Over the past century it is astonishing to see how building materials and flooring installation materials have changed. In this photo we see the original maple flooring and nail pulled from a bakery built in 1920 in Columbia, SC. This building has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 1987 and I was contracted to replace some flooring damaged by a flood. Operating as a bakery for decades this building was later renovated into a hotel and is currently being used as a studio apartment building.

The original flooring is 1” thick while the modern flooring is the standard ¾”. Notice the tightness of the growth rings on the older wood, these were milled from trees fell from old growth forest (not farmed). Present day lumber is farmed to grow as quickly as possible to be harvested which leads to increased sustainability and accountability for our naturally renewable resources.

The nails used in older times were square nails, known as cut nails, that were driven individually by hand. Modern pneumatic tools allow us to reduce time and labor when nailing. Contemporary nails are designed to be used with these tools for efficiency and they also have barbs on them to improve gripping strength. They are thinner which reduces the amount of material used and also is easier on wood. I often wonder what the craftsmen of years past would think of the present-day materials, techniques, and tools that are used today. I love being able to restore historic flooring to its original beauty. Wood floors truly are an heirloom feature.