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Well trodden boards

A reclaimed floor can be both beautiful and environmentally-friendly, says Colleen Gowlett.

Article by: Colleen Gowlett
Publish date: 8th January 2009

Choosing the right flooring from the vast array that is available today is a mammoth task, but opting for a reclaimed floor is a good choice. By deciding to use a reclaimed or salvaged floor youre not only helping the environment and not adding to the millions of tonnes of wood which is sent to landfill each year, but you get quality. A typical mass produced floor can be a very thin veneer, whereas older, reclaimed planks are usually much thicker. Also, new fast-growing wood doesnt give you the warmth and individuality of patina or the visual appeal of old wood. If you do choose new boards, its important to make sure theyre from a sustainable source and ideally FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) registered.

Generally speaking, the earlier the period, the wider the boards. Georgian boards are typically 8 to 11 inches wide. The Victorian period saw a surge in wooden floors, when planks were around six to seven inches. They were laid onto joists and nailed down, creating a suspended floor where the air gap helped to prevent damp.

Edwardian floor boards were narrower, around four to five inches. They were butted up against each other or tongue and grooved.

They were made from pine or deal and waxed, varnished or stained to look like hardwood. Bedroom wooden floors would have been woodblock or painted boards with a rug in the centre. Woodblock flooring was popular between the Edwardian and 1930s periods. It consists of small blocks of hardwood glued down onto a sub-floor providing a hard-wearing surface to cope with daily life.

At the moment, woodblock flooring is making a slight comeback with the boom in vintage and retro design, but it still remains the least popular flooring. Woodblock is cheap, but extremely time consuming to fit, says Nick Newman from Lasscos. However, when it is laid it can be impressive, particularly the herringbone pattern which gives a decorative geometrical appearance.

Bob Lovell of Antiques Oak Flooring in London adds: Most Victorian terraced properties, particularly in London, would have been floored in pine. It was available in abundance at the docks, having arrived as ballast in the hulls of Baltic traders. Grander houses would have used oak, mahogany and teak. The expansion of London in the 1930s saw the use of more varieties and species of timber, as the British Empire cargo ships landed teak, mahogany, iroko and eucalyptus from Western Australia and exotics such as panga panga from eastern Africa.

When choosing a floor, bear in mind the character of your property, your budget and the amount of traffic that will pass through the room, as this will dictate the type of flooring you require. Floors in vogue have changed dramatically over the centuries, but one that has remained popular is pitch pine flooring. So-called because the pitch of the pine changes when it is exposed to sunlight, colours range from creamy white to light brown and the wood tends also to yellow with age. Pitch pine is uniform in texture, but sometimes strongly marked with annual rings. It dries easily and doesnt shrink or swell greatly with changes in moisture content. Its natural grain and shades ensure that no two pieces are exactly alike, and its also excellent for staining. In a period home, lack of light might prove an issue and pine gives an airier, lighter feel. Although pine can be described as softwood, because trees with needles are generally categorised as such, it has the same durable and hard-wearing qualities as most hardwoods.

Having decided upon the type of flooring you want, there are a number of salvage and reclamation dealers in the UK and further afield. You can find a full directory listing of shops and warehouses at salvoweb.com or in the directory at the back of this magazine. Another incentive for using reclaimed or salvaged wood is that, if youre very lucky, you might find boards with provenance and their own story to tell. Says Nick Newman: Weve had oak parquet from the Tower of London, boards from the Home Office, Freemans Building and loads from County Hall.

The characters who once graced your floor would make an interesting story to share at any dinner party. And even the basic process of reclaiming the wood is interesting. Once the boards are brought in from the demolition site theyre prepared ready for resale, explains Bob Lovell. The edges of the boards are cleaned to enable a tight fit when being relaid and pins and nails are removed. The general rule is to take out as much metal as possible. If your dealer does not provide a fitting service, they will usually suggest a reputable fitter to use.

Wood floor finishes create lasting beauty and offer protection from wear, dirt and moisture, while giving the wood an attractive colour and sheen.

There are three basic floor finishes wax, oil and lacquer each of which has its own distinct benefits and appearances.

Wax is the oldest method and in some ways the best. Natural beeswax is the most environmentally friendly is easiest to apply, least expensive, fastest drying, easiest to repair and, with proper care, will survive forever. Wax is applied in layers and the finish is built up on the surface of the wood. Periodic buffing and rewaxing is necessary to maintain the lustre.

Oils are saturated finishes, in that theyre absorbed into the surface of the wood. Oil is generally the most common of floor finishes and comes in different sheen levels. A re-oil may be necessary if the floor starts to look a little dry.

Lacquers are water-based varnishes that are applied in coats. The finish allows reasonable ease of maintenance in that the floor, once finished, can be damp mopped in order to clean. Be aware, though, that lacquers can suffer from scratching from grit on the bottom of peoples shoes.

Lassco, 30 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, London, SW8 2LG. Tel: 0207 394 2100, or visit www.lassco.co.uk

Victorian Woodworks, Tel: 0208 534 1000 or visit www.victorianwoodworks.co.uk

The Antique Oak Flooring Company, 94 High Street, London, N8 7NT. Tel: 020 8347 8222, or visit www.antiqueoakflooring.com

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) visit www.fsc-uk.org

Salvo Llp, visit www.salvoweb.com

Colleen Gowlett, Tel: 0208 400 6222 or email: colleen@salvoweb.com