Prelude

A young couple lives right next door to our freshly refinished Sears & Roebuck Home, in downtown Medford. And while it was on their list to get the floors done, they were anxious even more so to refinish the wood and remove the splintered boards before the baby started to crawl. It’s bad enough that they and their older daughter had gotten splinters, but now with the baby about to crawl they had to do it ASAP. They also wanted to maintain the look and patina of the old boards as close as possible. Lastly, they wanted a less harmful process to be used so it did not expose their children or their dog to harsh chemicals. With that in mind we had just the plan!

Now to get the job on the schedule.  Every Fall their home town of Medford has a tradition of hosting a Halloween Parade. The whole town attends. Down town residents often have a party, where everyone can gather then walk to the parade.  The Pettit’s wanted us to start the Monday following the parade. The party now over, they had their stuff packed up and moved out. They would camp out at a family’s home while we worked our magic.

The Challenge

First we had to locate some reclaimed pine floor stock that can be used to replace the splintered boards in the middle of the room. Taking wood from along a wall would not work, so we needed a close match. Secondly, we needed a way to “age” the color of the replacement boards made of pine. Again a challenge, because pine does not accept stain well, and could turn out really blotchy. Third we needed a way to “age” the whole kitchen addition so the color carried through the transition areas from the original wood floors to the newer one. There was a very distinct difference from the older wood to the newer, and they were hoping to make it look more even once it was done. With a few tricks up our sleeve we knew we could get them what they were looking for!

 The Solution

Having just been held up sanding a similar floor next door, we feared the sanding would take forever. Thankfully it went more quickly because these floors had not been waxed.

Next we started replacing the splintered boards and making the random cuts fit tighter so there were less gaps. With the repairs done now it was time to “age” the boards, and “age” the entire kitchen area as well. This was definitely the biggest challenge for sure.

Given traditional refinishing means we were not able to guarantee color match as we “aged” the wood. But with a brand spanking new secret technique and process, that’s not even on the market yet, we agreed it might be the perfect fit, and it was. First the boards that were replaced in old dining room floor blended nicely.  In fact it’s hard to tell where they were. So, one problem solved, but the bigger one to go!

Next was the over all “aging” of the kitchen. Given that the pine would blotch up with staining we had to defer to our secret technique, adding layers till we got the desired effect. Also, if at first not successful, try, try again. The raw pine threw us a curve ball at first, but with a little dancing we got it! The end result, we got a closer match that was much more tolerable than what we started with. Problem No 2 solved, and very happy homeowners to boot!

With all the difficulty behind us it was now down to sealer and coatings. We brought on our preferred natural, water based finish system by Vermont Coatings. With seal on, and two coats of finish applied the wood floors were repaired, blended for color, protected and restored. And, not a moment too soon. Just as we turned this home back over to the Pettit’s their baby indeed began to crawl!

Old wood floors can splinter and can be both unsightly and dangerous. Let us evaluate and repair your damaged or discolored boards when you get them refinished. Vintage hardwood, whether old pine, oak or other species can be restored beautifully. We provide free consultations and estimates on vintage or newer hardwood floor refinishing.  For Medford, South Jersey & the surrounding area.   Call us at 609.953.0472 or contact us online for a free consultation and estimate.