100 year old painted porch floor advice?

2 years ago

We have an almost finished reno of a lakeshore cottage with a surprisingly sound wood floor on a long covered porch that has more than several layers of paint. It needs more than hand cleaning (that’s been attempted multiple times) — years without storms or protection. We are considering a power wash first with consumer-grade power washer. What do you think?
The very dark brown shingle stain could use a lightened floor (over the gray) — a warm white or light tan (south facing, cream trim, light blue screen/storm door). Finding a pro in the aftermath of covid is impossible.

1.Sand? to bare wood or just to feather the edges should paint come off in spots?
2.Strip the paint? At this point, the only bare wood seems to be from wear and there’s very very little actual exposed wood.

Featured Answer

N Johnson
Original Author

2 years ago

Finished floor

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (22)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
Strip and sand the whole floor that gives you a nice smooth new surface to work with.. You have no idea how many coats of paint are there and what they were so IMO start with a blank slate.
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
That’s a good point. I was wondering if acrylic could cover oil or latex. The floor man should have but wouldn’t do it — said it would gum up his pads. That’s why I was thinking of the power wash first.
Related Discussions
stripping 2 layers of paint from 100 year old house
Q
Comments (1)
Most likely a false wood grain paint kit was used. First coat was maybe a tan then used a stiff brush and brushed on a darker color to make streaks. I forgot what was used over this, however, most likely it was a clear varnish. Been too many years since I used a wood grain kit. I believe regular paint stripper will work to remove the wood grain paint. Try it in a small area. Check with Home Depot or other and see if they still sell the wood grain kits, a good way to find out exactly what might be on the boards.
...See More
100+ year old floors - should we polyurethane?
Q
Comments (7)
Those boards were probably never meant to be exposed as floorboards, but would likely have had a linoleum or rugs or oilcloth for low maintenance. There's no reason not to have them as finished floor now, however, if you can live with the dust-attracting gaps! If they're pine, it's quite hard to get a paint to wear well, because even old pine is a bit soft and scuffs easily. I think if I were you I would finish them with Rubio Monocoat, which now comes in a variety of stains, which you might find wears better than a paint. It's lovely stuff to work with, absolutely no VOCs, and you only need one coat, so although it's expensive there's no waste, you won't be choking and crying on toxic fumes, and you'll be done in a day. Takes a few days to cure completely. I already shared this link once this evening, lol: http://www.monocoat.us/2C-Oil/ They're a lovely company to work with. Lots of informative videos on Youtube, and you can talk to them on the phone as well.
...See More
BM Paper White VS Dove white with natural, 100+ year old floors
Q
Comments (2)
You need a warm color with those beautiful floors. BM White Dove as it is warm and Paper White is cool. I wouldn't use a gray with the floors. Pale Oak could work as well.
...See More
Paint and Flooring Advice Needed for a 17 year old home..
Q
Comments (11)
It's a very dark wall color. Last thing you need a dark charcoal tile color too. I don't understand why you would want to tear out perfectly good slate tile (if you like the darker colors) and replace it with something just as dark! something better would be a 24x24 porcelain in a warmer griege color. Tilebar, Lines Greige matte tile. Cavatina Corda so, no more carpet? everything is tile or just in the kitchen? or what about wood flooring throughout? Are you keeping those cabinets as is? You don't want to think about lightening up that space by repainting those walls? (You say you want a diff wall color, but your other comment says repainted is not an option??) The island? The rest of the cabinets? what about some hardware? new lighting? I had an almost identical kitchen. Like yours, I didn't get a ton of light (that window is a covered front entry) So, I refaced my cabinets, painted, new countertops, window, appliances, tile splash, pendants, vent hood, and I did french oak engineered floors throughout the home. It makes quite a diff in overall lighting, doesn't it? that kitchen was so dark. YOu need to make sure your kitchen bulbs are in the 4000K region. if they're belowe 3500K, things are going to look yellow. It seems like you're tyring to rush threw this? Flooring is a very important decor option in a house because of the expense, you're stuck with it for a long time!! Make sure all of your other design elements work w/this flooring. What about the rest of the house? Sorry, but that dark wall color, limited lighting, the darker furniture and these charcoal tiles, it's going to be a huge light suck! Right now the slate works w/every single element you have. (You need a larger chandelier here) It works w/your color, the furniture. what you could do is bring in some wood flooring. If you want to take it all up, then replace it with a lighter oak flooring
...See More
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
380 sf = 33.5L x 12W
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
Found a young man who just started his own company — great job!
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
Finished floor!
cat_ky
2 years ago
That is beautiful. I hope you dont plan on painting it.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
Looks awesome please leave it natural.and paint the ceiling a pale blue.
ptreckel
2 years ago
WOW!!!! Thanks for sharing this! Don’t paint it. Preserve it. And, as Patrica Colwell Consulting advises, above…paint the ceiling pale blue!
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
Yes, you’re seeing the end product. I live in Kentucky so I understand haint blue and have used it on a covered porch down there. This is a 108 year old historic family cottage amongst 12 other family cottages on a lake in NW Michigan with a channel to Lake Michigan. The ceiling has been that color for a very long time and as my 100-year-old mother-in-law says, “Why would you change that?”. I haven’t found a suitable answer for that question related to a number of choices during this long renovation and it’s actually made for some much more clever design choices both interior and exterior!
ptreckel
2 years ago
Totally get your desire to keep the pristine ceiling! You are a wonderful caretaker of this property. Would love to see what else you have done to your lake home. Bravo!
Anna (6B/7A in MD)
2 years ago
More pictures, please!
kimjapinga
2 years ago
That flooring is so beautiful. Congratulations on a terrific job. There is no better satisfaction than a job well done.
kculbers
2 years ago
Lovely work ❣️
Barbara C zone 5b near KC - Eco Region 47f
2 years ago
Found a young man who just started his own company — great job!

You struck paydirt! That is a beautiful job!
suezbell
2 years ago
Looks great.

Do keep the young man's phone number -- and find out what different kinds of wood working tasks he does.

If his business has a web page with an opportunity for you to post a pic and positive opinion, consider doing that. .
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
Still moving back in. The furniture is mostly old family pieces with history.
thinkdesignlive
2 years ago
I also agree that a very light pale blue ceiling would make a lot of sense after seeing your furnishings.
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
This is a historic Craftsman cottage built by my husband’s great-grandfather; their house in town is a historic landmark and was designed by a famous Chicago architect. It is a true, stick-built Craftsman with in-swing casement windows (preferred by Stickley) which was in nearly its original state when we got it in 2012. [You can see the addition (2nd bathroom and laundry room) as board & batten with double-hung windows.] We had to find a way to live in it (heat, light, space, etc.) while respecting the history we are trustee of. Craftsman cottages focus on melding with the landscape. This dark shingle in the woods surrounding is nearly the same as Stickley’s Craftsman Farm. The dark porch ceiling is period coloration and I felt comfortable exposing the floor’s wood and leaving it natural as keeping the Craftsman motif. If this were a new build imitating Craftsman or a cottage style, you might be able to get away with a light blue ceiling, but on a historic property it feels off. Haint blue is really a Southern tradition (our primary home is in Kentucky) and not as common up north. The furnishings are antiques and the aqua pillows and cushions need some updating post-reno. The table is my old kitchen table topped with chalkboard paint to keep the wee ones and their parents busy before dinner while watching the waves.. And besides, my 100 year-old artist mother-in-law likes it very much the way it is! (absolutely no arguing with that. . . or her)
User
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
so pretty! I'm glad you sanded it rather than painting.
nester44
2 years ago
Nancy - Kudos to you for respecting the historic design of the house while making it habitable for modern living. There seem to be too few people with that sensibility for history. The porch room looks wonderful (no blue ceiling!). I'm glad you are listening to your dear mother-in-law and hope she can enjoy the house with you for many more years.
N Johnson
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you! Great minds . . . and all that!😉

100 year old painted porch floor advice?

N Johnson
Original Author

Comments (22)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

N Johnson
Original Author

Related Discussions

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

cat_ky

Patricia Colwell Consulting

ptreckel

N Johnson
Original Author

ptreckel

Anna (6B/7A in MD)

kimjapinga

kculbers

Barbara C zone 5b near KC - Eco Region 47f

suezbell

N Johnson
Original Author

thinkdesignlive

N Johnson
Original Author

User

nester44

N Johnson
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

100 year old painted porch floor advice?

N JohnsonOriginal Author

Comments (22)

N JohnsonOriginal Author

Related Discussions

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

N JohnsonOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author

N Johnson
Original Author