Our East York semi has original Douglas fir floors throughout the main floor and upstairs — probably 80+ years old. They’d been covered with area rugs for decades and were in rough shape: scratches, black stains, patchy finish. We refinished the full 1,100 sq ft.
Assessment:
The flooring contractor measured the fir — 3/4-inch thick at the thinnest point above the tongue. He said we had one good sand left in them, maybe two. This was our one shot at getting them perfect.
Scope:
- Full sand with drum sander (3 passes — 36-grit, 60-grit, 80-grit)
- Edge sanding with orbital
- Black stain removal (3 spots required spot treatment with oxalic acid)
- Stain: Rubio Monocoat Pure (no pigment — we kept the natural fir colour)
- Finish: 3-coat Pallmann Infinity water-based semi-gloss
Cost:
- Labour (3 crew, 3 days): $3,900
- Materials (Rubio, Pallmann, supplies): $820
- Spot repairs (3 boards replaced in high-wear spots): $280
- Total: $5,000
Result:
The fir is remarkable under all those layers. The grain pattern on 80-year-old fir is much tighter and more interesting than new wood. Multiple people have asked if we installed new floors.
Key tip: Original fir floors in East York/Toronto semis are extremely common and hugely underappreciated. If you’re buying and the floors are covered — lift a corner of the carpet before you make any flooring decisions.