[jyl]

Thanks!

I'm sorry, I haven't been clear. So far, I've found, going from the top down:
- stone tile (now removed)
- concrete/mesh backer board (removed)
- plywood (now exposed, backer board nails removed, still has some screws, also many clumps of thinset and pieces of backer board still remaining)
- thin vinyl flooring (in one test spot where I pulled the plywood, but not in the other? mysterious.)
- the original tongue and groove wood floor (where I've found the edge, measures 7/8" thick)
- I do not know if there is anything between the above and the below layers. Doesn't seem important to find out.
- the original diagonal slat subfloor (seen from the basement)

After I get the cabinets out and plywood off, I am going to seal up the kitchen (doors, floor vent, hood, even the car door), set up all my Covid-era HEPA air cleaners, don my respirator, and scrape off the vinyl and its adhesive in a few test spots, then see how the T&G wood looks. If it looks salvageable, I'll continue to remove the rest of the vinyl and adhesive, then wipe down the kitchen and leave it sealed up with HEPA cleaners going for a day. if not, I'll put down fresh plywood and then a new floor.

The issue, besides that I'd ideally like to salvage the original floor (vintage cool plus $) is that I really want the kitchen floor level with the rest of the house. Also, they laid the stone tile only up to the old built-in cabinets, but my new cabinets are freestanding, so they need a floor under them.

I don't mind if the original floor looks worn and patched (patina, baby), although if I really have 7/8" to work with, I suspect I can sand it down to reasonably fresh wood in most spots.

Sigh. This is a lot of work, and we're having a heat wave. But I'm behind schedule and have to press on.