The look of the Douglas fir will depend on its age and how it was sawn. You can manage the color with stains and finishes. My next door neighbor renovated his 1930 house. It has a second story porch and when they sanded the floor it was quarter sawn Douglas fir. The grain is very tight and the floor is beautiful. They decided to put a natural finish on it instead of painting it -- which I don't suggest on an outdoor porch even though it's covered and there are trees around. (It's a porch, not a deck, and there is a T&G ceiling below it so you can't pressure wash it like a deck.) I would sand a small part of your floor to check out the grain and color. Try some finishes in a test portion before you do the whole thing. Fir is softer than oak, so you will have to be more careful with tables and chairs, but you should be able to manage it. If the grain nice then it is well worth it and much less expensive than a new floor. Maybe someone else can comment on the hardness of the wood. Good luck! |
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