page

(To most I mean - but one who would think a 100+ year old house should have new windows isn't worthy of the house anyway!)

Trust me, now even 25 years later, I'm still sorry I sold my beautiful bungalow to the couple I did. It pains me.

Those floors are absolutely stunning! I'm so glad you refinished them. So much for the naysayers!

Yeah, a big splotch of filler in a natural knot. That would look great. I doubt you're going to get a topical filler between those floorboards that will stay permanently. Wood moves and you have to accommodate that, not fight it. Obviously, you don't know as much about this as you think you do and that's what makes you and those like you dangerous to our nation's historic fabric.

Ok just because I love your comments in this thread so much, I will buy extra tubs of ice cream for you and your DW when I'm back in FL!

I'm looking forward to it.

To each his own, I guess. I think the floor looks awful, and here in Toronto *nobody* wants that look. You couldn't sell a house with those floors, and I would never buy without a deep discount.

I'm happy for OP, and all those above who love being on the "winning" side. eyeroll.gif

It takes a certain type of person to criticize a reveal...The kind that would never post pictures of their own spaces...

Gorgeous, imperfect wood floors in Toronto. I guess some people didn't get the memo from strategery.

Yes, to me nothing looks better in an old house than a brand new flawless wood floor (engineered even better), with an awesome plastic-y looking finish. Please, gut all old houses and make them look just like new construction. (sarcasm)

I am happy for the OP and their imperfect result. (not sarcasm)

Joseph Corlett: "that's what makes you and those like you dangerous to our nation's
historic fabric."

First you're upset because I don't think the floor is worth saving. Now you're upset because I think it should have been properly prepped before refinishing.

Shrug.

I might have set the face nails deeper and used filler in the nail holes and staple holes but definitely not between the boards. It is just going to pop out and floors look awful when the filler starts falling out. I also might have tried to bleach some of the stains to see if they would become less noticeable. Unless the filler is well matched and applied sparingly, the filler may just highlight the flaws. However, those are issues that a knowledgeable DIY or flooring person can address when they are working on their own house.

As a remodeling contractor or a floor refinisher, those tasks require a fair amount of time and effort for unknown results that likely don't justify the expenditure. When working in an old house, the goal should be an appropriate appearance, not new. Old houses dont look right filled with plastic finishes and vinyl windows and acrylic tub surrounds.

The nail holes are character marks. Miss Kitty had one.

Like Lyndee said, efforts to hide them (well) would be a whole, whole lot of work. Going back to Miss Kitty, she could have gone to Doc and asked him to remove that mark from her face. He probably woulda' said, 'Sure, I can do that. But it's gonna' leave a scar.'

Anyway, I wouldn't want the floors to end up looking like a basketball court.

In the process of restoring some primitive pieces of furniture, I had to learn restraint when dealing with flaws because sometimes the cure is worse than what ails you.

lindsey - at least two of those floors in those Toronto homes look like recycled floor boards installed in new homes - a look I find a bit faux. Whereas the floorboards in the OP's home are original, and their character is therefore inherently well-earned. We have an older farmhouse near Ottawa and are uncovering - and refinishing - most of the original pine floors, painted a million layers of weird colours and then buried beneath shiny golden oak in the 90s.

I'm so glad your floors turned out well, Jeanna Marie!