What type of wood is under my carpet in a 1930s house and what sander is recommended for refinishing it, possibly by hand?
Asked by Jasmine Walker 
3 months ago
Last Updated: September 28, 2024
I’m not a fan of carpet. When we bought our house last year, we discovered that the dining area actually has laminate wood flooring. I recently pulled up a piece of the carpet and found wood underneath. It looks like it will need to be refinished. The wood seems to be in decent condition overall, with no major issues like warping or gaps. It also seems to absorb liquids. I’m wondering if anyone knows what type of wood it is? And does anyone have recommendations for a sander to use for refinishing? Has anyone ever attempted to do it by hand? I’m pretty clueless when it comes to wood flooring, so any advice would be much appreciated, haha.
Is there forced air heating in your house? Do you notice any vent openings on the floor or spots where you can see the edges of the boards? This could be an engineered floor with a layer of genuine wood on top. Before sanding, it’s crucial to figure out the thickness of the wood veneer. The wood veneer is either maple or birch.
Long, thanks for your help. I took a picture of a section near one of the walls that seems to have some space between the wall and the floor. It looks a bit unusual. The previous owner left a box of laminate wood flooring, which seems to be similar to what we have in the living room. Is there anything simple I can do on my own to address this before hiring a professional?
Long, I really appreciate your response. I also noticed a section covered with weaker wood, which might have been an old floor vent. I can see the sides but can’t quite figure out what I’m looking at. In the basement, there is a different type of wide wood, but from the room it’s hard to determine where it starts and ends. Any additional assistance would be highly valued. 😊
This is the spot I’m referring to, . I can see the borders past the area with the different wood.
Long had to clean up a lot of dog hair after his reat Pyrenees started shedding. He was up close, looking towards the wood.
Long is another person.
‘s engineered flooring will have a cross section with a thick layer of plywood on the bottom and a real wood veneer layer on top. The thickness of the wood veneer will determine if it can be refinished. When looking up from the basement, you’ll see the subfloor underneath, not the actual flooring.
Check out this engineered flooring cross section by – it’s really interesting!
I’m no expert, but my guess is that the flooring from the 1930s is likely solid and could be southern yellow pine, which is a high-quality option. Laminate flooring didn’t become popular until much later. ‘s recommendation is a useful way to confirm this.
Thank you a ton, !
I totally agree with you – unless it was changed at a later time.
Would you feel comfortable sanding and refinishing?
The floor in this photo looks to have a presswood core with a thin wood veneer on top. Sanding it may not be the best idea as there’s a risk of sanding through the veneer. A professional might be able to buff it instead and apply a darker stain to cover up any imperfections. I’d recommend avoiding this as a DIY project, it could be tricky to get it looking right even for a pro. Hope this info helps!
Demolishing the entire bathroom may be necessary