The problem

As part of the refinishing their 150 yr+ vintage hardwood floors, the top priority was to fix the worn down mahogany accent stripes in certain high traffic areas. The client also wanted to stop bouncing in the floors. The bouncing of one of the mahogany accent areas was located near the fireplace. And he wanted other specific repairs completed that went along with the refinishing.

In fact, specific, and loud and clear the husband client communicated his expectations. And if we were not skilled to repair and restore these items with the refinishing for them they did not want us to do the job.

As with most vintage jobs this one was not much different than the others we have done. They just take particular TLC and attention to detail. Whether it be sourcing vintage materials or tweaking the wood to fix it, yes it takes skill and ingenuity. But it also means not turning a blind eye while refinishing the floors.

The overall challenges

While doing our walk through we listed the following items in need of attention and repair:

• Access and repair or replace the mahogany accent stripes to remove the worn areas
• Stop the bouncing, or ‘trampolining” of an accent area near the fireplace
• Remove the holes from abandoned copper pipes no longer in use
• Replace wood in a few areas where prior refinishing left unsightly putty the owner attributed to shoddy work
• Tend to a transition from the dining room to the kitchen
• And level an edge by the living room fireplace area

So while all these items were on our action list, here we are just focusing on the issues relating to the mahogany accent stripes.

Locations of the accent repair areas

Of course you wouldn’t expect the worn areas to be in inconspicuous locations. No, these were smack dab in plain sight in the very most prominent of areas in the main living areas. First and foremost the mahogany boards were worn at the base of the formal stairs, in the grand foyer area. Secondly another bad spot was near the foyer’s fireplace. And third was an area that bordered the dining room right at the transition to the grand foyer.

The work

At first we thought we had to add mahogany accent stripe material to the vintage shopping list. But while ‘digging in’ to the project our refinisher solved his own problem and found the perfect fix.

Instead of full on replacing the striping accent boards he decided to extract the boards and examine the underside of them. It turns out the underside has crisp and distinct edges. The underside of the board (that did not succumb to the fatigue of the foot traffic,) was perfectly intact. The edges were well defined, so when they were reinstalled the 90º edges were crisp and completely looked like ne. What a brilliant and cost saving idea, and thankfully it saved us going on a wild goose chase to find the mahogany striping from a vintage dealer!

Secondly, an especially vulnerable area of the accent striping in the foyer was unstable. Being in a high traffic area that was an entrance to the butler pantry, it was a corner that was constantly being stepped on. In fact, when you stepped on that particular corner it was squishy, and bounced up and down.

Technically referred to as ‘trampolining,” that particular area needed supporting from below the face boards. As long as there was no stability of the subfloor under it the movement would continue. So Marvin deconstructed the area, shimmed it up and then reinstalled the material. So now the area did not move, and was fixed.

The results

Each of the problem areas identified by the customer was completely and capably fixed. Not just refinishing, as mentioned, these repairs were masterfully crafted along with the refinishing. And when done the foyer and dining entry commanded the beauty and regal that was purposed when the home was built.

So our client got exactly what he wanted and more. The striping was repaired and stabilized. The quartersawn red oak floors were refinished, all brilliant and proud again!

Learn more…

• about our hardwood floor refinishing in general
• about the overall restoration project of this Vintage Quartersawn Red Oak Floors Gorgeously Revived

If your vintage hardwoods need masterful craftsmanship to repair them with refinishing give us a call. Call 609.953.0472. Or Contact Us online and we’ll reach out!