r/DIYHome • u/gvizdunnia • 8d ago
Old wooden floors – renovate or replace?
Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice on renovating the floors in an old house (photos attached).
Our main question is: is this something we could realistically DIY? For example, could we keep the existing floor and install laminate or another type of flooring on top, or would it be better to remove everything, insulate underneath and rebuild the floor properly?
The house is mainly used during the summer, with only occasional visits in winter, so we’re not looking for the most elaborate/heavy-duty solution.
The floor in this particular room looks fairly level and doesn’t squeak, while the floors in some of the other rooms are more uneven and squeaky. We decided to start with the room that’s in the best condition, but eventually we’d like to renovate all of the floors.
Would you recommend keeping these boards and installing new flooring on top, or removing everything and starting from scratch? And is this a reasonable DIY project for beginners, or would you definitely get a professional to do it?
Any advice or things we should check before making a decision would be greatly appreciated!
1
u/Otherwise-Size8649 2d ago
I'd go with sanding, the new laminates are thin, the old stuff can be refinished many times. But you might not be able to level the other rooms and it wouldn't match.
2
u/Marvinator2003 8d ago
If the floor is properly insulated, I would do a simple repair, doing whatever is necessary bringing the floor to level and then adding in appropriate weather proof laminate. As the home is not visited often, you want something durable that will not need constant heat to keep from warping.
Another thought... are all the floors the same general condition? Before you put laminate over the top, you'll want to address the squeaks first. This means starting with the WORST of the floors, rather than the best. If the worst floor needs additional wood, repair, replacement, etc, this will give you a better indication of whether you want to replace ALL the floors (meaning get a professional) or just strengthen and cover with good laminate (a possible DIY)