Do you want to know if there are wood floors under that old carpet? It’s not necessary to remove all your flooring in order to discover this! This is a simple way to find out, before you tear up your carpet. Hardwood floors can add character, warmth and beauty to any home. They also increase the value of a house. Installing wood flooring is expensive, but homes with hidden hardwood floors are like gems.
You’re in luck! I have the perfect tip for you. We’ve found it to be very helpful in our many years of house hunting. Continue reading to learn a simple trick that can save you money and time!
Carpet over Wood Floors
Before WWII, hardwood floors were common in many homes. Wood floors were used in all types of homes, including Victorian, Colonial, Cape Cod Tudor, Craftsman and early Ranches.
In the 1950s, home owners began to prefer wall-to-wall flooring. Partly, this trend was due to the fact that carpet quality had dramatically improved in recent years. After so many years “doing with” during World War II, perhaps they wanted to feel the luxury of carpet beneath their feet.
Homeowners began to lay carpet over perfectly good hardwood floors for whatever reason. This trend lasted a few decades. In the 1980s, people began to appreciate the warmth that wood floors provided. In the 1990s and 2000s, wood flooring was in demand.
Wood floors are very desirable today. It’s also very expensive to install them, so many people want to know if they already exist.
It is a great tip for anyone house-hunting. You’ll see a lot of carpet in older homes, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
Your offer on a house could be affected by the wood floors. I would offer more if I knew that the house had hardwood floors. You may want to see what’s under that old shag rug, but you cannot tear apart every home your realtor shows.
Houses built before the 1950s are more likely than those built afterward to have carpeted wood floors. However, that does not mean that a home built in 1960 will have them. Carpet became more popular during the 1950s but it took some time for the trend to catch on.
It’s less likely that you’ll find wood floors in an older house, but it’s not impossible. This simple trick will help you find out.
Remove floor vents to solve the problem! Remove any floor vents you find by carefully pulling them up. These vents are not usually secured in any way.
You can easily remove the carpet from around the opening of the vent. If you’re lucky, you may find hardwood flooring. You may find linoleum or a layer of hardwood. You’ll want to know the truth about what lies beneath those carpets so that you can make an informed decision. Check all floor vents. Wood floors may be present in only one or two areas of a house, but not all. You shouldn’t assume that hardwood floors are everywhere just because you see them under a vent.
Do you want to know if there are wood floors under that old carpet? It’s not necessary to remove all your flooring in order to discover this! You can easily find out about your carpet before you rip it up.
If you’re lucky, you may find hardwood flooring. You may find linoleum or a layer of hardwood. You’ll want to know the truth about what lies beneath those carpets so that you can make an informed decision.
Check all floor vents. Wood floors may be present in only one or two areas of a house, but not all. You shouldn’t assume that hardwood floors are everywhere just because you see them under a vent.
Look up in the basement if there is no floor vent. You will likely see subflooring but there may be hardwood flooring around pipes and vents.
When looking for wood, be careful. It may appear that the wood treads are all wood with a runner running up the middle, but it may be plywood underneath the runner and beautiful wood around the edges. This is done by some homes to give the appearance of wood stairs.
Once again, you can tuck in your fingers to check if the wood is still visible underneath the runner.
If you are the owner of your home, and these methods do not work for you, you can find a discrete area and lift a few inches from under baseboard. Once you are done, use a butter-knife to tuck back the carpet under the baseboard.
Refinishing wood floors
Just because there are wood floors in a house doesn’t necessarily mean that they are in perfect condition. Some wood floors may have scratches or stains.
Wood floors can be sanded and refinished so they look brand new. You may be able fix the floor if it has imperfections or if you want to change its color.
Consult a professional if you are concerned about damaged areas. The professionals can also replace broken or missing boards and stain new areas in the same color as the old. It’s amazing!
