# Strange smell from old plank subfloors



## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

Gentlemen,

What could this strange smell coming from the old plank floors of an old house be?

Working on a ~90 year old house in the north east. The original plank floors have been covered by 1/4" underlayment with linoleum tile for several decades - probably 50's or 60's. I'm pulling up the entire floor - that is, lifting the underlayment in 4x4 sheets so as to disturb the tiles and glue as little as possible - to expose the original plank floors.

I have several rooms done. And they reek. It's coming from the plank floor. Sort of maybe creosote, but there's no discoloration other than age darkening. Portions of the floor are painted, but looks like plain old pine plank.

Yes, there were wood burning stoves and probably a coal burning furnace at one time, but the first floor ceilings were all done and the underside of the upstairs floors cleaned while they were open.

Now - the plywood/tile sections that were removed stank too of the same stuff. Stinks even more than the plank floors. The bin they're thrown in reeks of this smell. So maybe it's actually something in the plywood or the tiles or the glue that has just soaked into the plank floor. But if it were that, why zero hint of the smell before lifting the plywood?

Any ideas what it might be?

Thanks.


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

maybe a good idea to wash your wood once in awhile Bob:sad:


----------



## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

What’s below the floors – basement, crawler?

Why are you being careful not to disturb the tile? Maybe you should not post these kind-a things in a public forum? Lawyers lurk everywhere


----------



## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

My guess would be from the coal. Could the flooring be cypress? I've worked with reclaimed cypress, that has a distinct creosote type smell.


----------



## r4r&r (Feb 22, 2012)

Did you check for bodies under the floor boards? That's where they always find them on T.V.


----------



## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

bob_cntrctr said:


> Gentlemen,
> Now - the plywood/tile sections that were removed stank too of the same stuff. Stinks even more than the plank floors. The bin they're thrown in reeks of this smell. So maybe it's actually something in the plywood or the tiles or the glue that has just soaked into the plank floor. But if it were that, why zero hint of the smell before lifting the plywood?
> 
> Any ideas what it might be?
> ...



Because it was exactly that used in the adhesive the tile was set with.



> But if it were that, why zero hint of the smell before lifting the plywood?


Welp, like most adhesives, there are solvents involved. The lino is not very permeable, so the solvent outgasses thru the ply and into the planking, carrying the odoriferous stuff with it. Doesn't come up thru the lino - so no smell - which is a good thing, or they wouldn't have been able to sell much lino "back in the day"... 

Although I'd prefer the smell to the asbestos...

(Thinking ahead here...)



> Well the HO wants to sand/seal and varnish the floor - is this stink permanent?


Yeah, don't know how the water-born finishes do, but the poly I've had laid down in the past by the finisher seemed to lock the smell in.


----------



## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

SmallTownGuy said:


> Because it was exactly that used in the adhesive the tile was set with.....Welp, like most adhesives, there are solvents involved. The lino is not very permeable, so the solvent outgasses thru the ply and into the planking, carrying the odoriferous stuff with it. Doesn't come up thru the lino - so no smell - which is a good thing, or they wouldn't have been able to sell much lino "back in the day"...


Ya, I was strongly suspecting the adhesive. So I'm guessing it's something (a) not to worry about too much, and (b) will pass with airing.

BUT - the mystery deepens - upon further investigation, I have determined that it's the flooring/underlayment from just ONE of the rooms, and that only that room stinks. The last room I just did, same stuff, but no smell. Bizarre.


----------



## RS Sam (Feb 9, 2009)

Old linoleum was made from linseed oil and pine tree resin and some other stuff. Could the old linseed oil based linoleum have just gone rancid? A creosote smell might result?


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Asphalt based adhesive would be one guess.


----------



## rugaddict (Sep 6, 2012)

here in the northeast before plywood existed---that would be pre ww 2 ---it would be standard operating procedure to use tar paper as a subfloor under sheet vinyl---sometimes it would be glued down with cutback---basically tar---sometimes it was looselaid under oil cloths---pretty much vinyl area rugs--that might be your culprit----whats it taste like?


----------

