What type of floorboards are in my 1930s house and how can I make them shine like new?
Asked by Magnus Møller 
5 months ago
Last Updated: July 26, 2024
Hey there, first time posting here! I’m reaching out from a 1930s house and I’m curious about the type of floorboards we have. Any suggestions on how to lift them up and make them sparkle? Thanks in advance!
Those are carpet tack strips. You can use a thin pry bar or putty knife to remove them easily. Just make sure to be gentle with your wood floors. They are oak and in pretty good shape. You might not need to do much unless you’re aiming for perfection.
Oak.
Seems like it’s the original dark hardwood flooring. Sanding and applying polyurethane will make them gleam.
It seems to be red oak, getting them professionally refinished is worth it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised and grateful later on.
Remove all the tackless strips and consider hiring a professional to refinish your floors. A thorough sanding and refinishing will result in beautiful oak hardwood floors
There is a helpful YouTube video from a major hardware store about refinishing hardwood floors. I’ve only done a few myself, but I find a drum/belt sander to be more effective than an orbital one. The drum sander is more powerful and removes the old finish more easily without leaving swirl marks
Thank you everyone. I really appreciate it
I had red oak flooring in my 60s house. I sanded, stained, and applied poly to it. It’s not flawless but it looks really good.
Great discovery! I agree with other comments, it’s best to hire a professional floor restorer. You’ll love the outcome!
We had oak flooring in our 1941 bungalow in San Diego. The planks were thick and gorgeous. Consider hiring a professional to sand and poly your floors.
That floor could end up looking really nice. The tricky part is removing that tack strip. It’s sharp and can be difficult to pry up without leaving holes, so take your time and make sure you’re satisfied with the removal before starting the refinishing process. Best of luck!
Gave some really solid advice.
When removing the tack strips, I recommend using a cat’s claw tool to individually lift each nail instead of forcing a pry bar under it and risking damage to the floor. It can be a bit tedious, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not too difficult. Also, make sure to roll up a strip of carpet to contain the nails and prevent any injuries. And those floors should turn out great after sanding and staining.
Oh, no problem. I checked it out on the big green houses website last night. It’s clear why it’s the ideal tool for those tacks
I find it very effective for pulling out nails, it really digs into the wood to get the job done without damaging anything else
Instead of rushing, take your time using a cats paw on each nail over six months.
I managed to complete three rooms in under an hour and a half without causing any scratches on the floor.
Here’s a simple way to remove them – just use a pry bar on each nail. By the way, I shared a DIY tip for homeowners who want to avoid scratching the floor while figuring out how to remove the nails.
You might be surprised by the type of wood once more of it is uncovered. Heart pine and oak were popular choices for flooring.
I’m not sure what kind of look you’re aiming for, but there’s something special about an original distressed wood floor compared to a fully refinished shiny one. I suppose you’ll have a better idea once you remove the rest of the carpet.
Thanks , that’s a good point. I might start with a distressed look and see how it goes from there… Once you start, there’s no turning back 😅
I would carefully lift each nail. If you attempt to wedge a pry bar under the tack strip, it could damage the floor. It seems like that strip was nailed manually. Tack strips that are pre-nailed would have the nails in the middle of the wood strip rather than towards the back. This could be beneficial because pre-nailed strips come with ring shank nails. However, those might be regular nails instead. It looks like the flooring is made of oak.
Thanks . Yesterday, I did two by going under the strip and ended up damaging the floor, so this is really helpful.
Back when my dad was putting in wall-to-wall carpet, the tackless strip was just coming out. He had to clarify to customers that it had ‘less tacks’, not ‘no tacks’