Oak Flooring

[monkeybusiness]

What would happen if you fixed them down in the room they are to live in freshly cut/green? Screwed through to the joists so they have to dry flat and straight? Once dry, lift them and plane/finish them before reinstalling? 
(It’s almost definitely an idiotic idea and obviously not a practical approach unless the room is not in use but thought it worth an ask!).  

[Bunzena]

8 metres is a pretty long board for solid Oak flooring.  I'd be slightly wary that unless the room is very stable for temp and humidity - you will get a lot of movement.

 

This is a useful guide we've used before that helps give a sense of the amount of movement you could expect.

 

Hardwood Flooring Installation Guideline | Chapter 3 – Gaylord Flooring (gaylordhardwoodflooring.com)

 

With shorter boards, it's obviously possible to create a small end gap to allow for some of that movement.

 

Also, we've found that any wood milled to more then 25mm thickness can generate a lot of 'power' if it does start to bend and move.  We tend to go for 25mm on solid Oak to avoid that issue. 

 

We have used hidden nail on a subfloor and it works well.  But we've also used adhesive and that has generally given a better, less squeaky end result.

 

I also think that wider boards look better.  If you do have an 8 meter run - I'd personally look at 10 inch width or wider.

 

[muttley9050]

Done this a few times Andy. There is a few ways to go about it depending on what tools you have.

I wouldn't go wider than 8" because if they cup then its huge with wider boards.

I also wouldn't go longer than 3 to 4m. Any longer is a nightmare. I stick to 3m. Mainly because I have a 3m rail for my track saw.

I find it easier to put first straight edge on with track saw. Then thorough the table saw to Paralell the second edge. Then through the spindle moulder. Your moulder will be fine for this job.

Is i was desperate for longer boards I would probably extend my track saw rails but then it becomes hard to move about.

No joins in the length of the board looks shit anyway.

You can just use a loose tongue to join the ends. Easier than trying to mould the ends. just use a biscuit cutter in a router to groove all the ends and make up a load of loose tongues.

You don't need a 4 sided planer.

I use the above method and up to 3m boards I can do it by myself easily. Longer boards it's easier with another pair of hands.

 

 

 

 

 

[trigger_andy]

5 hours ago, monkeybusiness said:

What would happen if you fixed them down in the room they are to live in freshly cut/green? Screwed through to the joists so they have to dry flat and straight? Once dry, lift them and plane/finish them before reinstalling? 
(It’s almost definitely an idiotic idea and obviously not a practical approach unless the room is not in use but thought it worth an ask!).  

I like your thinking but cant see that working for me. The room is in constant use. Thanks though.  

[trigger_andy]

2 hours ago, Bunzena said:

8 metres is a pretty long board for solid Oak flooring.  I'd be slightly wary that unless the room is very stable for temp and humidity - you will get a lot of movement.

 

This is a useful guide we've used before that helps give a sense of the amount of movement you could expect.

 

Hardwood Flooring Installation Guideline | Chapter 3 – Gaylord Flooring (gaylordhardwoodflooring.com)

 

With shorter boards, it's obviously possible to create a small end gap to allow for some of that movement.

 

Also, we've found that any wood milled to more then 25mm thickness can generate a lot of 'power' if it does start to bend and move.  We tend to go for 25mm on solid Oak to avoid that issue. 

 

We have used hidden nail on a subfloor and it works well.  But we've also used adhesive and that has generally given a better, less squeaky end result.

 

I also think that wider boards look better.  If you do have an 8 meter run - I'd personally look at 10 inch width or wider.

 

Was thinking 18 feet/5.5m as thats the length of my living room. 

 

If 25mm works best then Id be happy with that. They'll be on 28mm of White wood flooring anyway.  My uneducated view was the thicker the better and more stable, but thats clearly not the case. Thanks for the link, I'll look at that now. 

 

Looks like glue it is.  

 

8" will be the maximum I'll go I think? Its a 5.5m run not 8. Will allow me to maximize my logs. 

 

Ive spoke with my local Joinery Company today and they say they can run 5.5m lengths quite happily through their 4 sided planner and then through they're rather large Spinal Moulder. They make their own flooring so Im happy they'll do a good job if it comes to it. Id rather do all the work myself though. 

 

 

[Bunzena]

4 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Ive spoke with my local Joinery Company today and they say they can run 5.5m lengths quite happily through their 4 sided planner and then through they're rather large Spinal Moulder. They make their own flooring so Im happy they'll do a good job if it comes to it. Id rather do all the work myself though. 

If they have experience - I think I'd also get them to do it too.

 

It's still your wood.  I find bought-in Oak can be a bit uniform.  You'll have a chance to select all the lovely characterful bits [Cats Paws, etc].

 

I think it will be sensational when it's finished.  

 

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, muttley9050 said:

Done this a few times Andy. There is a few ways to go about it depending on what tools you have.

I wouldn't go wider than 8" because if they cup then its huge with wider boards.

I also wouldn't go longer than 3 to 4m. Any longer is a nightmare. I stick to 3m. Mainly because I have a 3m rail for my track saw.

I find it easier to put first straight edge on with track saw. Then thorough the table saw to Paralell the second edge. Then through the spindle moulder. Your moulder will be fine for this job.

Is i was desperate for longer boards I would probably extend my track saw rails but then it becomes hard to move about.

No joins in the length of the board looks shit anyway.

You can just use a loose tongue to join the ends. Easier than trying to mould the ends. just use a biscuit cutter in a router to groove all the ends and make up a load of loose tongues.

You don't need a 4 sided planer.

I use the above method and up to 3m boards I can do it by myself easily. Longer boards it's easier with another pair of hands.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

Straight edges are not an issue for me since I have my Bandsaw dialed in quite well. If I go down the 4 sided planner route after drying Id assume that would take care of any small deviations? I think the logistics of repeatedly turning a 5.5-5.9m long 32" Oak Log will be a right PITA though. Thats whats putting me off the most. But Ive two 7m long logs and it seems a shame not to make full use of them. Ive a couple of 4m logs I could also use I suppose? 

 

I like the idea of a lose tongue for the ends. Good thinking. Any pictures of your flooring? 

[trigger_andy]

If they have experience - I think I'd also get them to do it too.

 

It's still your wood.  I find bought-in Oak can be a bit uniform.  You'll have a chance to select all the lovely characterful bits [Cats Paws, etc].

 

I think it will be sensational when it's finished.  

 

I think you could well be right! 

 

This is the kind of Oak I’ll be using.

[Bunzena]

45 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

I think you could well be right! 

 

This is the kind of Oak I’ll be using.

That's stunning.

 

It's a personal preference - but I think that log would look incredible as a wider boards.   I know others would disagree.  It will make a really striking floor.

 

Just keep an open-mind and maybe have a little experiment before you finally decide.

 

I've even seen mixed widths used together and that can look really effective too.

 

There are no rules when it's your own timber!

 

 

 

[muttley9050]

Thanks for the tips. [emoji4]
 
Straight edges are not an issue for me since I have my Bandsaw dialed in quite well. If I go down the 4 sided planner route after drying Id assume that would take care of any small deviations? I think the logistics of repeatedly turning a 5.5-5.9m long 32" Oak Log will be a right PITA though. Thats whats putting me off the most. But Ive two 7m long logs and it seems a shame not to make full use of them. Ive a couple of 4m logs I could also use I suppose? 
 
I like the idea of a lose tongue for the ends. Good thinking. Any pictures of your flooring? 

A decent 4 sided planer will take care of all deviations. They're a lot of money though.
If I had 2 7m logs I'd be cutting in to four 3.5m logs.

Resawing a straight edge once seasoned is doable. Can do so on the lucas too. I just prefer to get the wood in the workshop and crack on in there. Get a much cleaner cut too.
All the other processes are still a ball ache if the woods too long. A small fault in a really long bit of timber makes a big gap.

Lost a lot of work photos when my computer went tits up a few years ago but will see if i can get some.
Starting soonish making a load more. 8" boards I milled about 6 years ago.
If you haven't milled yours yet your a way off machining anyway. For me 2 years air drying and a few months inside is a minimum.