You might think I’m being dramatic. Me? Dramatic? Yes — and in this case, I’ll own it. The freshly refinished heart pine floors completely changed how finished the house feels. They brought warmth, texture, and a lot of personality back to rooms that felt raw for months.
For context, here’s the same kitchen right after the drywall went up a few months ago:
And here’s what the room looked like when we first bought the house last October — a rough starting point that made the transformation feel even bigger:
When we visited to see the finished floors, we tiptoed around in socks to avoid marking the new seal. I filmed a short tour during the visit with details about the gray trim choice downstairs, next steps on our list, and one silly mistake we made in the bathroom. If you’re viewing this via a feed, click through the post to watch the video embedded below.
Beyond sanding and sealing, the project required many repairs and patched-in sections to recreate a consistent, original look. We hired local pros who matched and installed reclaimed pine from another old home being demolished, so the patched areas blend in and look authentic. Here’s one of those patched sections before sanding and sealing:
One surprising discovery: pine behaves differently than oak when sanded. Discolorations from sun exposure or long-term rugs sometimes run entirely through pine, so sanding can’t always remove them. In oak you can sand away stains, but in pine those variations are often part of the wood’s history. We’re leaning into those imperfections — they make the hundred-year-old floors feel authentic, and they become less noticeable once furniture, rugs, and cabinets are in place.
People have asked what stain we used. We didn’t use a stain at all — just a satin, water-based clear coat applied in five coats for durability. The water-based finish keeps the natural tone of the pine visible, is much lower in odor than oil-based finishes, and modern formulas offer excellent durability and appearance. We prefer satin over high gloss because it catches light subtly without looking overly wet.
We also rescued and restored the original upstairs doors — they’re heart pine like the floors but had been darkened by old stain and wax. Instead of painting them, we had them professionally stripped, sealed, and waxed to return them to their natural look. They’re now bright and cohesive with the floors and look amazing in person.
We worked with a local door refinisher who picked up the doors, stripped and sealed them in their shop, and returned them clean and restored. They even cleaned and restored the original knobs. We’ll be rehanging the doors and installing the bathroom mirrors soon and will share photos when that’s done.
One of my favorite new views is this upstairs landing — the transformation is dramatic. When we bought the house the ceiling was crumbling and the floors were painted a dark maroon, so we never even saw the wood. Now that the floor’s clear-sealed, this whole angle is bright, warm, and full of character.
We also added a new upstairs hallway where rooms had originally been railroad-style. That hallway made the layout much more functional and looks beautiful with the refinished floors.
Another bedroom is all set for a bed. There’s a slightly darker patch where something (a rug or bed) sat for a long time, but that will be covered once the room is furnished. We’ll share the lighting and fan selections below, since readers often ask about those fixtures when we post photos.
In the back bedroom we preserved the character of the pocket doors at first, but the aged finish flaked every time they were used. For functionality and cleanliness we stripped, primed, and painted them in the same color we used on the refinished tub (Riverway by Sherwin-Williams). They provide a bold accent that reads beautifully against the natural pine floors.
Below is a mood board of the lighting and fans we selected, along with vinyl house numbers for the transom above the front door. We chose clear, soft-white LED bulbs that mimic a filament look. They work perfectly in exposed-bulb fixtures, offering the warm glow we prefer without being too yellow or too cool.
1. Front Porch / 2. Downstairs Bath / 3. Kitchen Island / 4. Porch Numbers / 5. Foyer (similar) / 6. Bedrooms / 7. Kitchen Sconces / 8. Living & En-suite Bath / 9. Mudroom / 10. Clear, Soft White LED Bulbs / 11. Dining / 12. En-suite Bath / 13. Hall Bath / 14. Hallway & Small Upstairs Rooms / 15. Under Stairs
We’re thrilled with this major beach house update. The floors make the house feel so much closer to being move-in ready — we can’t wait to bring furniture and install the kitchen. Final thought: refinishing floors can be seriously dramatic, in the best way.
Psst — if you want to read more posts about this year-long beach house renovation, check the updates we’ve shared as we brought this pink house back to life.
More Hardwood Floor Refinishing Projects
If you’d like to read more about specific floor refinishing projects we’ve done, below are posts covering everything from matching new and original hardwoods to restoring 100-year-old pine.
- Refinishing Mid-Century Oak Floors in Our First House
- Matching New & Old Hardwood Floors in Our Third House
- Repairing Historic Oak & Pine Floors in Our Duplex
- Clear Sealing Our Refinished Floors in Our Florida House
*This post contains affiliate links*