Vintage Wood Restoration Begins- Love for the Library Floor
- Home Case Studies Vintage Wood Restoration Begins- Love for the Library Floor
Another damaged spot in their study, this one is from pet urine
To get ready and save money the client removed this carpet and pad to expose the ir old pine underneath
Regular sanding removed both the pet urine spot (middle) and overwatered plant damage spot (upper right) restoring their vintage pine floor
The pine refinished beautifully view is looking from the door to the end overlooking the portico
Same shoot but view showing the window this floor is gorgeos
Here is the opposite view looking toward the hallway which matches the red oak floor in the hall precisely
- Location Riverfront Mansion in Riverton, NJ
Historic river front mansion hardwood floor restoration begins with refinishing their vintage pine.
The Prelude
An epic invitation, a hundred fifty year old + mansion is in serious need of hardwood floor restoration. As her ‘go-to’ for hardwood floor refinishing, we are invited by the designer to repair and revitalize the quartersawn hardwood floors.
The floors are haggard, tired and worn but are masterfully crafted and should be restored. Fixing the many blemishes, then sanding and refinishing them their beauty and brilliance are within reach. You just don’t see craftsmanship and milling like this anymore. Instead today’s work is ‘cookie cutter’ production line caliber type work. True craftsmanship like this barely exists from yesteryear. Even the wood used from that period is no longer, or hardly available. And both, frankly, are cost prohibitive!
Restoring them properly is a must. Moreover, the handling and restoration work should only be endeavored by professionals with experience, desire and passion for doing so.
The walk through ensued
A meeting of the minds over wine took place. Although a relaxed conversation involving our team, the designer, ourselves and husband and wife client, it was all business. They have precise expectations. And they began grilling us to vet us out before they would let us even touch their floors. And in hindsight, we understood.
We first were invited to see the bigger project. However, they wanted us to prove to them first we are worth our salt! It didn’t matter we were highly recommended by their designer, who had used us for years. It was a ‘step up and show them with a test refinishing first.’ Passing that, then and only then would they consider allowing us to proceed with their showcase vintage floors. (Frankly, I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t let just anyone touch floors like these either!)
An invitation to the door
There had been half attempts that looked it that were left by others. And not only did they want their floors fixed, restored and refinished, they wanted the previous handyman grade work erased from their floors and their minds altogether.
So again, in a casual but serious manner they walked us through their home pointing out the problems and the poor workmanship. Their frustration was communicated loudly, and so were their expectations.
Several opportunities were provided for us to excuse ourselves if we were not capable to working with their vintage floors. Moreover, they repeatedly asked us with respect to bow out if this wasn’t our skillset. Not mincing words, slicing or dicing it, with respect they invited to their door. If we had no intention of restoring their floors beautifully and preserving them to their fullest potential they would find someone who would.
At the conclusion of our mutual walk through the clients gained confidence in us. They liked that offered solutions to their problems. And our explanations gave them confidence that we possessed the skill and demonstrated the passion needed to restore their floors.
But we weren’t ‘full on’ hired just yet!
The test project
Turns out the client was first going to test us with a smaller floor project. This one, a vintage pine floor is self contained. The floor is in their study, a garden reading room closed off from the rest of the house, overlooking the portico.
With its own set of problems our client wanted to see how we repaired it and refinished it. Then inspecting that work he would decide if we were worthy of doing the work in the main part of the house. (With the grandeur and magnificence of the main floors, I don’t blame him. I’d probably do the same thing!)
The test project was scheduled and the work was perfectly executed to their delight and expectation!
The results
Unlike the challenges in the main room, this room had simpler demands. After the carpet was removed there were water marks from plants or piddle marks from dogs to be dealt with. And the wood was vintage pine, not red oak, so while it was a good test floor it was different from the rest of their floors.
The repairs were made by bleaching some of the dark marks and swapping out other damaged boards. All in all with the dark water marks fixed, the floors were sanded. They were stained to match the hallway adjacent to it, and were beautifully restored.
We passed
Overwhelmingly satisfied the husband awards us the rest of the work. He was thrilled we were even able to save the pine floors. Beyond saving the floor he was impressed and excited to think their red oak floors could be revived like their pine floor was. Erased was his doubt, he know was totally excited that the rest of the floors in their historic mansion would be stunning when we were done.
With a smile and with confidence in us he asked us to continue the restoration. Assured now, he was certain our work was worthy enough, and that we would deliver exactly what he wanted. Not just any pittance of refinishing, namely this would be the restoration to preserve and reveal the beauty and craftsmanship characteristic of a historic home like this!
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