Originally Posted by
Oak Ragette
Interesting, How did you attach them to the sub-floor/joist? From the photo it looks like the boards are not connected to each other, so I assume a good vacuum to pull the dirt out of the cracks is needed, which it sounds like there is no way around that for me, for the width I'm looking to use. Thanks!
I'm the only one to post a photo so you must be asking me, Oak.
The existing floor was cracked vinyl tile on 4/4 subfloor over 3x14 joists. I was lucky, I wanted a fast cheap solution that was an experiment, but it worked. My floor in the photo was 1x10 #2 Ponderosa Pine with solid knots. I beveled the edges and ends with a trim router just a hair. It was spaced 1/16" apart and face nailed. I used minimal nails shot in at a step angle to keep the pine from moving up. Just enough to hold the boards down flat as I held them with body weight. I mopped on Watco natural danish oil(the formula was different back in the 70's). After a few years the gaps got bigger. It may not work for everyone, but most people would say "these old original floors look beautiful". One loft area was seen on both faces so I selected the best boards for that, but I used no glue and it was a little squeaky. That was my only regret.
In my new contemporary house I used the same thing exposed on both faces in the lofts. I got lucky again as my local lumber yard let me return all the 1x10's I didn't like, including free delivery and pickup! I had twice as much pine delivered than I needed. I selected and placed every board so it could dry in a heated room a few weeks. We have dry summers here so I face nailed with no gaps. I used construction adhesive to prevent squeaks. After 13 years no squeaks and only tiny gaps. I used homemade Watco, equal parts BLO, varnish and thinner on the pine and it's gotten shiny over the years with zero maintenance except constant polishing from socks
As a side note:
Most of the house has exposed concrete floors steel troweled smooth. I researched and tested finishes thoroughly. I didn't want a coating that could not wear off and need recoating. Again I lucked out. I used the same equal parts BLO, varnish and thinner "Danish Oil" on the concrete. The concrete looks like one slab of dark grey polished stone!
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