I don’t know the origins of the Dutchman repair but suffice it to say, it’s a method well worth learning if you work with wood or stone.
It’s an economical, efficient and practical way of dealing with some types of structural damage that keeps the inexperienced from expanding a minor issue into a major kerfuffle. Once you see one on a stone or wood surface and train your eyes, you will be surprised how often they are used. We have made good use of this approach to repairing structural issues with wood floors.
The appeal to a Dutchman repair is it focuses on the specific location of the damage and leaves the rest of the board intact. The objective is to remove the damage but leave the wood structurally sound. This is critical when working on old wood because it has already lost a lot of its mass from repeated sanding, it’s brittle and prone to cracking and splitting. The knee jerk option for most wood floor contractors is what is called “whole board replacement” which is ill suited for repairing old wood. As I mentioned, old wood is brittle, easily damaged, lacking the resiliency it once had so a deft hand is needed to minimize any errors. The Dutchman sidesteps these hazards.
One of the main reasons I recruited Jenna is I realized she is that rare person who has exceptional hand-eye coordination, learns fast and grasps the mechanics of working with old wood. Simply put, she gets it. You can’t legitimately claim to preserve old wood unless you leave it better and more stable than you found it. She has mastered this approach, and her talents are a valuable component to our restoration work.
Her router is attached to a vacuum system, so the prep work is clean. The wood is pre-stained, pre-finished and is installed flush to the existing wood. This means the repair work can be done solo, without any other floor or finish work being done. Her portfolio of repair work just keeps getting better and better. Jenna understands the goals and objectives we face when working on old wood floors and her talents are put to good use ensuring the wood floor experiences a much longer service life.
But enough talking about the Dutchman. Be sure to watch our short video (scroll up) of how it evolved in our work and how Jenna continues to make sure we offer a complete restoration service for old wood floors. See for yourself.
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