cbcotton

I am in the process of purchasing an old home (1910) in Church Hill that has been extensively rehabbed to include the original pine floors. During the inspection, it was noted that there were gaps between some of the boards in the main room on the first floor. When the inspector ran his flash light through these gaps, he noted that there was no sub-floor. Is this normal? And how can I go about fixing this problem aside from ripping up the floor of course?

I was told I could put hard insulation between the joyces. Has anyone done this? If so, what should I look out for and what are the potential costs?

I was also told I could have the gaps fixed and the floors then refinished. Does anyone have a ball park figure on how much this might cost?

Does anyone know of a reputable contractor who does floor work? (I also would like to fix some "repairs" that were made on the floors in the MBr that aren't aesthetically pleasing)

glennjanie

Yes, it is common for older homes to have 3/4" pine floors and no subfloor. To repair it, you could put another floor over it; thin prefinished wood, laminate, or a full hardwood floor. Any of those fixes would run somewhere around $8 to $12 per square foot. Do the quaint little cracks look any better now?
Glenn

Mary Jo

We worked with hard insulation and found it was best to use a jig saw. Once that's on, you can combine glue and sawdust to form a paste to fill the gaps. Not perfect...but you can control the color better than buying the cans. Personally, if you want the antique look, accept it and buy a lovely area rug. If not, like glannjanie suggested, overlay it.

glennjanie

You could contact the Home Builder's Association and ask about a Certified Remodeler in the area.
Glenn