warren@ihnss.UUCP (Warren Montgomery) (12/21/83)
I also like oak for versatility, workability, and cost. I find it's hardness a benefit more often than a problem, since you can be a little more sloppy in handling it without denting or scratching. I like the look of well finished cherry or walnut better (smoother surface, richer look), but have never done much woodworking with them. -- Warren Montgomery ihnss!warren IH x2494
wookie@alice.UUCP (Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing) (12/21/83)
some information on installing an oak floor. First some
background.
I am building a house in Maine for my parents and have
been intrigued by the thought of a natural random
width pegged/plugged oak floor. Since I was
covering about 500 square feet the cost of decent pre-
finished flooring was out of the question and didn't
really provide the randomness I wanted. At a local
lumber yard I discovered a complete oak tree had been
cut down into 1, 2, and 4 inch planks and the owner wanted
$.50 per board foot!!!! Naturally we bought the whole
tree! We had the 1 inch planks planed on one side to
3/4 inch thick and then carefully set the wood in a stack
with each layer separated by 3/4 inch to allow the oak
to dry. After drying for 4 years I am now attempting
to install it in the house. We argued back and forth
about the need and expense of tongue and groove work
and most everyone felt that with the 1 1/8 inch plywood
flooring under it that the oak could be layed as planks
with no tonguing and grooving. My next problem was in
making the boards absolutely straight since they were
still rough cut on the edges and even still had the bark
on them!! This was accomplished by screwing a piece of
.050 aluminum sheet to the back of the board and using the
sheet to guide the board through a table saw with a ten
foot rip fence attached. We made boards to every 1/2 inch
increment from 11 1/2 down to 6 inches wide and then every
1/4 inch increment from there down. The longest boards
were about 12 feet. The ends were trimmed with a radial
arm saw and then the whole mess was layed out on the floor
and I was quite pleasantly surprised that everything fit
beautifully with no spaces between boards.
(We also made a complete oak staricase using the two inch
thick oak for stair treads !!! It is indescribable!!)
This work was finished to the point described last Thanksgiving
and is now awaiting being screwed down and plugged. My questions
are many but a few are:
Should this work be done in the winter when the boards are
completely dry to prevent cracks from opening up in the
future or will this result in the boards bowing in the
summer?
Would it be best to glue the entire back of the boards
to the underlayment?
Any suggestions on sanding/finishing and sealing the floor?
Can the natural color be maintained in any way (I notice
the wood tends to yellow when exposed to the sun and I would
prefer that it stay its natural light light light pink.
Am I crazy not tonguing and grooving the
boards first?
Is it advisable to use boards of such great
widths (up to 11 1/2 inches)? They are
incredibly beautiful so I will use them anyway!
Any other thoughts on this whole project are greatly
appreciated. I only wish a picture would do
justice to the end product. Come on up to Stonington
Maine and take a look!!!
Keith Bauer
White Tiger Racing