DrHicks

So I'm renovating another house we bought - this one an American Foursquare that was built in 1928. Full brick exterior.

As I'm stripping floors & woodwork, I was a bit surprised to find that - though the style of trim is all exactly the same throughout the house - the wood is different on different levels.

Specifically, everything on the main level is oak. Floor, base, casement & crown moulding.

On the second level, the floors are oak, but the base, casement, doors & crown moulding are all maple.


1. Is this common with the Foursquares? Or did it all depend on the area of the country and/or the builder?

2. If this was your house, would you try to stain the oak floors & maple trim to look as similar as possible? Or would you stain it in a way that accentuates the difference?


Just thinking out loud here...

TarheelTerp

It was a VERY common cost savings compromise.
If you had a 3rd level... the FLOOR would be pine.

DrHicks

Gotcha. The third level of this house - an unfinished walk-up attic - has rough pine floors. I haven't yet decided whether I'll finish off the 3rd level, and make it into a suite of sorts. But if I do, I might use pine for all the trim. It'd give the whole floor more of a cabin feel.

Obviously, during different eras, certain woods were more available and/or expensive than at other times. I can now buy oak finish lumber much cheaper than maple, but that has not always been the case.

Thanks!

Larryh86GT

I would not try to make them look similar. Each are attractive in their own way.

mterry

I have a 1925 foursquare, same thing, my trim has all been painted however. Much narrower oak strip flooring downstairs than upstairs too