Wooden floor problems

[NancyC]

I've just bought an old house, years ago they made the downstairs open plan- hallway, living room, dining room, then covered the floor with carpet

I've pulled up the carpet and the hallway to living room has wooden floor that with sanding and varnish would look great.
However theres cement strips through the floorboards where the old walls used to be.

Can anything be done to make my original plan work?

 

[johnny2007]

Yes, dig down the cement about an inch.
The use a dark wood to match existing boards, cut to size and stick it on.
That horizontal board will have its character, So don't worry that it goes the "wrong" way.
Done many times and looks fabulous.

 

[NancyC]

Yes, dig down the cement about an inch.
The use a dark wood to match existing boards, cut to size and stick it on.
That horizontal board will have its character, So don't worry that it goes the "wrong" way.
Done many times and looks fabulous.

Thank you, I thought it was a lost cause, but the sounds like it'd work.
Completely inexperienced DIY-er here-what would one use to dig down?

 

[johnny2007]

Thank you, I thought it was a lost cause, but the sounds like it'd work.
Completely inexperienced DIY-er here-what would one use to dig down?

It depends how hard the mix is.
Hand chisel or sds.
Try different methods from the least destructive first

 

[tell80]

NancyC hi,
What you show is such a common finish, & its wrong.

You have the options of:
1. lifting the short T&G boards in the hallway(?)and replacing them with T&G boards long enough to meet the boards in the room.
Unfortunately modern section sizes are different from the old T&G board section sizes. There are "get-arounds" for level meeting up however.

2. Carefully hacking off the bed of sand & cement - & maybe removing the top course of bricks that will be revealed. And then building up enough to take a pre-polished square edge board to run across the opening at right angle to the in-situ boards.

Problem for the DIY'er is 1. and 2. are maybe jobs for a professional.

3. A DIY'er could simply clean & sand the S&C - then dye it a suitable tone - and then put a varnish of some kind on it. It would last for ... ?

Full time floormen come on this forum, and perhaps could give you more, and better advice?

 

[NancyC]

Thank you, thats given me some options.
It'd be a shame to have to recover the floorboards.