Carpet directly laid on top of plywood/plank subfloor

[Disney Doll]

A wall-to-wall carpet should have padding underneath. If it isn't padded, the carpet will wear more quickly. Of course, if you don't really like the carpet, you might not care that it will wear out more quickly...it'll last long enough for you to get on your feet after the inital outlay of $$ when you buy a house, & then you can do something different with the flooring in a year or two.

My house was built in 1945, and was wall-to-wall carpeted with a "beautiful" avocado green rug. When we pulled the rug up, there was beautiful hardwood underneath, that just needed some sanding and refinishing. The hardwood looks like planks, about 2" wide. If what you have is hardwood rather than sub-flooring (which is usually more like plywood) then you might want to consider refinishing it...it could turn out to be beautiful!!!!!!

 

[mudnuri]

My house was built in 1945, and was wall-to-wall carpeted with a "beautiful" avocado green rug. When we pulled the rug up, there was beautiful hardwood underneath, that just needed some sanding and refinishing. The hardwood looks like planks, about 2" wide. If what you have is hardwood rather than sub-flooring (which is usually more like plywood) then you might want to consider refinishing it...it could turn out to be beautiful!!!!!!

This is what Disney Doll is talking about.

This house was built way back in the days of the old papermills. (late 1800's) The floors are original to the house, and all 3 apartments have them. They're not in the greatest shape, though you cant tell from looking at them. They had 5 coats of poly applied to them in April. They were not fully sanded down prior, which left some dirt trapped under the poly. And they have "gaps" between them in some places, biggest one I think is about 1/8th of an inch. These pictures are of my dining room, which has different sized boards. The kitchen is the only room with "uniform" sizes. The rest of my apartment has these multi width.

My X's house has pine floors- soft wood, you are limited how many times you can refinish them, they wont outlast the house thats for sure. And being 40 years old, they look 10x worse than these, just because they're not a hard wood

Brandy

 

[DebºoºS]

Thanks for your help --- we pulled up carpet in the dining room of our 120+ year old house, hoping for the best. But found the worst. One area has been patched, other parts pretty water stained. It was very sad

We restored an 18th century house with floors like that. Individual boards can be replaced and gaps filled in. If you really don't want it sell it. So many restorers are looking for old wood. Then you'll have money to put down something new.

 

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

We restored an 18th century house with floors like that. Individual boards can be replaced and gaps filled in. If you really don't want it sell it. So many restorers are looking for old wood. Then you'll have money to put down something new.

That is an excellent idea - thank you.

I will talk with my husband about filling in the gaps and things with salvaged wood. We have a place not too far from us. We love going there, I don't know why I never thought about the flooring before

Thanks again.