1920s Wood Flooring

Same color and finish throughout as in our current house but again those details had changed over the years with refinishings.

1920s wood flooring. In the 1980 s as the price of solid wood flooring and wood in general increased rapidly. So for about 30 years 1950 1980 the wood flooring industry struggled just for survival most companies had to install carpet to stay in busines at all. By the 1930s they were pasting them to fabric mesh instead. The history of wood flooring begins in colonial america when the first floors were wide thick planks cut from the continent s abundant old growth forests.

Our previous craftsman from around 1920 had 2 1 4 quarter sawn white oak in the living and dining rooms. Ash in the same width in the kitchen and wide plank heartwood pine on the second floor. Starting in the 1920s manufacturers pasted these tiles onto 12 inch square paper backing to make them easier to lay. Because of the trees age and massive diameter the desirable heartwood was extremely tight grained making the lumber harder and more durable than the relatively immature wood of the.

Widespread popular use of shorter length thin width 3 4 thick wood strip flooring began in the u s. By the 1920 s and 30 s wooden floors came into competion with linoleum and cork floors which offered a more basic geometry and less maintenance. Modern thin width short length wood strip flooring. Our photo left shows original pine flooring in a 1920 home restored by the author in poughkeepsie ny.

In the snippet above from 1920 you can see the recommendation of shellac wax or varnish as the choice finishes to use on wood floors.