Dear Rob:
I have a 100-year-old farmhouse that needs a new kitchen floor. The house is rarely occupied, so the HVAC does not usually run, allowing for moisture and temperature variations. The original tongue and groove pine is still there and in solid form, but even when new, it was not high quality, so refinishing it is not a good option. I will put down cement board over the tongue and groove to provide an even surface. Can I use laminate or hardwood in this application, or am I stuck with linoleum or tile?
-Doug, Georgia
Dear Doug:
You have some options here. I have found very few floors that were not able to be sanded, if they have a thick enough wear layer. If you really don’t like the appearance of your pine floors, though, and you’d like to use another type of wood flooring, the proper subfloor for that application would be two layers of 3/8 inch CDX grade plywood, installed perpendicular to each other with glue and screws. I wouldn’t choose cement board unless you plan on installing ceramic tile.
The bigger concern I have is the fact that you do not have HVAC running consistently.
Wood can acclimate to almost any temperature or humidity condition. However, wide changes after installation can cause problems. These may include gapping, cupping, and permanent floor damage.
Unless you plan to maintain stable conditions in the home, I would choose another flooring option. Tile or linoleum may perform better because they resist changes in temperature and humidity.
Best of luck with your renovations,
Rob
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