Setting Free the Wood Floors

Sometimes a burst of energy and some spare time can be a dangerous thing.

Take the first-floor hallway floor, which I had set upon with hammer and crowbar in order to liberate the wood floor underneath — as I did in the living room. A simple task to define, yet far more challenging in its execution.

First, there was a hideous green faux marble ceramic tile that was shaking loose due to shoddy installation. Under that, there was 3/4-inch plywood both screwed and nailed down. That was followed by the same blue-green linoleum tile inflicted throughout the house.

White linoleum was next. Checkerboard roll linoleum after that. A thin piece of plywood and then what was probably the original 1901 flooring with a paper backing.

Finally, relatively intact hardwood floors.

Although I had yet to scrape all the remaining paper backing off the wood, I was already planning what I would do next. I turned to Apartment Therapy for suggestions on how to proceed and received some great tips, although the most important one (for next time) was probably the advice to do all the floors throughout the house at once: More work up front, but more consistent results throughout.

I'll definitely keep that in mind for next time.