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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Wood Floors
  • Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 19:55:37 -0600


On Nov 4, 2007, at 6:11 PM, Robert Walton wrote:

I'm thinking about going to a mill near here and getting some plank
wood for the floor and walls. Has any one done this? I'd like to put
down a plank floor. Do I need the wood to be tongue and groove? If I
just use oak planks for instance and finish them in place, my concern
is the groves that would be left between the planks. How do you handle
that?

Your concern about grooves would be exacerbated by shrinkage. Best move in buying from a mill is to stack the planks carefully against a wall and leave them there for a year before nailing them down.

T&G stuff often has a slight bevel on each edge, creating a short V groove when joined. A local mill T&G machine may not do that. They may leave the corners square. No problem as long as there are no splinters. But make sure the planks are as dry as the house, or you will live with cracks forever.

I presume you will put plywood or wire on the bottom of the joists first--plywood if the floor is exposed to the weather or wire if in a closed crawl space--then either lay fiberglass insulation over the wire or maybe have cellulose blown in over the plywood. Then lay the plywood subfloor. Lap building paper on the plywood, then lay the planks, face nailing the first run and then nailing through the plank tongues at an angle. Get them tight. Do some research and see the various ways to get them really tight.

Rent a floor sander and do the field. Very carefully; it will make grooves quickly. Use a hand sander at the edges. Vacuum thoroughly, stain and finish.








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