My wife and I purchased a older home 3 months ago in northern Alberta, Canada. The house was built in 1937 and has really nice hardwood on the floors of the main level and going up the stairs. We want to do some renovations on the upper floor, mostly paint and we thought new carpets. I know that sometimes you can get lucky in old homes and find hardwood under the carpet so I took a peek to see what was there by pulling up a heating vent cover. Under the carpet and underlay is a thin plywood sub floor that looks like its nailed down to wide planks of solid tongue and groove hardwood floor right on top of the floor joists. I can't tell what kind of shape its in or if its finished but I'm thinking about getting brave and ripping up the carpet and plywood to see exactly what's there.

Is there any reason that I can't use the tongue and groove planks as flooring and finish it if it is unfinished? Assuming of course that its still in good shape. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Mike

It is most likely just a plank subfloor. There will be a million screw or nail holes from the plywood.

More than likely it can be restored.

i agree with rhodes..worht the shot..pick it up...probably Luan over pine...eve thought i was a subfloor..it the old days many times the floors were thesub and finished floor..

if its good shape..go for it....is it an attic? we've done them with great success..how wide are the planks?