RE: {RenovateDSM} Seeking floor boards

[Jeff H.]

Let me know if you are unable to find these. I am making my own
hardwood flooring from scratch (red oak-I'm up to around 1200 sq.')
and can make whatever you need (be it from scratch or from older
material (assuming that I can find it).

Jeff H.

P.S. Are you certain that there is no longer any termite activity?

---- Original Message ----
From: kelli....@gmail.com
To: renov...@googlegroups.com
Subject: {RenovateDSM} Seeking floor boards
Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 15:44:42 -0500

>Hello Rehabbers!
>
>I am seeking some floor boards to replace some termite-eaten ones in
>my house.
>
>I need 16 feet worth, though it's for several different spots so
>various lengths could work.
>
>The boards I need are white oak, 2 inches wide, 3/8 inch thick.
>Tongue
>& groove.
>
>If any of you know a good source, please let me know.
>
>Thanks!
>Kelli
>
>--
>You received this message because you are subscribed to "RenovateDSM"
>- the official e-mail discussion group for the Des Moines Rehabbers
>Club.
>* To post a message to the group, email to
>renov...@googlegroups.com
>* To unsubscribe, send a blank email to
>renovatedsm...@googlegroups.com
>* Read the group rules at
>http://groups.google.com/group/renovatedsm/web/group-rules
>
>Visit the DSMRC online at http://RenovateDSM.com

[Kelli Griffis]

Thanks Jeff!
Yeah, we've had two inspections over the past five years to make sure
it's all gone dormant. No new activity since we moved in. This is old
damage that we discovered when we pulled up the carpeting.
I haven't had any leads on finding the boards from salvage yet, but
Craig from Loki's Garden is hunting for these for me, so I'll let you
now what he finds.
-Kelli

[Leslie Berckes]

I had come across this listing from the Habitat ReStore for reclaimed white oak. Perhaps it would work, although I don't know if they would break up the bundle. Just remembered - sorry for not sending sooner.

http://desmoines.craigslist.org/mad/3021530147.html

They also have reclaimed Douglas fir if anyone is interested: http://desmoines.craigslist.org/mad/3021468221.html

[Jeff H.]

Hi Kelli,

Just to clarify; when you wrote that you need 16 feet did you mean
square feet?

Also, you gave the dimensions as 2" x 3/8".

As I'm sure that you already know, solid hardwood flooring is
normally 3/4" thick when new. With several refinishings (or less if
grossly over-sanded) you could find yourself with a 3/8" thickness
but, I would expect that the tongue would be clearly visible (thus,
the top portion of the groove to be absent).

Was the "3/8"" a typo?

The $725 asking price at the Rehab Store for 500 sq.' isn't a bad
price ($1.45 sq.') IF you can use the majority of it. Of course there
would be some that's unusable plus cutting waste but, for you it
would be $45.31 per sq.' ($725/16) plus it would have to be re-worked
to your 3/8" thickness (if, indeed, that is what you need).

[Steve Wilke-Shapiro]

While most oak flooring is indeed 3/4" thick, 3/8" would not be uncommon in modest bungalows the age of Kelli's.  I know several Drake area foursquares that have the thinner dimension as well (including mine, unfortunately).  It is very difficult to pull out without destroying the fragile T & G profiles - I tried to salvage a small portion I removed when adding a half bath, but gave up.

Steve

[Kelli Griffis]

My house is a 1918 bungalow and the floorboards were sanded pretty
aggressively when they were refinished sometime in the 60s. That might
account for the smaller board thickness too. They didn't leave us much
to work but we're going to try to bring this floor back to life.

-Kelli

[Steve Wilke-Shapiro]

You should be able to guesstimate the original thickness based on where the "tongue" is on the board.  If it was originally 3/4" thick sanded down to approximately 3/8" over time, which I think is unlikely, the tongues would be either fully exposed or very very close to the top of each board.  I think this is much less likely than the boards being 3/8" at original installation.  You could also look at where the finished floor meets the baseboards: unless the baseboards have been moved down then they will be at their original position.

It would take a lot of even really aggressive sandings to get down from 3/4" to 3/8".

Just some thoughts.

Steve