Hello ~

After "The Flood" (long story) we obtained some salvaged "Horner" hard
maple gym flooring from a building recycler ($1.65 sq.ft.) It is
currently stacked in my dining room; airing out and acclimating. We
have no plans to make this an elegant masterpiece floor - we have big
teens, cats and an ever-pooping parrot. I mention this, as I wanted to
make it clear how casual we feel about the outcome. Professional
woodfloorers might clutch at their hearts at some of our plans, so I
immediately apologize to those of you that have made woodflooring into
an art.

The wood is in very good condition, the backs of the planks look brand
new. Several layers of the polyurethane are loose and peeling and can
be picked off by hand (sort of like peeling off skin after a sunburn).
Perhaps this is the case because the polyurethane was applied over the
original oil based finish.

We plan on planing the surface off of this wood, laying it, and
finishing it with pure tung oil cut 50% with citrus solvent (non-toxic
for my animals) and finishing off with a few layers of shellac,
buffed.

Your thoughts are welcome. (I promise to keep a stiff upper lip.)

I do have some questions to throw out here.

Now that the wood is IN the house, I have noticed that the wood has a
musty (mildew?) smell to it, since it was salvaged I can't really say
what all it has encountered from the old gym to my house. I live in a
humid climate, north of Seattle.

What I am wondering is:

1. Can this mildew spread to my whole house? So far, my house isn't
prone to mildew.

2. Will wiping each board with a bleach mix, after it is planed, kill
this mildew before installation?

Thank you kindly ~ Lady Planet