Original hardwood subfloor ?


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Old 06-30-17, 06:13 AM
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Original hardwood subfloor ?

Hello! I found what I believe to be oak hardwood under the plywood. I've attached some photos... including the basement view. My question is, it appears to have been the only floor originally used (no sub-floor) Do you think ripping up the plywood and trying to refinish these original floors would be a good idea? Stability? Also there is what I think is a HUGE gap between the walls and that original sub-floor. You can see the felt/oil paper laid over the original and under the plywood. Opinions? Suggestions?? I am working on this for my son and his family who will be finishing up in the military ... They are currently overseas and will be back in 6 months... need to be conservative financially and I don't want to pull up plywood and make an expensive mess for them. They are thrilled with the thought of hardwood floors.
 
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Old 06-30-17, 06:44 AM
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I'm not so sure that you are looking at the original floor. At one time, planks were used as a sub floor. Sometimes they were tongue & groove.
 
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Old 06-30-17, 06:56 AM
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The reason I thought it was the original floor is because it appears it had been stained and varnished?
 
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Old 06-30-17, 07:05 AM
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Hard to really tell the original intended purpose of the flooring. I think just a subfloor as it could only be nailed at every joist. Random length hardwood flooring is usually nailed more frequently than every 16 inches. If flooring, it would be two layers thick. I'm also not convinced that the wood you are looking at from below is oak, more likely a t&g clear pine.
 
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Old 06-30-17, 07:13 AM
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Whatever it is, I wouldn't use it as a finished floor.
 
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Old 06-30-17, 07:15 AM
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okay... pardon my ignorance on all of this. Just trying to make a wise choice.

So perhaps there is a chance it is two layered? The home was originally built in the early 1900s. This room is the original part of the house. In your opinion "could" we sand what we uncovered and use it for the main flooring? Do you think the plywood was added as under-layment for the ugly carpeting lol... or for stability?
 
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Old 06-30-17, 07:21 AM
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]In your opinion "could" we sand what we uncovered and use it for the main flooring?
You could but I wouldn't. Whatever you do with it, shoot some more screws in it. Make sure that it doesn't squeak when you walk.

Do you think the plywood was added as under-layment for the ugly carpeting lol... or for stability?
Yes, for the carpet.
 
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Old 06-30-17, 07:50 AM
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Okay... thank you so much
 
 

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