ᐅ Renovate or Replace Old Floorboards?

Hello,

we are currently renovating a single-family house built in 1956. Originally, we planned to restore and preserve the old plank flooring on about 100 m² (ground floor and upper floor) combined, as well as on the approximately 60 m² attic (which is to be converted). The floorboards were previously covered by carpet and therefore well protected. The plan was to install wall heating behind clay plaster in the rooms with the wooden floor, and underfloor heating only in the rooms that will receive new flooring (hallway, bathroom, utility room).

Now we have some doubts: According to the contractor’s assessment, it is uncertain whether the plank flooring (currently 2 cm (0.8 inches) thick) will still be thick enough after sanding; and the question is whether, financially, we might be better off installing new flooring in the end.

We have two quotes for restoration (sanding and oil sealing): one at 70 € gross per m² (approximately 11,000 €), and another 10,000 € gross for all. Also, wall heating plus clay plaster would definitely be more expensive than underfloor heating and lime plaster on the walls. New oak planks could be purchased locally starting at about 60 € / m², which would amount to around 6,000 € for the ground and upper floors, plus installation costs. We would definitely keep the flooring in the attic.

How would you weigh these options, also considering the condition of the floorboards (see pictures)?

Thank you very much!

Hello questioner.
From the photos, it appears that the old floorboards are laid on a solid substrate and are not nailed to joists?
If that is the case, the thickness of the boards is not very relevant, as there can be no deflection under load.
And renovating the old floorboards by removing an estimated 3mm (about 1/8 inch) of material would not be very significant.
The wood boards still look to be in excellent condition in the photos.
Therefore, nothing speaks against a full surface renovation of the floorboards!
My personal recommendation for surface protection: an oil/wax mixture (not a lacquer finish).
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Best regards and good luck: KlaRa

Martin.. schrieb:

We could get new oak floorboards locally starting at around 60 € / m² (approximately $64 / sq yd), which for both the ground floor and upper floor would be about 6000 €, plus the cost of installation.

How much does the installation cost? In the end, all expenses need to be considered.

Martin.. schrieb:

How would you weigh the options?

To be honest, I would do it myself, especially if other parts of the renovation are handled by professionals who keep things running smoothly.
There’s nothing more to add about the floorboards after Klara explained it so well as an expert.
Why do it yourself? For one, because of the cost savings; and secondly, I wouldn’t want to miss out on doing some things myself. Tasks like these, where after moving in you can feel daily pride in your work, provide a lot of satisfaction and create a strong, personal connection to the house.

I would renovate the floor because it seems there is no insulation underneath.

Many thanks for your assessment!

Yes, there is a cavity beneath the floorboards; they rest on beams about 5cm (2 inches) thick, and underneath there is some kind of insulation wool. I can take some photos of it over the weekend.

Exactly, if we keep them, we would only oil them.

Here you can see the floor structure more clearly; the floorboards are nailed to battens, with some insulation underneath.

Currently, there is an idea to refurbish the ground floor (which has wall heating) and replace the floor on the upper floor (which has underfloor heating).