Plenty of houses across Blackheath, Greenwich, Bexley and Chislehurst still have their original boards hidden under carpet. Restoring them is often cheaper than a new floor and produces something no manufactured product can imitate. It is also messy, skilled work that goes badly wrong when rushed.
Is your floor worth restoring?
Lift a corner of the existing covering and look at three things: board thickness above the tongue, the number of previous sandings, and the condition of the boards themselves. Original Victorian pine boards are usually 20–22mm thick and can take several sandings, but if a floor has already been sanded twice, the nail heads and tongue may be close to the surface.
Widespread woodworm damage, boards split along their length, or extensive patching with modern timber all reduce the case for restoration. Isolated damage is fine — individual boards can be replaced with reclaimed timber of the same period, which after sanding and finishing becomes almost invisible.
Deep black staining around old radiator pipes or beneath a former bathroom usually means water damage that goes right through. Those boards need replacing; sanding will not remove the stain.
Preparation before sanding
Every nail and tack must be punched below the surface. A single proud nail head will destroy a sanding belt instantly and can gouge the floor. On a floor previously covered with carpet gripper, this means removing hundreds of tacks around the perimeter.
Loose boards get screwed down, gaps get assessed, and any board being replaced is fitted at this stage. Gap filling is a decision point: gaps can be left as an original feature, filled with slivers of matching timber (the best-looking and most durable option), or filled with a resin-and-sawdust mix during sanding, which is cheaper but can crack as the floor moves seasonally.
In a period property, gaps also matter for draughts. Filling them properly makes a noticeable difference to how warm a ground-floor room feels in winter.
The sanding process
Sanding is done in three or more passes with progressively finer abrasives, typically starting at 24–40 grit to remove old finish and level the boards, then 60–80 grit, then finishing at 100–120 grit. Skipping grades leaves scratch marks that only become visible once the finish is applied, at which point the whole floor must be redone.
The main machine is a belt or drum sander for the field, with an edging sander for perimeters and a corner sander for the last few inches. Where those machines meet is where amateur jobs give themselves away — visible swirl marks along the edges of a room are the classic sign of rushed edging work.
Modern sanding equipment is dust-extracted and reasonably clean, but no system is dust-free. Expect to empty the room completely, seal doorways, and allow a day of settling before moving furniture back in.
Choosing a finish
Hardwax oil penetrates the timber and leaves a natural, matt look that feels like wood rather than plastic. Its great advantage is repairability: a worn patch by a doorway can be cleaned and re-oiled in an hour without touching the rest of the floor. It needs refreshing every one to three years in busy areas.
Polyurethane lacquer sits on the surface as a hard film. It is more resistant to spills and needs no annual maintenance, but when it eventually wears through in a traffic lane you cannot spot-repair it — the room needs sanding and recoating.
Colour is applied either as a stain before finishing or as a tinted oil. Bear in mind that pine takes stain unevenly and can look blotchy; a hardwax oil with a light white or grey pigment is usually a better way to lift the yellow tone of old pine than a full stain.
- Hardwax oil: natural look, spot-repairable, refresh every 1–3 years
- Lacquer: hardest wearing, zero maintenance, but not spot-repairable
- Allow 24–48 hours drying between coats and up to 7 days before rugs go down
Cost and timescale
Sanding and finishing typically costs £25–£45 per square metre depending on the condition of the floor, the number of coats and whether gaps need filling. Board replacement, extensive nail punching and heavy gap filling push it towards the upper end and beyond.
A single average room takes two to three days: one for preparation and sanding, then a day or two of coats with drying time between. The room cannot be used during this period and needs ventilation.
Compared with £55–£110 per square metre for new engineered wood, restoration is usually the better value — and it keeps the original character of a period property, which is worth something both to live with and at resale.
Want this priced for your own rooms?
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Frequently asked questions
How much does floor sanding cost?
Typically £25–£45 per m² including finishing, depending on the floor's condition, the number of coats, and whether gap filling or board replacement is needed.
How many times can a floor be sanded?
Original solid boards can usually take three or four sandings over their life. Engineered wood depends on the wear layer — 2mm allows one light sand, 4mm two or three.
Is floor sanding very dusty?
Modern dust-extracted machines capture most of it, but not all. Rooms should be emptied and doorways sealed, and fine dust will settle for a day afterwards.
Oil or lacquer — which finish is better?
Hardwax oil for a natural look and easy spot repairs; lacquer for maximum durability and no annual maintenance. In a busy family home with pets, oil's repairability usually wins.