what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

we ripped up the carpet today and there are a lot of dark spots. i am calling tomorrow for refinishing quotes. did anyone have bad looking floors and if so how did they come out?

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

Unfortunately we found crappy floors and put down laminate b/c we didn't have $$ for hardwood. Very unfortunate b/c DH used to do wood floors and I could've had them done for just the cost of the materials.

He used to work for Hodne & Sons - 516-735-4883 - ask for Steve. He is very honest and does a great job.

Good luck.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

what makes the floors "unfinishable"?

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

The dark spots are most likely urine stains or old water stains and that penetrates the wood and you can't get it out.

When we purchased our first house we were so excited because after the closing we ran over to the house and pulled up a large corner and found gorgeous flooring. We go back to take the rest up and the floor was a mess. There was more damaged wood boards then good ones just from the owner keeping her plants on the floor and from the cat urine. It was such a shame, but we ripped it up, tightened up all the sub flooring so we didn't have any squeaking and laid beautiful brazilian cherry floors.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

dark spots is prob pet urine which RUINS the floor - you can't sand that out unfortunately

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

we had hardwood floors with LOTS of dog urine dark stains. Each and every one came out and the floors look gorgeous finished.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

At our old house, I learned that the previous owner's dog was incontinent...and they didn't do a good job cleaning up after him! We ended up having to replace the hardwoods on the whole first floor because they were wrecked!

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

When we ripped up the carpets in the bedrooms, the amount of BLACK spots from cat urine were HORRENDOUS!!! I literally almost cried bc I was so afraid that they would never come out. Well... we had the floors finished and I can't even tell where the spots were!! The sanders that they use work magic!

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

goobster and maria31 can you share with me who you each used?? hopefully they can use their magic on my floors!!

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

We pulled out the carpet in the one room that didn't have the nice shiney hardwood flors that were in the rest of our house. There were MANY dark stains, AND reeeally deeep holes. We rent so we did it ourselves.... so we only rented the machine and put new poly down. Turned out OK looking....but it's darker colored then the rest of the house, so we got a HUGE throw rug... and before we move out we'll def be putting new wall to wall back on. LOL

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

We were very lucky - this was the only "good" discovery when we finally closed on our house. We ripped up the carpets to find floors that while not 100% perfect were in really, really great condition. We think they were covered (with the lovely green shag carpet) as soon as they were put down. Eventually we will refinish them and stain them a darker color, but they are great for now.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

Under one carpet we tore out, we found.... another carpet! Glued to the hardwood floor.

We refinished the hardwood floors and they came out beautifully! They look brand new.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

we found 3 layers of tile

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

oak floors with wax covering it (dark wax) a few boards that were up and a few rotted.

Nothing that the floor guy couldn't sand out.

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

We found pretty good wood floors. They needed to be sanded and refinished obviously, but not so bad.

As for dark spots, they cannot be sanded out. Previous posters are right- it's usually pet urine. However, some companies might be able to rip out the stained section and repair it that way. DH works for Nolan & Treanor Flooring! Check 'em out!

Re: what did you find when you ripped up your carpet?

We are getting our hardwood done right now and there are some dark wet spots that our guys said would be no problem getting out. I will have to see how it comes out!