Hardwood Floors February/March 2026

Universal Floors Inc. Washington, D.C.

The Anderson House itself carries a remarkable past. The building was once owned by a wealthy socialite

“If floors could talk, what stories they could tell. There have been presidents, dignitaries, and kings and queens that have danced on that floor. It’s a piece of American history.” — Sprigg Lynn, Universal Floors

and diplomat at the turn of the century

look new, but to make it look right for the era it represented. “When we finished, it looked like it was 1905, an old new floor,” Lynn says. “We used two coats of hardwax penetrating oil, followed by a UV finish, which made it super hard. It had to be able to take some abuse so we put the hardest finish on it we could find.” Lynn notes that projects others might dismiss are the ones his team leans

who used the space as both a winter home and a place to entertain guests, says Sprigg Lynn with Universal Floors. When the owner died in 1937, the mansion was donated and later turned into a historical landmark. That legacy amplified the responsibility of the restoration, underscoring the importance of preserving not only a floor, but a piece of Washington’s cultural and architectural story. The team relied on years of experience and a methodical approach, noting that formal training alone cannot prepare one for such a task. They conducted thorough testing with feeler gauges, choosing a gentle, passive sanding method to preserve the damaged floor, aware that harsher techniques would force a complete replacement. “Once we got the floor down to raw wood, we did extensive repairs from salvaged wood we had from the same time period so the wood matched perfectly,” explains Lynn. They sourced period-correct white oak from the early 1900s, replacing mismatched repairs from a decade earlier that had left newer wood noticeably out of place. More than 80 Dutchmen repairs were completed, with damaged areas routed out and new surfaces inset to maintain the original boards’ integrity. As the floor began to take shape, the goal was not to make it FEATURED CATEGORY BEST IN HISTORIC RESTORATION

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL FLOORS

toward most. “When most say it can’t be saved or restored, we say ‘get out of our way.’ As long as we can agree on a price, we generally can take care of it. With the methods we use, it takes longer and costs more money, but the end result is a floor where you definitely feel like you’re going back in time.” The restored floor now reflects the elegance of 1905, a fitting tribute to the Anderson House’s legacy. “If floors could talk, what stories they could tell,” Lynn says. “There have been presidents, dignitaries, and kings and queens that have danced on that floor. It’s a piece of American history.”

INSTALLATION TYPE: Nail Down FLOORING TYPE: Solid, Parquet FLOORING FINISH:

FLOORING SHEEN: Satin SPECIES: Rift/Quartered White Oak PATTERN: Custom Parquet Pattern Circa 1905 SQUARE FEET: 1,500

CATEGORY DETAILS: Entries in this category include all types of restoration projects, replacements, or repairs, in either a residential or commercial application.

Professional Coatings Hardwax Oil, Sealer, RAD Coat UV System

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

63