Pine Floor Sanding Porlock Project Brief
This pine floor sanding Porlock project took place in a historic cottage where the original pine floors and staircase were in desperate need of restoration. Covering two bedrooms, a hallway, and a staircase, these floors had likely never been sanded or refinished before, accumulating over a century of dirt, wear, and grime.
The goal was to fill the gaps, sand the floors smooth, and finish them with a natural hard wax oil, enhancing their durability while preserving their character. The project also included painstaking staircase restoration, requiring specialised techniques due to the delicate nature of the old wood.
Pine Floor Sanding Porlock Client Expectations
Our client’s objectives for the restoration:
- Preserve the cottage’s historic charm while refreshing the floors.
- Ensure durability and protection with a high-quality finish.
- Minimise drafts by properly filling the gaps between the pine boards.
- Restore the staircase to match the rejuvenated floors while keeping its original character.
- Complete the project efficiently with minimal disruption.
Given the age of the floors, our client understood that perfection wasn’t the goal—rather, the aim was to restore them while maintaining their unique character.
Pine Floor Sanding Porlock Process
Sanding and Gap Filling
The restoration began with an initial 40-grit sanding pass to remove decades of dirt and worn finishes while levelling the uneven pine boards. After achieving a more uniform surface, all gaps were filled using pine fillets, ensuring the floor was draft-free and visually seamless.
Since this was an extensive sanding job, completing the initial levelling and filling by the end of the first day was a major milestone.
Resin and Sawdust Filling & Staircase Preparation
On the second day, a full resin and sawdust mix was applied across all areas, further filling in any small imperfections and reinforcing the structure of the floor.
While waiting for the filler to dry, attention turned to the staircase restoration. Due to the intricate details and limited access for large sanding machines, a manual approach was necessary.
- Scrapers and paint stripper were used to remove the old finish, ensuring that the palm sander wouldn’t clog up with residue.
- Any nails or staples were carefully removed to prevent damage to the sander.
- The first sanding pass on the stairs was done with a 40-grit palm sander connected to a dust control system (DCS) to reduce mess.
After preparing the stairs, the focus shifted back to the main flooring areas, where an 80 and 120-grit sanding pass was completed, smoothing out the surface in preparation for finishing.
Final Sanding and First Coat of Oil
By the end of the second day, all edges were sanded up to 120 grit, leaving the final flexi sanding and finishing for the next day.
On the third day, before tackling the stairs further, the first coat of hard wax oil was applied to the bedrooms, hallway, and landing. Given that staircase restoration can be time-consuming, this allowed the floors to dry while work continued downstairs.
The staircase sanding process continued with careful attention to detail:
- Methodical sanding with 40-grit, followed by 80-grit to smooth out the treads and faces.
- Extra care was taken around intricate details, ensuring the original charm of the stairs was retained.
Pine Floor Sanding Porlock Final Result
On the fourth and final day, the top coat of hard wax oil was applied to the floors, enhancing the natural beauty of the aged pine while providing a durable protective layer.
The staircase received its final coat, and wax pens were used to blend in imperfections, ensuring a seamless, character-rich finish. The result was a fully restored floor and staircase that honoured the cottage’s history while providing modern durability.
While old timber will never look brand new, it now looked beautifully restored with a rich patina and timeless appeal.
Pine Floor Sanding Porlock Summary
This pine floor sanding Porlock project highlights the importance of expert craftsmanship when restoring historic pine floors. By filling gaps, leveling the boards, and carefully sanding the staircase by hand, we were able to retain the original character of the cottage while improving the floor’s functionality and aesthetics.
- Gap filling ensured a draft-free and cohesive look.
- Specialised sanding techniques preserved the aged wood’s charm.
- A high-quality hard wax oil finish provided protection and durability.
- The staircase restoration was completed with attention to fine details, blending old and new seamlessly.
This was a challenging but rewarding project, showcasing how historic flooring can be rejuvenated while maintaining its unique appeal.
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