Real wood floor.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'm thinking about real wood flooring. Oak would be nice. The existing
floor is very good Victorian pine - but not T&G so gaps between boards,
and I don't want the sort of result I'd get from sanding and varnishing
that.

What I don't want is the sort of loose laid click together stuff that
sounds wrong when you walk on it - I want the sort which is secret nailed.

Cost is a factor - I'll need 35 sq.mtrs.

I'm happy enough with an engineered type provided it will last well, and
looks real.

There is a bewildering range on offer - where is the best value place?

--
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Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
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[Dave Plowman (News)]

No-one got any advice? I'm cross eyed looking at Ebay, and worn out going
round the sheds and local suppliers. The prices seem to vary dramatically.
I'm obviously after the best value.

--
*When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty*

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 24 May 2013 18:11 Dave Plowman (News) wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> No-one got any advice? I'm cross eyed looking at Ebay, and worn out going
> round the sheds and local suppliers. The prices seem to vary dramatically.
> I'm obviously after the best value.
>

If you want solid - does it have to be oak? Not maybe resawn victorian
beams? - Coffee shop down the road has them and they are very nice. Wide
boards too.

Re oak - I can only recommend Kahrs engineered, but you said you dod not
want a floating floor...

--
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[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <r7k47a-...@squidward.local.dionic.net>,

Tim Watts <tw+u...@dionic.net> wrote:
> On Friday 24 May 2013 18:11 Dave Plowman (News) wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> > No-one got any advice? I'm cross eyed looking at Ebay, and worn out
> > going round the sheds and local suppliers. The prices seem to vary
> > dramatically. I'm obviously after the best value.
> >

> If you want solid - does it have to be oak? Not maybe resawn victorian
> beams? - Coffee shop down the road has them and they are very nice. Wide
> boards too.

I'm happy with engineered on a decent ply backing so it can be nailed. Do
want tongue and grooved, though, to keep draughts etc to a minimum.

> Re oak - I can only recommend Kahrs engineered, but you said you dod not
> want a floating floor...

The existing floor is suspended wood above the cellar. In good condition.
What I'm after is a good looking and durable 'top' to that. What I don't
want is the type of covering which looks or sounds artificial.

I'm also not sure about the various finishes - oiled or varnish? Or
unfinished and apply it myself?

--
*That's it! I�m calling grandma!

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 24 May 2013 18:58 Dave Plowman (News) wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> In article <r7k47a-...@squidward.local.dionic.net>,
> Tim Watts <tw+u...@dionic.net> wrote:
>> On Friday 24 May 2013 18:11 Dave Plowman (News) wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>
>> > No-one got any advice? I'm cross eyed looking at Ebay, and worn out
>> > going round the sheds and local suppliers. The prices seem to vary
>> > dramatically. I'm obviously after the best value.
>> >
>
>> If you want solid - does it have to be oak? Not maybe resawn victorian
>> beams? - Coffee shop down the road has them and they are very nice. Wide
>> boards too.
>
> I'm happy with engineered on a decent ply backing so it can be nailed. Do
> want tongue and grooved, though, to keep draughts etc to a minimum.
>
>> Re oak - I can only recommend Kahrs engineered, but you said you dod not
>> want a floating floor...
>
> The existing floor is suspended wood above the cellar. In good condition.
> What I'm after is a good looking and durable 'top' to that. What I don't
> want is the type of covering which looks or sounds artificial.

The Kahrs range might suit you. It's "click fit" (very good fit - you should
hoover the joints before clicking as they are that tight).

However, I'm not sure about fixing it down - normally you don't - but their
fitting structions are on the website. It might be permissible to glue it -
worth checking with them. "1926 Flooring" (google) is where I bought it
online - they also know their stuff and were helpful when I phoned them to
check a technical detail.

It's a 3mm veneer on a very solid ply back - no complaints there.

But it might be that there is a more suitable product for your needs. Sounds
like you want a thinner (non load bearing) set of T+G strips in something
nice that you can fix down.

> I'm also not sure about the various finishes - oiled or varnish? Or
> unfinished and apply it myself?
>

I went for "oiled" - it's easy to rejuvanate scratches.

[meow...@care2.com]

On Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:21:16 AM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> I'm thinking about real wood flooring. Oak would be nice. The existing
> floor is very good Victorian pine - but not T&G so gaps between boards,
> and I don't want the sort of result I'd get from sanding and varnishing
> that.
> What I don't want is the sort of loose laid click together stuff that
> sounds wrong when you walk on it - I want the sort which is secret nailed.
> Cost is a factor - I'll need 35 sq.mtrs.
> I'm happy enough with an engineered type provided it will last well, and
> looks real.
> There is a bewildering range on offer - where is the best value place?

That's easy, seasoned oak firewood. Get it split but not sawn to short lengths. You did want a couple of nice tools?

Why people pay 10x the price for less quality I don't know.


NT

[stuart noble]

Because they don't have a mill in their back yard possibly

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Other thing is some instructions I've read for using engineered stuff that
can be nailed down - ie with a decent ply substrata - say the boards must
run across existing ones, or be laid over 6mm ply. Others don't mention
it. It would be much easier to install in this case if I could run in the
same direction as the existing, without the ply.

--
*Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire *

[meow...@care2.com]

On Saturday, May 25, 2013 9:57:20 AM UTC+1, stuart noble wrote:
> On 25/05/2013 09:41, meow...@care2.com wrote:
> > On Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:21:16 AM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

snips

> >> I'm thinking about real wood flooring. Oak would be nice. The existing

> >> Cost is a factor - I'll need 35 sq.mtrs.

> >> There is a bewildering range on offer - where is the best value place?


> > That's easy, seasoned oak firewood. Get it split but not sawn to short lengths. You did want a couple of nice tools?
> >
> > Why people pay 10x the price for less quality I don't know.

> Because they don't have a mill in their back yard possibly

Cheaper to get a large saw than buy lots of premade flooring


NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <fd8f67b2-a80a-421f...@googlegroups.com>,

Perhaps you missed the bit about wanting T&G?

Also, this is central London. I don't have a spare barn to keep large
woodworking machinery in - or a sawmill down the road.

--
*Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together? *

[meow...@care2.com]

On Saturday, May 25, 2013 12:55:44 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article <fd8f67b2-a80a-421f...@googlegroups.com>,
> <meow...@care2.com> wrote:
> > On Saturday, May 25, 2013 9:57:20 AM UTC+1, stuart noble wrote:
> > > On 25/05/2013 09:41, meow...@care2.com wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:21:16 AM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News)
> > > > wrote:
> > snips

> > > >> I'm thinking about real wood flooring. Oak would be nice. The
> > > >> existing
> > > >> Cost is a factor - I'll need 35 sq.mtrs.
> > > >> There is a bewildering range on offer - where is the best value
> > > >> place?

> > > > That's easy, seasoned oak firewood. Get it split but not sawn to
> > > > short lengths. You did want a couple of nice tools?
> > > >
> > > > Why people pay 10x the price for less quality I don't know.

> > > Because they don't have a mill in their back yard possibly

> > Cheaper to get a large saw than buy lots of premade flooring

> Perhaps you missed the bit about wanting T&G?

No. Saws, sander, a router & table's cheap compared to lots of premade flooring, as I said. And you get to keep or resell it.

> Also, this is central London. I don't have a spare barn to keep large
> woodworking machinery in - or a sawmill down the road.

That's the killer, that & family time.


NT

[Rick Hughes]

On 23/05/2013 11:21, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> I'm thinking about real wood flooring. Oak would be nice. The existing
> floor is very good Victorian pine - but not T&G so gaps between boards,
> and I don't want the sort of result I'd get from sanding and varnishing
> that.
>
> What I don't want is the sort of loose laid click together stuff that
> sounds wrong when you walk on it - I want the sort which is secret nailed.
>
> Cost is a factor - I'll need 35 sq.mtrs.
>
> I'm happy enough with an engineered type provided it will last well, and
> looks real.
>
> There is a bewildering range on offer - where is the best value place?
>

get one with at least 7mm thick veneer.


I have used several makes - I found BOEN particularly good, and KHARS is
also a good product.

[Martin Bonner]

On Friday, May 24, 2013 6:11:57 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> No-one got any advice? I'm cross eyed looking at Ebay, and worn out going
> round the sheds and local suppliers. The prices seem to vary dramatically.
> I'm obviously after the best value.

I've just laid a floating beech Junckers floor in the spare bedroom (got cheap off eBay). The plan was put down wood-fibre underlay from Wickes, and then straight on the top. When we got the carpet up, the underlying floorboard were very uneven, so we left the underlay down, and put the wood fibre on top of that.

The result doesn't feel at all artificial. There is a *slight* creak,
but wood floors creak, so <shrug>.

Other notes:
- The carpet underlay didn't reach the wall after we took the skirtings and
carpet grip up, so we filled that gap with old carpet
- The flooring was 22m (so reasonably stout)
- The board ran at right angles to the old floor boards. I'm hoping that
laying parallel will also work - 'cos I have another room to do like
that.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

So what's the best tool to buy for secret nailing of some 35 mtr.sq of
this stuff to a wood floor? Don't mind taking a gamble on selling it on
afterwards - or is it better in this case to hire?

Trouble with hiring is rushing to get everything done within the period.

--
*Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard? *

[Andrew May]

On 04/06/2013 17:01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> So what's the best tool to buy for secret nailing of some 35 mtr.sq of
> this stuff to a wood floor? Don't mind taking a gamble on selling it on
> afterwards - or is it better in this case to hire?
>
> Trouble with hiring is rushing to get everything done within the period.
>

I rented one of these for the weekend.

<http://www.screwfix.com/p/porta-nailer-portable-flooring-nailer/58172>

You could but if you wanted to and then sell on - depends on your timescale.

Andrew

["Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)"]

On 23/05/2013 11:21, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> I'm happy enough with an engineered type provided it will last well, and
> looks real.

Well We have Khars "oak london" which is engineered but is that "click
together" stuff. One reason for us was it's a floating floor on
"in-joist" UFH. Looks just fine still.

One thing I would say though is it's like a new stainless steel sink.
Each and every mark,scratch and dent drives you completely nuts until
the natural distressing becomes the surface rather than the imperfection.

Our long-gone "big" dog used to distress the surface every time he
slithered down or stretched. swathes of 4 claw lines everywhere.. Now
you'd be hard pushed to pick any of them out.

I'd gladly use it again as it just works and not being nailed to the
joist gives it a degree of mechanical isolation between floors and
doesn't get those "real" looking shrinkage gaps between "planks"

Pete@
--
http://www.GymRatZ.co.uk
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