Installing previously installed (reclaimed) wood floors - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

daveuz · #16 03-23-2008, 12:42 PM

I believe the OP is familar with wide plank flooring and is familar with the advantages and disadvantages of it. Of couse it does have some movement . Nearly all early New England homes used white pine for flooring , siding , window frames roof shingles mouldings , doors ect. Many are still standing today 200 -300 years later. I think the OP should try it if he likes that look or buy some reclaimed that is T&G. If the OP wants to make old flooring look "New" than I suggest just using a "New" materials and save the Old flooring for future use or sell it. "I formerly lived in Charlestown, MA in an old house which had pine plank floors of varying widths. My fiancee and I both really liked the look, and I thought that if the opportunity arose to install such a floor in our new house (which is currently carpeted- ugh- great plan- lake house with light tan carpet), I'd go for it.

So, I've found a suitable quantity of non T/G antique pine plank flooring which is cheap enough that I could go for it. "[/I]

djugurba · #17 03-23-2008, 11:21 PM

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm still weighing the options. I am familiar with the inevitable issues that come with non t/g old pine floors, having lived with them before. The floors in Charlestown had some really wide gaps between boards - some I had previously in Marblehead were as wide as 16 - 18 inches. There was a neat character to those floors- probably not for everyone, but we liked it... and it's interesting knowing that bare feet have worn the pathways in the old boards for a couple hundred years. I have occasionally had to go around the places and tap down the nails a bit- or remove and replace them and then set the old heads (nipped off the old nails) in with a little epoxy to keep the look. I did snag the ball of my foot on one once. OUCH! In my reaction to the pain, that spot unfortunately earned a whack from my framing hammer, and took on a nice new grid-print around the old square nail. Usually I'm more careful than that...

Yes, the boards are as long as 12 feet, not inches... and this was indeed flooring from an old home up here in Mass. Actually some of the boards might be a bit longer- have not heard back from the seller. One good thing- it comes with matching baseboard stock, so the install should be fairly straightforward.

I'm going to go look at the stuff and see what kind of condition it's in. I am trying to make the house a bit more enviro-friendly; will be getting new windows/doors, re-doing the insulation in attic to add vapor barrier, installing septic system for dog crap, etc... so I like the idea of using either new renewable non-glue bamboo or thereabouts or old/recycled floor. Again, it's a smallish space (actually a fairly small house!) so it's not too big a project that if I installed it and it was horrible I could tear it up and start over.

Thanks again-
k

t walgamuth · #18 03-23-2008, 11:56 PM

It sounds as if you know what you are getting into. I did not realize you knew so much about it, assuming you knew nothing and were traveling blind.

My personal experience includes nothing as old as what you have in new england. Clearly you know a lot more about this old flooring than I do.

Good luck with your project. Let us know what you decide.

Tom W

kerry · #19 03-24-2008, 12:01 AM

Have some friends who put down bamboo in a new house about 5 or 6 years ago. They are not happy with it. They say it dents easily and all the joint lines are quite visible. They had oak floors in their previous house. 120 years old and still doing fine.
Say more about the septic system for dog crap. Never heard of such a thing before. Is there a reason to separate it from the septic system for human crap?

daveuz · #20 03-24-2008, 12:12 AM

Here is a place that sells "As is Antique Flooring" . Interesting to see the prices. This lot has a deposit on it. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/images/batch43_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/antique_flooring_43.htm&h=723&w=450&sz=40&hl=en&start=80&um=1&tbnid=iDnHVIifAmvEmM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2Bwhite%2Bpine%2Bfloor%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls% 3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26sa%3DN

t walgamuth · #21 03-24-2008, 12:14 AM

What are you thinking about with the vapor barrier idea?

Tom W

kerry · #22 03-24-2008, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveuz

. Interesting to see the prices. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/images/batch43_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/antique_flooring_43.htm&h=723&w=450&sz=40&hl=en&start=80&um=1&tbnid=iDnHVIifAmvEmM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2Bwhite%2Bpine%2Bfloor%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls% 3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26sa%3DN

djugurba · #23 03-24-2008, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

What are you thinking about with the vapor barrier idea?

Tom W

eh, not sure yet. House was re-built from the foundation up on an existing grandfathered footprint in the 80s. No vapor barrier was put down below the attic insulation, so there is some evidence of condensation on the inside of the roof- oxidized nails, small rusty drip spots on the fiberglass. Nothing major, but if I increase the insulation I'll try to rectify.

daveuz · #24 03-24-2008, 12:45 AM

That price is not the "norm" . I am guessing that because that floor was barely used thus still having the hand-planed finish is the reason behind the price. there is however a big demand for this type of flooring and if you google it you can find companys that will take your "new" flooring and scrape it with glass or similar to give you that "hand-planed historic look. Or you can buy "Hand scraped new flooring" Take a look. google "Amish Hand-Scraped™ collection".

djugurba · #25 03-24-2008, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveuz

Here is a place that sells "As is Antique Flooring" . Interesting to see the prices. This lot has a deposit on it. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/images/batch43_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oldwoodworkshop.com/antique_flooring_43.htm&h=723&w=450&sz=40&hl=en&start=80&um=1&tbnid=iDnHVIifAmvEmM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2Bwhite%2Bpine%2Bfloor%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls% 3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26sa%3DN

Holy lord! The stuff I'm looking at is $1 sq/ft! Total cost for the project is less than $700 unless something goes awry. That stuff better deliver breakfast in bed for that price!

djugurba · #26 03-24-2008, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Say more about the septic system for dog crap. Never heard of such a thing before. Is there a reason to separate it from the septic system for human crap?

I've also heard mixed reviews on bamboo. Still mulling...

Here is the Doggie Dooley. I'm likely to be on the condo board (7 freestanding homes in an association with shared land and lake access) and thought it might be a nice feature to have one of these on the property for those of us with dogs. Not many people typically take their dog doo inside and flush it; this keeps it out of the landfill via plastic bag. I'm pretty sure I'll build my own if I try this thing, but it might be just as easy to just buy one, especially if I can get the condo assn. to pay for it.

djugurba · #27 03-24-2008, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

It sounds as if you know what you are getting into. I did not realize you knew so much about it, assuming you knew nothing and were traveling blind.

My personal experience includes nothing as old as what you have in new england. Clearly you know a lot more about this old flooring than I do.

Good luck with your project. Let us know what you decide.

Tom W

Nah, I'm just procrastinating

Was basically trying to see if anyone had an idea as to whether the face nailing was my only good option or if someone had tried it and it was a big disaster. There is a great breadth of experience here that I have come to really appreciate even though I'm temporarily without my own MB!

I'll see if I can check out the stuff this week- big wildcard will be how the finish is... can I get away without re-doing them...

thorsen · #28 03-24-2008, 08:11 AM

When I was 12, my dad reclaimed the wood floors from the local synagogue that was being torn down. All told, he probably laid down close to 1600 sq ft after we spent quite a while removing nails, sorting the wood, etc. The wood was tongue and groove and he nailed it to a plywood subfloor. The last row of flooring was face nailed but you can't see it unless you start looking.

Nice results for a little cash and a lot of sweat.

t walgamuth · #29 03-24-2008, 08:17 AM

With non t and g wood the only way to install that I would know of is to face nail or glue down. Gluing large boards probably will not work very well.

I have reclaimed and reused t and g flooring myself. The grooves and tongues need to be cleaned out before reusing.

On the vapor barrier I suggest using vapor barrier paint. I don't know of any other practical way to do it.

Tom W

kerry · #30 03-24-2008, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djugurba

I've also heard mixed reviews on bamboo. Still mulling...

Here is the Doggie Dooley. I'm likely to be on the condo board (7 freestanding homes in an association with shared land and lake access) and thought it might be a nice feature to have one of these on the property for those of us with dogs. Not many people typically take their dog doo inside and flush it; this keeps it out of the landfill via plastic bag. I'm pretty sure I'll build my own if I try this thing, but it might be just as easy to just buy one, especially if I can get the condo assn. to pay for it.

OK, I've seen something like that before.
I do a lot of canoeing and in the west you have to carry out all your waste in a reusable toilet. Most people dump the toilets in RV dump stations, but some friends of mine were building a new house with a septic system so just made an additional outside access into their piping, kind of like a cleanout. They now dump their river toilet there. Something similar would probably work for dogs.