Old tongue and groove flooring -lift and reuse?

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20 Apr 2012
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Location
Western Australia
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United Kingdom
I have just bought a property where the original house has been removed all except the tongue and groove jarrah flooring which is nailed down and just laying in its original state open to the elements. I'm hoping it will still be good to use on the cement floor in the new house but how do I go about it? Can I remove it without damaging it and would it come back to its former beauty by having it sanded? Hope you can help.
Sue
 
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It can be reused, you need to start at one side and lift boards in sequence to try and maintain the T&G, though the tongue could be removed if damaged and used without the T&G. It should sand nicely , one of the toughest timbers around.
It resists warping and splitting and insect attack.
 
The tongue and groove flooring can be lifted and reused, and if you are careful there should be minimal damage. We can't comment from here about weather effects though, so it could be an idea to lift a few boards and see if they start to warp or split etc once put back under cover. I certainly wouldn't use them until they have been dry stored for a while.
I guess its worth a try to rescue them, although in freezing wet Britain the boards would certainly be past their best.
You'll need a couple of pry bars, and a quality claw hammer.
See if you can find a corner or edge that is loose or not fixed particularly well, and see if you can raise a short length with the pry bar....expect a little damage here! As the boards start to lift, you may hear the nails creak as they withdraw - at this point, tap the board back down again and if your luck is in, the nail heads will stand proud, allowing you to lift them with the claw hammer.
Look carefully for signs of insect attack - its not a good idea to let any type of beetle into the home!
Patience and care, and you'll get there...good luck with your project!
John :)
 
Thanks John, I'll take that advice on board. It hasn't had the freezing icy weather but has had a few cold winters and hot australian summers to get through. It seems a shame not to use a beautiful timber like Jarrah, but as you say it may be a bit warped on the ends and edges. I'll have a closer look. Thank you again, cheers, Sue
 
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