Best way to freshen up 'ok quality' floorboards?

[robodelfy]

Hi, I have floor boards throughout my victorian terraced house. The ones downstairs seem more modern and have no gaps like the old ones upstairs.

As you can see from the photos, the entrance is looking quite worn and black in places, will I be able to sand this out or is it likely very deep?

For the boards in the room, I don't need them to look perfect, would it be ok just to give them a bit of a sand with an orbital sander and then varnish again? I just want to protect them and make them look a little neater.

If so, any recommendations on varnish that isn't super glossy that would work for the wood colour you see

Thanks very much

 

[bobasd]

from what i can make out you are right about the more modern hall boards - they appear to be correctly nailed, and may even have come pre- finished. If you can call that lick a finish.
You can sand and finish them after making certain that there's no face nailings, loose boards or cuppings.

The upstairs boards appear to have been worked on, and worked over - there's a bad previous attempt at finishing, and evidence of face nailing.
All face nailing must be driven down, and lots of other prepping take place before any attempt at sanding or applying finish of some kind (not varnish).
Any previously lifted boards should be re-lifted and set back down level, & stable as possible.
You can maybe hire a suitable sander but some places now wont rent out heavy machinery - which you might need to cut that floor.
What do you mean by an "orbital sander"?

There's lots more to floor sanding, and masses of finishes to choose from. So maybe research a bit more?

 

[StephenStephen]

Maybe it's a matter of taste - I wouldn't touch the upstairs boards, I think they look great as they are.

 

[robodelfy]

from what i can make out you are right about the more modern hall boards - they appear to be correctly nailed, and may even have come pre- finished. If you can call that lick a finish.
You can sand and finish them after making certain that there's no face nailings, loose boards or cuppings.

The upstairs boards appear to have been worked on, and worked over - there's a bad previous attempt at finishing, and evidence of face nailing.
All face nailing must be driven down, and lots of other prepping take place before any attempt at sanding or applying finish of some kind (not varnish).
Any previously lifted boards should be re-lifted and set back down level, & stable as possible.
You can maybe hire a suitable sander but some places now wont rent out heavy machinery - which you might need to cut that floor.
What do you mean by an "orbital sander"?

There's lots more to floor sanding, and masses of finishes to choose from. So maybe research a bit more?

Thanks, great advice. As the other person who commented said, I actually like the boards upstairs even though they aren't perfect. I know they could probably be made to look very posh with a decent amount of work, but I really just wanted to protect them a bit. Which is why I mentioned going over them with a random orbital sander, you know the hand held circular pad sanders, and then giving it a coat of something. You said not varnish, what would you use?

thanks again

 

[robodelfy]

Maybe it's a matter of taste - I wouldn't touch the upstairs boards, I think they look great as they are.

Thanks yeah I like the look fo them too, I just wanted to give them a bit of protection really, but I didn't know how far to go!

 

[bobasd]

I'm not on your site, and I'm not a floor person by trade although i've done a fair amount of wood flooring work.
So i'm not going to try and advise the details - you will have to do what i suggested above.

Going over the upper floor boards with that sander might be more difficult than you imagine - why not first have a practice on the hallway flooring?

 

[robodelfy]

I'm not on your site, and I'm not a floor person by trade although i've done a fair amount of wood flooring work.
So i'm not going to try and advise the details - you will have to do what i suggested above.

Going over the upper floor boards with that sander might be more difficult than you imagine - why not first have a practice on the hallway flooring?

Yeah I'll start with the small area in the hall. But the floor boards are totally different upstairs. I will follow your advice for prepping the boards upstairs, and then probably do it all with a large hand sander as I have one. Thanks