End grain block - wood flooring cobbles

[muttley9050]

We have some end grain cobbles that are around 120 years old I guess. But at least pre war. Some are tatty some have been replaced with brick and some look new Ish. I think there oak ? And are all roughly brick size. Most people think they are brick and don't notice they are wood.

[muttley9050]

steve I did a oak end grain patio for a couple last yr, which was all cut like various size squares/bricks etc, right pain to do,but paid well and they loved it,they`d seen it in austria and wanted it replicated,I`ll see if i can dig out a pic,,theres is two parts covered by a ovehanging porch type of thing..

 

Interesting job Clive. How thick did you cut them and what did you bed them in?

[SteveA]

Your friends at PCNPA have tried end grain flooring, and generally had a mare. Changing moisture kept the blocks moving, and generally misbehaving..

 

I don't mind the floor being wonky. Our small lean-to-polytunnel floor is all wonky (block paving) and I quite like the wonkiness.

 

Did you fit the ones for our lovely friends at PCNPA?

Lovely weather here today! Forecast is great too. Flowers out, bees buzzing busily and trees with fresh leaves!! Yum!! Love this time of year.

cheers, Steve

 

Interesting article, and great topic Steve.

That's great. cheers, steve

[SteveA]

We have some end grain cobbles that are around 120 years old I guess. But at least pre war. Some are tatty some have been replaced with brick and some look new Ish. I think there oak ? And are all roughly brick size. Most people think they are brick and don't notice they are wood.

 

Brilliant. I like to imagine who might have made those old cobbles; did they suffer from 'cobble makers elbow'?.... Did they use a froe to split them? Did the people that fitted them worry that they weren't perfectly flat?.... and who were the children and adults that played and walked on them?... maybe you (or I) or somebody else here is related to those people in some way?

 

Be great to see a photo of them if possible - but no worries if not.

cheers, steve

[muttley9050]

Will take a pic over next couple of days.

[delabodge]

Yeah nice one, that'd be great to see your end grain oak cobbles photos, sounds very similar to what I'm thinking of doing.

 

Do you remember how thick you made them?

I'm thinking of making them the same dimensions as the side of a standard red house brick and alternating with square ones.

 

It's probably gonna take me ages to do but looking forwards to getting a proper floor.

What did you use for mortaring them?

Cheers, steve

 

laid on a sand and cement dry mix with silver sand brushed inbetween to allow for shrinkage and movement,,,then refilled when settled,

[SteveA]

laid on a sand and cement dry mix with silver sand brushed inbetween to allow for shrinkage and movement,,,then refilled when settled,

 

When you say dry mix, do you mean completely dry? Good plan to use sand as the mortar.... seems a good way to allow for shrinkage too. I could mortar with something a bit harder in a few years time; possibly with a sand/ lime/ cement/ sawdust grout mix to allow for seasonal expansion & contraction.

cheers. steve

[arbwork]

just trying to sort a floor with end grain! having seen one with smaller conifer build thought we would go big! as with all things loads of decisions to make

[SteveA]

just trying to sort a floor with end grain! having seen one with smaller conifer build thought we would go big! as with all things loads of decisions to make

 

Nice one and thanks for sharing your photos.

Are you letting them season before mortaring?.... and have you sussed out a good mortar mix?

cheers, Steve

[muttley9050]

Here's the photos of our ancient cobbles. The buildings they are next to are approx 120 years old. Who knows how old they are. You can see the orange bricks they have been replaced with and areas they are knackered and others they are perfect.