Fireplace. Restore period features.

Design & Style How To Guides Restore Period Details

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Date Published:
10/06/2008
Floorboards.  Restore period Features.

To many people the period features are what make a property desirable. However if the previous owners have not been as interested in them they may need a bit of work. Here are some of the basic tips for bringing the life and character back to an old house.

Floorboards

If you wish to expose floorboards that have previously been carpeted you will need to sand the floor (if you are a flat owner you will also need to ensure that your lease allows you to have exposed flooring). However before starting this job you may need to replace damaged floorboards.

Ideally try to move damage boards out of sight by swapping them with better quality boards elsewhere in the room (since it can be difficult to match new floorboards with the old). If you buy new boards that are thicker than the current floor then use the sander to even them out. If they are too thin then you can raise them by putting small pieces of wood between the new board and the joist.

Although often talked up as a nightmare task, sanding floorboards is a relatively straightforward task and the final effect is well worth the effort. However there are some important factors to bear in mind:

  • It is a loud and dusty job so make sure you wear some form of ear protection and a face mask.
  • Minimise dust by opening windows to create a through draught.
  • Use masking tape to seal around doors to adjoining rooms.
  • Empty dust bags regularly and carefully (dust can explode).
  • Hire a large sander for the main parts of the floor plus a hand held, edging, sander in order to do the edges of the floor and any tricky corners.
  • Ensure that the sander comes with a variety of grades of belt (you start off by using the most abrasive level to remove any old paint and ingrained dirt, gradually moving to increasingly fine grades for a perfect finish.)
  • Keep up a steady rhythm while sanding the floor. If the sander is not moving but the belt is engaged you will be wearing a indentation into the boards and this can leave you with an unsightly 'groove' on the finished floor which is difficult to disguise and will collect dirt.

When varnishing the floor select a good quality and hard wearing varnish and apply at least three coats. Sweep the floor regularly as dirt (and even animal hair) can act as an abrasive.

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Comments

  1. What you fail to mention is that older properties often have a disgusting black painted border around edge of room. If you try to remove this with even the most coarse paper it simply gets clogged in minutes. You end up using dozens of discs to no avail as I have learned to my cost. I had no choice but to apply paint stripper & get down on my hands & knees with a scraper. The job turned into a nightmare.I have had to re-hire another sander to finish the job.
    Posted by jim cairns on 25/10/2009 23:12:54
    Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment
  2. what material i should use to clean of the paint of the cornices?
    Posted by vincent on 01/08/2009 20:11:34
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  3. I would like to know how to repair an antique fireplace. I "unburied" one in our house. It has beautiful tiles around the opening, and on the floor that are in perfect condition. but the tiles are loose around the front of the fireplace. How can I resecure them? and also, how would I finish up the edges between the tiles and the fire bricks? The bottom of the fireplace is open to the ground, should that be closed off? I can provide pictures if needed. thank you.
    Posted by Jodie on 21/03/2009 14:22:27
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