Period Floor Restoration and Refinishing

Original floors in Victorian and Edwardian properties across North London—whether wide pine floorboards, elegant parquet, or hardwood planks—represent beautiful features worth restoring. These floors, often hidden beneath carpet or damaged by decades of use, can be brought back to life through professional restoration, becoming stunning focal points that add character and value. This guide covers assessing, restoring, and refinishing period floors in Hampstead, Highgate, Camden, and across NW London.

Types of Period Flooring

Wide Pine Floorboards: Most common in Victorian terraces:

• Softwood boards typically 6-9 inches (150-225mm) wide
• Usually pine or fir from Baltic regions
• Originally intended to be covered with rugs or carpet
• Can sand and finish beautifully despite being softwood
• Character includes knots, grain variation, minor imperfections

Narrow Hardwood Strips: Found in better-quality Victorian homes:

• Oak, pitch pine, or other hardwoods
• Narrower boards 3-5 inches (75-125mm) wide
• More durable than softwood
• Often in reception rooms and hallways

Parquet Flooring: Premium floors in Edwardian and higher-status Victorian properties:

• Small blocks of hardwood (usually oak) arranged in patterns
• Herringbone, basket-weave, and geometric designs
• Individual blocks 2-3 inches (50-75mm)
• Labour-intensive to restore but stunning results
• Found in entrance halls, dining rooms, drawing rooms

Assessing Condition

Before deciding on restoration, assess floor condition:

Lifting Carpets:

• Remove carpet and underlay from small area to inspect
• Check for water damage, rot, or insect infestation
• Assess thickness—floors need 15-20mm minimum for sanding
• Look for previous sanding (nail heads exposed indicate multiple sandings)
• Check for paint, adhesive, or bitumen that complicates restoration

Structural Issues:

• Bounce or movement indicates joist problems
• Gaps between boards (common, easily addressed)
• Missing or damaged boards requiring replacement
• Water damage from leaks (check around bathrooms, radiators)
• Woodworm or rot (requires treatment before restoration)

The Restoration Process

1. Preparation (1 day):

• Remove all furniture and floor coverings
• Fix loose or squeaky boards
• Replace damaged boards with matching salvage timber
• Punch down all nail/screw heads below surface
• Fill large gaps between boards with slivers of matching wood
• Clean floor thoroughly

2. Sanding (1-2 days):

Professional floor sanding uses sequence of progressively finer abrasives:

• Coarse Sanding: 40-60 grit removes old finish, levelsfloor, removes stains
• Medium Sanding: 80-100 grit removes coarse scratches
• Fine Sanding: 120-150 grit creates smooth finish ready for sealing
• Each pass made diagonally or along grain direction
• Edge sander reaches perimeter areas
• Corners finished by hand

Dust Control: Modern sanders have dust extraction (99% capture), but fine dust still escapes:

• Seal doors with plastic sheeting and tape
• Expect some dust in rest of house
• Remove delicate items and electronics
• Professional services minimise but don't eliminate dust

3. Staining (Optional, 1 day):

• Water-based or oil-based wood stains alter colour
• Can darken pine to look like oak or walnut
• Even out colour variations in mixed timber
• Create contemporary grey, white, or coloured finishes
• Test stain on inconspicuous area first
• Allow drying before sealing (4-24 hours depending on product)

4. Sealing and Finishing (1-2 days plus drying):

Oil Finishes:

• Penetrate wood rather than sitting on surface
• Natural, matte appearance
• Easy to repair and maintain
• Re-oil high-traffic areas as needed
• Hardwax oils popular (Osmo, Fiddes)
• 2-3 coats applied, buffed between coats
• Room usable 24-48 hours after final coat

Lacquer/Varnish Finishes:

• Surface coating providing durable protection
• Available in matte, satin, or gloss
• Water-based (low odour, quick drying) or oil-based (more durable, slower drying)
• 3-4 thin coats better than fewer thick coats
• Light sand between coats for adhesion
• Room usable after 48-72 hours
• Full cure takes 7-14 days

Dealing with Gaps

Gaps between boards are common in period floors due to timber shrinkage and building movement:

Acceptable Gaps: Up to 3-4mm add character, show floor's age and authenticity. Many owners prefer keeping small gaps.

Filling Options:

• Wood Slivers: Cut thin strips of matching timber, glue into gaps. Most authentic appearance, labour-intensive
• Specialist Gap Fillers: Resin-based fillers mixed with sanding dust to match colour. Good for gaps up to 5mm
• Dark Filler: Deliberate contrast using dark filler creates feature
• Flexible Fillers: Allow for seasonal movement

Very large gaps (>5mm) may indicate structural issues requiring investigation.

Parquet Restoration

Parquet requires specialist approach:

• Individual loose blocks must be re-glued before sanding
• Missing blocks replaced with matching salvage parquet
• Careful sanding to avoid damageing pattern edges
• Often more fragile than board floors
• Restoration costs 30-50% more than standard boards
• Results spectacular—worth the investment

Dealing with Paint and Adhesives

Floors sometimes covered with paint or adhesive from old vinyl/carpet:

Paint:

• Heavy paint build-up requires aggressive initial sanding
• May need coarser grits (24-40) to remove
• Sanding sealer helps prevent paint bleeding through finish
• Sometimes paint too thick to sand—stripping required

Bitumen and Adhesives:

• Black bitumen used under old linoleum very difficult to remove
• Chemical strippers available but messy and time-consuming
• Sometimes easier to cover with new floor than remove completely
• Heavy sanding can remove shallow adhesive layers

Costs of Floor Restoration

Professional Sand and Seal (per room):

• Small bedroom (10-12 sq m): £350-£550
• Large bedroom (15-18 sq m): £500-£750
• Reception room (20-25 sq m): £650-£950
• Large open-plan space (40-50 sq m): £1,200-£1,800

Costs include preparation, sanding, filling, and sealing. Additional charges for:

• Staining: add £3-£5 per sq m
• Extensive repairs: £50-£150 per hour
• Removing heavy paint/adhesive: £200-£600 extra
• Parquet restoration: add 30-50% to base costs

Whole House Restoration:

• 2-bed Victorian terrace: £2,000-£3,500
• 3-bed Victorian terrace: £2,800-£4,500
• Large 4-bed house: £4,000-£6,500

Maintenance After Restoration

Proper care extends floor life:

• Regular Cleaning: Vacuum or sweep regularly, damp mop with wood floor cleaner
• Protect from Damage: Felt pads under furniture legs, avoid stiletto heels
• Control Humidity: Maintain 40-60% relative humidity to prevent gaps opening/closing
• Rugs in High-Traffic Areas: Entrance halls, dining areas benefit from rugs
• Periodic Maintenance: Oil-finished floors need re-oiling every 1-2 years in heavy-traffic areas, 3-5 years elsewhere
• Lacquered Floors: May need light re-sanding and re-coating after 8-12 years

When to Replace Rather than Restore

Sometimes replacement makes more sense:

• Floors extensively damaged by water or rot
• Multiple previous sandings left boards too thin (<15mm)
• Severe structural issues requiring joist replacement
• Heavy bitumen or paint impossible to remove economically
• Mix of patched boards in poor condition

Reclaimed floorboards matching original period style cost £40-£80 per sq m, offering authentic replacement.

Adding Value

Restored period floors add significant value:

• Beautiful floors highly desirable to buyers
• Often highlights in property listings and viewings
• Adds £3,000-£8,000+ to property values
• Return on investment typically 150-250%
• Enhances period character buyers value