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How to restore original Jarrah floorboards?

Have some old lino that is need of replacing, have pulled up in places to assess what is underneath. The floor boards underneath appear in good nick and look good too, so want to try and use them instead of simply putting some vinyl wood type thing over the top.

What's the best approach for this, sand down in the first place and then some sealant, the gaps seem small but I assume this is still the best approach, and then some finish to protect them going forward, less fussed about stain I think they look nice as is.

Is this roughly the right way to go about this? Any recommendations? And advice about best products to use would be greatly appreciated.

The floorboard wood is apparently Jarrah, if that makes any difference.

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JacobZ

Hi @Joe1234,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, and thank you for your question.

Your jarrah floorboards are beautiful, and I am so glad you are planning to restore them instead of covering them.

The process to restore your floorboards will start with punching the nails below the surface of the boards using a nail punch. This is to ensure the sander can run over the floorboards without damaging the paper or the drum.

You'll then use a Floor Sander for the majority of the area, a Floor Edger against the walls and a detail sander or manual sanding for the corners. Make sure you call ahead to check the availability of the for-hire floor sanders at your local store, as they are often in high demand. Check out How To Sand Timber Floors for some guidance on the process.

Once sanded, you will have to fill the gaps between the floorboards. Traditionally, this is done by mixing the sawdust with PVA glue and spreading it over the entire floor so it fills any gaps. This method will give you the best colour match possible. You can also use Timbermate Jarrah Wood Filler if you'd like, but mixing sawdust with PVA glue is the traditional method that ensures a good colour match. Once it has dried, you'll give the floor another quick sand to remove any excess filler.

After this, you'll want to clean the floor to remove any residual sawdust. Thoroughly vacuum the floor to remove as much sawdust as possible, then follow up by mopping the floors. Once dry after mopping, give it another vacuum to ensure everything is picked up.

You'll then apply a floor finish to your newly sanded and filled floorboards. Check out the range of Wood & Timber Polish for a variety of products that can be used. Check out How To Seal Timber Floors for some guidance.

Let me know what you think, and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

kelloustone

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/49390#Comment_49390

Hey Jacob,

Love this easy to follow guide for DIY restore of jarrah flooring. I’m in the same boat however our cracks are significantly bigger. Our house was built approx 90 years ago and it is the original flooring.
Can you provide more advise regarding the filling? I’m 99% sure my floors are consistently dirty from any sand or dirt underneath.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/93016#Comment_93016

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @kelloustone. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about filling timber floor gaps.

I'd recommend you take a look at Selleys 380g Hardwood No More Gaps Timber Floors Gap Filler - Hardwood. It's a sandable and stainable filler designed for this purpose. It's available in four base colours, though you might need to stain it to suit exactly. Ideally, the floor should be sanded back to bare timber, the gaps filled, the whole floor stained, and then coated. Otherwise, the filled section will be quite obvious.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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