What do you mean, "as many timea as it can take"? Are the floorboards too
thin? Sounds as if you just don't want that old floor anymore. Floorboards
can "take" an arbitrary number of refinishings. They don't wear out.

There is no subfloor, however.

Are you sure? You say you can see through cracks in the floor, so this may
be the case, but it sounds weird. Houses have been built with subfloors
since forever.

My house was built in 1916 and there is no subfloors.

We got to the point where we thought another sanding and we'd be in the
basement. Probably wouldn't happen, but that floor had way too many bad
spots. I would never be able to run and skate across in my socks.

We just put a new wood floor on top of it and all's been well so far.

BR


Thanks, BR. My situation exactly. There is definitely no subfloor,
and it visually does not need refinishing -- we'd love to keep it but
seemes silly to try and reinforce it and fill it from below. And
would love to go sock skating too -- have a new baby and just cant
imagine the little guy cruising around the old floor with splinters,
ets.