I am currently building an extension oot the back of the house(6.4M wide and 5M projection. I have managed to source a maple dancefloor from the 1930's which is T&G 2 1/4" wide by 2 foot long by 3/4" thick. I have enough to cover the extension but at the same time i am replacing the flooring in my family room and kitchen(the extension links the three rooms together in a U shape with the bathroom in the centre of the U. I am going to lay the extension floor following the length of the extension and then complete the family room and kitchen with the flooring running at 90 degrees to the extension(hope this makes sense). Does anyone see there being a problem with laying the floor in this way? I have a couple of samples of the flooring and sanded them down and gave them a couple of coats of varnish just to see and the result is stunning. My worry is that i will have problems sourcing the same size and grain pattern of flooring to complete the kitchen and family room, anyone know of a company that supplies reclaimed floors and has a decent reputation(i read that more recent maple floors do not have the same grain pattern as the trees are felled much younger than in the 30's). I know this seems a bit obsessive but i have been blown away by how this flooring looks! Last question, when i did my living room floor(4" boards) a number of years ago i sealed them with Junkers floor lacquer, it has stood the test of time very well but i am wondering if there is a better product on the market now?
Matching maple flooring
- Thread starter pantsmachine
- Start date
Sponsored Links
pants - what's the sub-floor? Concrete, timber joists, or mix?
Even with a decent reputation a reclaimed flooring company couldn't guarantee a match with what you've got and certainly not over the phone or via pics & email, for example. The only way to do it is to personally trawl around the yards looking for a match, then buying much more than you need if you find it. All a bit risky to start part of the floor without adequate supplies to finish the job. I'm not so sure that there'd be many reclamation yards up where you are.
You are correct about grain & figuring depended on when the maple was felled. 25 years ago I bought tons of used maple flooring from an old Yorkshire wool mill being demolished; the stuff was over 150 years old. It was fantastic quality and looked a knockout. I ran it through a planer machine to clean the top couple of mm off and remove millions of small round indentations (about 6mm dia) - these dents were made by hob nails on the soles of countless thousands of millworkers clogs. Brilliant! Anyway, I used it to do the floors in my own house and it still looks fantastic. I hope you can source a good supply of extra stuff for your place.
Even with a decent reputation a reclaimed flooring company couldn't guarantee a match with what you've got and certainly not over the phone or via pics & email, for example. The only way to do it is to personally trawl around the yards looking for a match, then buying much more than you need if you find it. All a bit risky to start part of the floor without adequate supplies to finish the job. I'm not so sure that there'd be many reclamation yards up where you are.
You are correct about grain & figuring depended on when the maple was felled. 25 years ago I bought tons of used maple flooring from an old Yorkshire wool mill being demolished; the stuff was over 150 years old. It was fantastic quality and looked a knockout. I ran it through a planer machine to clean the top couple of mm off and remove millions of small round indentations (about 6mm dia) - these dents were made by hob nails on the soles of countless thousands of millworkers clogs. Brilliant! Anyway, I used it to do the floors in my own house and it still looks fantastic. I hope you can source a good supply of extra stuff for your place.
Subfloor is going to be be joists with 22mm chipboard screwed and glued. I would then put a foam membrane in place and lay the flooring on top of that, I know what you mean about guaranteeing a match. I think i will end up sacrificing a couple of lengths i have in storage to send out as samples to yards. I don't mind if there is a slight colour or grain change when i walk through from the extension(i have more than enough to complete the extension itself) to the kitchen or family room. As i am laying the K & FR floors at 90 degrees to the extension floor it should be ok. I am aiming for the best(perfect match) but will settle for slightly less! I like your mill story, what did you seal the floor with? I trawled aroung last night and have found a yard close to Edinburgh(i'm in Aberdeen) so i'll get in touch with them when i get back onshore.
pants - so the maple floor will be a 'floating floor'? I wouldn't use chipboard as the sub-floor, it's false economy; I'd use ply.
My floor was t&g all around and random lenghts (some very long!) and secret nailed with flooring cleats to the joists. Finish was a 2 component resin based acid cure lacquer (I can't recall the makers name of the first stuff I used - well it was so long ago) but it was brilliant stuff and has lasted so well. Bathroom has never been re-done and still looks good, ditto the conservatory (current thinking is no to wood floors in bathrooms/conservatories but mine 'kick sand in the face' of the cautious). Kitchen, 'cos of the heavier traffic, dog, etc. has been re-coated twice in that time and probably due a 'lick' next year. Resincote is a 2 part finish available these days, although I've not used it. Tip: I think satin finish is the one to go for, not gloss; satin in my opinion shows the wood to better effect than an 'in-your-face gloss.
You could of course do your floors in steel plate - it'll make you think you are still "off-shore". (Rigs or trawlers?)
My floor was t&g all around and random lenghts (some very long!) and secret nailed with flooring cleats to the joists. Finish was a 2 component resin based acid cure lacquer (I can't recall the makers name of the first stuff I used - well it was so long ago) but it was brilliant stuff and has lasted so well. Bathroom has never been re-done and still looks good, ditto the conservatory (current thinking is no to wood floors in bathrooms/conservatories but mine 'kick sand in the face' of the cautious). Kitchen, 'cos of the heavier traffic, dog, etc. has been re-coated twice in that time and probably due a 'lick' next year. Resincote is a 2 part finish available these days, although I've not used it. Tip: I think satin finish is the one to go for, not gloss; satin in my opinion shows the wood to better effect than an 'in-your-face gloss.
You could of course do your floors in steel plate - it'll make you think you are still "off-shore". (Rigs or trawlers?)
Sponsored Links
TBH i'm throwing out the floating floor idea for people to shoot it down if need be. I am a great believer in no squeaks so whichever way gives me the best solid no squeak finish is the way i will go and to pass building control i really need to use the 22mm chipboard(caberfloor its called), again i am open to suggestions. I have not got any knowledge of secret nailing and its pros/cons but i do like the idea of my floor being fixed instead of floating. Thanks for the info on the resincote, i will have a look and i agree satin will be the way we go for the finish. I have a piece of checker plate in the garden on a seesaw. I stand on it and my wife throws cold water at me when i am missing the offshore life! Currently onboard a great big DP vessel in the norwegian sector, weathers nice and the sunset tonight was ace! I have been in touch with a salvager in Scotland and they are confident that they can match my weird sized maple(3 14" widex45" longX 5/8" thick) so i will send them a sample when i get back and take it from there, i need another 25sqm which will give me enough to complete the job, have a nice Saturday folks!
I have changed my mind completely and i am now going to go for a floating floor with a 10mm gap around the edge. Any ideas on a soundproofing membrane type to put tween the maple and the caberfloor? I have searched this site and read a few threads on shrinkage of real wood floorings. Will 2 months stored in the area i am fitting(ch will be fitted and operational at the time) be enough before fitting?
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Similar threads
- 2scoops0406
- Floors, Stairs and Lofts
