Can I refinish my original hardwood floors in a Kensington character home?

Absolutely — original hardwood floors in Kensington character homes are almost always excellent candidates for refinishing, and restoring them is one of the best investments you can make in these charming older properties. Many Kensington homes date from the 1910s through the 1950s, and the hardwood flooring from that era was typically solid 3/4-inch red or white oak, fir, or maple — dense, tight-grained wood that has held up remarkably well for decades and often has plenty of material left for sanding.

The first step is assessing how much wear layer remains. A 3/4-inch solid hardwood floor can typically withstand three to five full sand-and-refinish cycles over its lifetime, with each sanding removing about 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch. If your floors have only been refinished once or twice in 70-plus years, there's plenty of wood left. A professional can measure the remaining thickness above the tongue-and-groove joint to confirm. Even floors that look rough on the surface — with scratches, worn finish, and minor staining — usually sand down to beautiful clean wood underneath.

There are a few considerations specific to older Kensington homes. First, check for asbestos in any areas where the original hardwood was covered with vinyl tile. Those 9x9-inch tiles and the black mastic adhesive underneath, common in Calgary homes built before 1980, frequently contain asbestos and must be professionally tested before removal. Second, older homes often have areas where boards have been patched or replaced with slightly different species or dimensions — a skilled refinisher can blend these during sanding and staining so the patches become virtually invisible. Third, original fir flooring (common in the earliest Kensington homes) is softer than oak and requires a gentler sanding approach with finer grits to avoid gouging.

Calgary's dry winter climate and chinook-driven humidity swings are particularly relevant for these older floors. After refinishing, the wood will respond to seasonal humidity changes, and gaps between boards during winter are normal and expected in a character home — they close up again in spring. Running a whole-home humidifier at 35 to 45 percent relative humidity year-round will minimize this seasonal movement and protect your freshly refinished investment.

Budget roughly $3.50 to $5.50 per square foot for refinishing original hardwood in a character home, which accounts for the extra care needed on older, potentially uneven subfloors and the board-by-board repairs that are commonly required. The result is well worth it — restored original hardwood adds significant character and resale value to Kensington properties. Get matched with a flooring professional experienced in heritage home refinishing through the Calgary Construction Network.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Calgary Construction Network connects homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Mike’s Restoration Service
• PLATINUM Pool & Spa Services Ltd
• Home Style Supplies
• Quality count construction Ltd.
• Jk Stucco