Common London timber floor types and locations
Original solid timber floors are the most common floor surface in London Victorian, Edwardian, and pre-WW2 houses. Types and characteristics. (1) Pitch pine (most common Victorian London) — golden honey colour; characteristic resinous grain; 100–150mm wide boards × 22mm thick. Wears well; develops characterful patina. (2) Yellow pine / deal — paler colour; less resinous; cheaper Victorian alternative; 100–150mm × 22mm. Less durable than pitch pine. (3) Oak (Edwardian and Arts and Crafts era) — pale honey to mid-brown; stronger grain than pine; 75–150mm × 22mm; more expensive than pine. (4) Reclaimed parquet over original boards (mid-late Victorian central London) — see [[parquet-floor-restoration-cost-london]]. (5) Engineered timber (post-1960s only) — multi-ply construction with hardwood top layer. London floor locations: hallway (typically pitch pine, wider boards), reception rooms (typically pitch pine), bedrooms (often yellow pine or deal), kitchens (often pine but historically covered with linoleum or tile). Surveyed condition typical of unrestored London floors: layers of stain, paint, varnish, linoleum or carpet adhesive; gaps between boards from shrinkage over century-plus; localised damage from rising damp, woodworm, structural movement.
Sand and restore process and London cost
London 2026 process and pricing. Process. (1) Site preparation — furniture removal; protect doorways with sheeting; remove skirting boards if very poor condition (£12–£28 per linear m install if replaced) or protect in situ; lift floor coverings (carpet, linoleum, vinyl). (2) Board assessment — identify damaged boards for replacement; check for woodworm (Anobium punctatum exit holes); identify structural issues (sagging, bouncy floors, joist damage). (3) Primary sand — Bona Belt or Lägler Hummel drum sander with 24/40-grit paper; aggressive removal of existing finish and surface damage. (4) Edge sand — Bona Edge or Lägler Flip Trio sanded along edges and into corners. (5) Secondary sand — 60-grit paper; smoother base for finish. (6) Tertiary sand — 100/120-grit paper; final preparation for finish. (7) Fill gaps — gap filler (mixed timber dust + resin filler, or proprietary timber-coloured gap filler — Bona Mix and Fill, Junckers Pre-Filler) applied to all gaps and nail holes. (8) Vacuum — dust extraction during and after sanding. (9) Apply finish — oil, hardwax oil, or lacquer. Cost. Sand and finish only (sound floor): £25–£55/m². Sand + damaged board replacement: £55–£120/m² depending on board replacement quantity (typical 10–25% of boards). Sand + structural sub-floor repair (joist replacement, fire-stopping, draught proofing): £85–£180/m². Gap filling: included in standard sand and finish for typical Victorian floor.
Damaged board replacement and reclaimed timber sourcing
Localised damage (5–25% of boards) is common in London period floors. Sources of damaged boards. (1) Rising damp — damp from substrate or external wall has rotted boards; localised around external wall and bay window. (2) Past kitchen/bathroom water damage — old leak has rotted boards in localised areas. (3) Joist damage / sagging — joists have settled or rotted, deforming boards above. (4) Past services routing — boards lifted historically for plumbing/electrical and never properly reinstated. (5) Pest damage — woodworm (Anobium punctatum) most common London pest; check for round 1.5mm exit holes; treat with permethrin or boron treatment before sand-back. Replacement board sourcing. (a) Reclaimed period boards — matching Victorian pine or oak from architectural salvage suppliers: Lassco, Reclaimed Floors Co, Hicks Joinery; £45–£120/m² supply only. (b) Modern matching boards — modern pine or oak machined to match period width and thickness; £35–£85/m² supply. (c) Recycled boards from another floor in the same house — economical and authentic; no cost beyond labour to remove and re-cut. Builderr's typical approach: prioritise reclaimed period boards for visible areas (reception rooms, hallways); modern matching boards for less visible areas (bedrooms, behind furniture). Cost premium for reclaimed: £20–£40/m² over modern matching.
Finishes, gap filling and acoustic considerations
Finish options as for parquet (see [[parquet-floor-restoration-cost-london]]). Specific considerations for London period timber floors. (1) Oil finish (Osmo Polyx-Oil, Bona Craft Oil): preferred for period authenticity; warm appearance enhances pine and oak grain; easily refreshed every 2–4 years. £15–£28/m². (2) Hardwax oil: durability and aesthetic compromise; £18–£32/m². (3) Lacquer: maximum durability for high-traffic family homes; less period-authentic appearance; £20–£35/m². Gap filling — major consideration in London period floors. Typical Victorian London board has 2–8mm gaps between boards from a century of shrinkage. Filling options. (a) Timber dust + resin filler (Bona Mix and Fill, Junckers Pre-Filler): standard sand-and-restore approach; gaps filled with mixture of sanding dust and proprietary resin; £included in standard sand and finish; works well for gaps <5mm. (b) Pine slips or oak slips (inserted into wider gaps): bespoke joinery work; £8–£18 per linear m of gap; for gaps 5–12mm. (c) Acrylic flexible filler (DraughtEx, Junckers Strip Filler): flexible filler that allows for seasonal board movement; £5–£12 per linear m of gap. Acoustic considerations: solid timber floors in London period flats are a major source of impact noise transmission to flat below. Mitigation (during sand-and-restore): impact-absorbing underlay if boards are lifted for substrate work; not typically possible with sand-only restoration. See [[acoustic-soundproofing-cost-london-flat]] for full acoustic upgrade.
