Hello everyone!

I just purchased my first home - an 800 sq. ft, single story shotgun/cottage style home that appears to have been built in the 1940s. There are quite a few projects to be undertaken! And I'm fairly green with remodeling so I hope I can be as clear as possible.

The subfloor is the original plank tongue and groove. I thought it may be hardwood but after looking at a thread on here, it seems it may be plywood. I didn't think a house built in the 40s would have plywood floor though. Can anyone tell from the pictures?

The majority of the house is covered in that beautiful pink carpet you see in the picture! The kitchen is linoleum. I definitely want to redo the floors and have had the mindset of pulling up all the carpet and linoleum and sanding/varnishing/sealing the subfloor.

1. Is this a good idea??? Or should I just go over it with plywood and then put down wood flooring? I wouldn't think bare subfloor would insulate too well....?

2. The walls are all covered in wood paneling. Behind the majority of it is original beadboard. I am thinking of pulling out the paneling and finishing the beadboard. Has anyone ever done something like this? I have googled and cannot really find examples of a project like this. In the zoomed picture, that is beadboard showing where a window facing has been removed. From what I can tell, that covers the majority of the walls.

Thanks for any input

 

Welcome to the forums!

The wood shown under the water heater isn't plywood, it is likely that plywood was installed over the T&G for the vinyl. While you could sand and finish the T&G it is likely there will be gaps that will let air come thru. The same may be true of the beadboard walls. Do you know if the walls are insulated?

 

Thank you!

The wood under the heater is the subfloor. That's the same type of wood under the carpet in that picture. It's like that through most of the house except the kitchen, where there is vinyl over 1/2" plywood over the planks - as you supposed. I have been under the house a good bit to do duct work and while I haven't noticed any gaps in b/w planks, I have seen a few parts where wiring or piping must have been that are now simply corked. The floor seems like it could be really pretty if it was stained and poly'd. But idk how practical it is.

I redid siding on the back porch, and there was insulation on that back wall. So I would assume all exterior walls are insulated.

 

Subfloor looks to be pine, not a hardwood.

Normal for an updated flooring like linoleum to have a plywood layer put down first.

Your "bead board" looks to be wood Lath that would be common for use at that time frame. Not sure how you can finish that off as it would be rough cut basic furring strips.

You would add 5/8" plywood before installing a nail down wood floor. This is the minimum for that type of flooring and is based on nail holding power. If you used an OSB, the minimum would be 3/4".

Lots of good reading here - http://tinytimbers.com/pdf/nwfa-install-guidelines.pdf

 

I'm a little concerned with a gas water heater on a combustible wood floor.