Many of the older homes in New York have pine floors, so many of my customers ask whether it's possible to sand and refinish pine floors.
The answer is USUALLY yes.
Types of pine flooring:
The most common types of pine flooring found in New York homes are Douglas fir and Southern Yellow Pine. Other types include heart pine and eastern white pine. It's fairly common to find pine in homes built before 1920 and/or on the steps or upper floors of older homes.
Other types include heart pine and eastern white pine. It's fairly common to find pine in homes built before 1920 and/or on the steps or upper floors of older homes.
Background on pine floors
Technically, pine flooring not a hardwood; it is a soft wood. The hardness varies, pending on the pine species being used. On the Janka hardness scale, Southern Yellow pine is 870, Douglas fir 660 and Eastern white pine 380, compared to red oak which is 1290. As a result pine, tends to dent and scratch a lot more easily. Among the pine species and cuts, heart pine is one of the hardest with a janka scale rating of 1225 which is close to oak's hardness.
Most pine floors have goldish and red undertones. They tend to darken more over time (compared to oak) and many have "aged" in their Westchester homes for over 100 years. Most are considered character woods with knots, and many love it because of its character and authenticity. Many of the older pine floors have wide planks and/or very long boards.
Read full article here: Can you refinish pine floors and steps?
