I recently purchased a house built in the 1950s. Under the carpeting is hardwood flooring in great shape except for 2 problems. The floors have dulled from what I assume is prolonged contact with the carpet padding. What is the best way to restore the sheen to them without refinishing them? Would flooring that old have been sealed with wax? My second problem is the holes left from the removal of the carpet tack strips. Assuming I could match the color, is there a wood filler product that has stain and sealer together?To use 3 products – wood filler,stain and then sealer -in each of these tiny holes seems impossible. I would appreciate your suggestions.
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Best bet is to have floors professionally refinished. The carpet pad has damaged the finish and the floor pro's know how to mix the sawdust and poly into a filler for the carpet nail holes. My brother just bought a house of the same vintage and has the same problem you do. And the floors will look 100% better after a pro's hard work and knowledge. Good Luck. Jim Z
Don't sweat the carpet tack holes. Only you see them and that is because you know they are there. If others see them, they think it's character.
You first need to determine if it is a poly or wax finish. This should be simple enough to do. Use some mineral spirits to see if you can take the finish off in a discrete corner or area which will be covered by a rug in the future.
[EDIT: If some finish comes off then it is wax. Now you need to see if it has a shellac sealer. Use some denatured alcohol to see if the finish the harder finish comes off. If it does then the top finish is wax.]
If it turns out to be wax, get a wax cleaner/ remover, strip the wax (very messy, protect your base boards) and then rewax - 3 coats.
If the mineral spirits and denatured alcohol had no effect what so ever then it is most likely poly. Poly is a oneway reaction. It does not soften with thinner after it has cured. If it is a poly finish and the poly is not worn to bare wood or through stain (Is it stained? Color?), screen it and repoly.
Frankie
Experiment with the placing of the ingredients on the plate. Try the mozzarella on the left, the tomato in the middle, the avocado on the right. Have fun. Then decide it goes tomato, mozzarella, avocado. Anything else looks stupid.
Richard E. Grant as Simon Marchmont - Posh Nosh
Edited 9/7/2006 5:34 pm ET by Frankie
"If the mineral spirits and denatured alcohol had no effect what so ever then it is most likely poly. Poly is a oneway reaction. It does not soften with thinner after it has cured. If it is a poly finish and the poly is not worn to bare wood or through stain (Is it stained? Color?), screen it and repoly."What you are describing is Varnish. Poly is only one type of varnish. And I doubt that there was any in 1950, if that is the orginal finish.But the same steps holds for any varnish.
Thank you.
I agree with the ignoring the holes, but if they really bother you (like in a door way or something) you can replace a strip of flooring. Ideally if you can get it from a closet, or better yet salvage. I just got some salvage flooring from someone on our community list serve, so that I can fix some larger holes.
If the floor is old enough, you *might* have a shellac finish, which probably does have wax on top of it. To check, take a little bit of mineral spirits and wipe the floor (in an inconspicious location). This will remove any wax. If some finish comes up to, then you have poly. Next take some denatured alcohol and rup the same area. If the finish comes up, you have shellac.
Either way, you may be able to screen and recoat, but it is better left to pros.
Thaks for your advice!
REempire