05/07/2026
We can sand and finish car decking too!
Car decking—often made from spruce, pine, and fir (SPF)—has a long, well-documented history in North American construction. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was widely used in railroad boxcars, industrial buildings, and early commercial structures because of its strength, availability, and ability to span longer distances than standard boards.
SPF species were commonly chosen due to their straight grain, workability, and favorable strength-to-weight ratio. Car decking boards were typically milled with tongue-and-groove or shiplap profiles, allowing them to lock together structurally while creating a continuous surface. This made them suitable not only for railcars, but also for subfloors, roofs, and exposed ceilings in warehouses, mills, and agricultural buildings.
When sanding and finishing original car decking today, several facts are important:
• SPF is a softwood, so it sands faster than hardwoods but is more prone to uneven abrasion if not handled consistently
• These woods have variable density between earlywood and latewood, which can lead to uneven stain absorption (commonly called blotching)
• Historically, many of these surfaces were left unfinished or treated with oils, rather than modern film-forming finishes
• Proper prep typically includes progressive sanding and conditioning if a uniform color is desired
• Modern finishing systems (waterborne or oil-based) can be applied, but results depend heavily on surface prep and species characteristics
Restoring car decking isn’t just refinishing a floor—it’s preserving a piece of industrial history that reflects early American building practices and material use.
