Brad Nelson of Chrysalis Hardwoods in Indianapolis shared these before-and-after photos. He explains: "It was a 100-year-old rift-and-quartersawn 5⁄16-inch top-nailed white oak floor. Apparently a previous homeowner rented a belt sander and didn't realize you're supposed to raise the drum (it's pretty hilarious to imagine someone pushing a belt around like a vacuum cleaner). I warned the homeowners that it was risky since there wouldn't be much left of the floor after getting it flat. They said, "It's OK if you leave the ‘texture,' just change the color." After informing them that wasn't possible, they agreed to let us have a chance at salvaging it. We replaced quite a few boards that were almost entirely sanded through. We were all surprised at the finished product. It's definitely the last time this floor will see a sander, but we were glad we could bring it back from the brink."
