Polishing a hardwood floor form the 50's

My wife and I have bought a new house and we are really excited about the upgrade options and the opportunity to do it our selves! We are not scared of getting our hands dirty and the possibility of making this house ours is exciting!

I have done all my research, in Idaho the homeowner can act as their own contractor and my homeowner's insurance does not increase/decrease rates or coverage if I install stuff or if a contractor installs it, in fact they dont even require an inspection on stuff, you would think they would...Anyway there is a whole slew of projects that I am wanting to get done

Anyway, one of the first things we did getting into the house was pulling up the carpet. We knew there was hardwood under the carpet but we did not know the condition of it, we were pleasantly surprised



The flooring is in excellent condition. There is zero creaking as you walk on the floor, there is no gouges or heavy scratches. There are a few patches of flooring, in high traffic areas, that is a little flat looking as far as luster goes. The previous homeowners bought the house in 1958, the house was built in 1956 and was lived in by the contractor who built the home, needless to say, this home as been very well taken care of.

In regards to the floor, we want to polish it and bring the shine back. I really do not think it needs a re-finish, there is nothing on that is damaged. Is there a way to just apply a ploy to it? In the auto industry there is something called a "clay and spray", basically it is buffing the car finish with a fine clay, and the respraying a clear coat over it. As long as the paint itself is relatively damage free the technique works great, I cant help but wonder if the same principle can be applied here?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

A.

 

I'd lightly sand the floor and apply 1-2 coats of poly. That would give you a more durable finish as most of the old floor finishes were lacquer. Wax would be another option.