A Victorian semi-detached house in Dulwich with original pine boards under carpet in all three ground-floor reception rooms — since sanded and restored to full use. The client had assumed the boards were beyond saving — they had been covered for at least twenty years. The reality was very different.
On lifting the carpet and underlay, the boards were found to be largely intact: slow-grown Baltic pine, 140mm wide, with natural gaps that had settled and stabilised over a century. There were areas of staining, a small number of damaged boards requiring replacement, and surface grime accumulated over decades. Nothing that restoration could not address.
Fourteen boards were replaced with matching pine sourced to complement the originals. The floor was then sanded in three passes using dustless sanding equipment — coarse, medium, fine — to bring back clean, fresh wood across all three rooms. The client chose a natural oil finish that would allow the character of the aged pine to remain visible rather than neutralising it with a stain.
The floor looks as it might have looked when the house was built — warm, slightly uneven, full of the natural variation that slow-grown pine carries. The natural oil means it can be spot-repaired and re-oiled without a full sand-down. The client saved considerably over the cost of a new floor and ended up with something that genuinely cannot be bought.
We review each Dulwich enquiry ourselves and come back within a working day. We keep it personal.
Our Process
We began this Dulwich project the way we begin all of them — a home visit to check the subfloor and measure the space. We brought candidates to compare.
Boards were delivered to Dulwich and acclimatised in place before a single one was fixed. This step is non-negotiable.
Every part of the Dulwich install was ours: preparation, laying and finishing. One team throughout.
Why Clients Choose LIGNORA
Own team only
No part of our work is subcontracted; whoever quotes your Dulwich floor fits it. That is the whole point.
Acclimatisation without exception
We acclimatise each Dulwich floor on site first, because that is what protects it over time. It is built into every schedule.
Seasonal installation warranty
The Dulwich floor is covered by a seasonal warranty across its first year of temperature change. Support doesn't stop at handover.