Floor coverings for historic structures

I have a client wo has asked me for a recommendation for floor
coverings to protect historic wooden floors.  The structure is
interpreted for its architectural value, thus is unfurnished and has
no environmental control of any type.  It will never have utilities
installed.  The building is located in the Southern United States,
thus is subjected to elevated RH year-round, with temperatures that
can range from highs of 90 degrees F in the summer to occasional
winter lows below freezing.

Thousands of visitors pass through this building annually.  They are
looking for a material that will protect the historic floor that is
also easy to maintain.  They are not looking to apply a coating to
the wood. Anyone out there have any ideas?

Wendy Claire Jessup
President and Conservator
Wendy Jessup and Associates, Inc.
210 Little Falls Street, Suite 203
Falls Church, VA 22046
USA
703-532-0788
Fax: 703-532-1661

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:67
                 Distributed: Friday, February 6, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-67-005
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