PapaDave
Minister of Fire
But I can promise you this, we will be enjoying that hearth from October through May....and I don't want to rain on anyone's parade (including my own) but October ain't that far away!!
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
Wow! That's a lot of work Scotty.
I love distressed wood stuff, how about posting a BIGGER close up shot revealing the grain and details in the wood.
Are you worried about it shrinking much? I know some people will stack their hardwood flooring for a month or more in the room they intend to lay it to give it time to acclimatize to the rooms humidity. With a wood stove in that room I'd think shrinking might be an issue.
I love distressed wood stuff, how about posting a BIGGER close up shot revealing the grain and details in the wood.
Are you worried about it shrinking much? I know some people will stack their hardwood flooring for a month or more in the room they intend to lay it to give it time to acclimatize to the rooms humidity. With a wood stove in that room I'd think shrinking might be an issue.
LJ, I had the wood stacked in that room for over a month, with the stove running (March into early April) So I pretty much had all of the wood already installed before we quit using the stove, it shouldn't shrink very much. If the wood would happen to shrink a little, the Varathane supposedly will split cleanly along the joints. But I'm not worrying about shrinkage. Even if it does shrink a little, I'm OK with it. That will just add to it's authenticity. Heres a couple shots of the grain close-up..... I'm going to finish up the clearcoat today (I was going to do 5 coats, but I think I'll only do 4 as it looks very good as it is).
two coats of Varathane Satin.....first pic I am still applying the second coat, you can see the separation line between the first and second coats.....second pic is the whole room with the second coat on.
Three coats of Varathane satin....
PapaDave
Minister of Fire
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
Sounds like you know what you're doing Scotty. 
A lot of labor went into that floor. A nice feeling when you know you did it yourself eh?
A lot of labor went into that floor. A nice feeling when you know you did it yourself eh?
Thanks LJ. Trust me, I did my homework and lots of research to finally decide what to do here. Our upstairs hallway and laundry room, as well as the entire downstairs (sans the kitchen hearth and the downstairs bathroom) is oak hardwood that I installed 6 years ago. Same thing there, we had the stove running and installed the flooring in the winter, when we knew the wood would be at it's driest (preshrunk), that was pre-finished oak, and we left it acclimate for almost two months in the stove-conditioned air.Sounds like you know what you're doing Scotty.
A lot of labor went into that floor. A nice feeling when you know you did it yourself eh?
I wanted something different for the fireplace room. something old, and unique. I really love the way this antique fir looks now.....
You tryin' to get me killed??
Funny thing, before we started this whole reno/addition/overhaul project almost 8 years ago, she'd have jumped for joy if I mentioned selling this house. Mention it now, and my "jewels" would be removed......catch my drift??
fishingpol
Minister of Fire
What are you using for slate?
I forgot to mention that I like the different widths on the floor boards. It works well in that room.
I forgot to mention that I like the different widths on the floor boards. It works well in that room.
The varying widths were a major PITA, as I had to do some custom T&G on the fly (ran out of some of the different widths!) But yes, it turned out awesome, with the fireplace and barnwood in the room......
We're torn between natural brown/grey slate and a porcelain tile that looks like dark slate with tones of brown, copper and orange in it. I may go the tile route as this is going to be the main entryway. But, it will only be used by guests and such, we'll continue using the garage or back door to get in the house, to try and keep the clutter and such in the fireplace room to a minimum. I'll post pics of both styles if I get a chance and we'll do a poll on it here....
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
I'm on the same page with you here, the rustic stuff lends itself to that sort of thing and even adds to the look.
I've been in some fancy house where they installed top of the line prefinished hardwood flooring that shrunk a bit and the seams between the boards opened up, boy does that stand out like a sore thumb when you have perfectly finished boards with gaps between them. And yet I've seen poorly installed, cheap (distressed faux) laminate flooring and with pretty big seams, and I have to say, I think the cheap laminate looked better than the expensive hardwood with the gaps, even though the laminate was just a fraction of the cost.
I did a similar install in my kitchen with wide plank swamp oak cut down and stickered on a neighbors property. I unfortunately didn't let them dry completely and have some gaps between the boards. Still a nice floor, but I wanted it tight. Having varied widths adds an level of complexity. I sanded mine when it was first layed down.
semipro
Minister of Fire
Beautiful work Scotty. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
I was thinking this morning as I was working some older western red cedar how much of the new wood available is of poor quality and how its really worth the effort to reclaim older wood.
I've been ripping and routing some treated southern yellow pine for some detail work on my deck and finally gave up. Unless I could get the boards screwed in place within hours of working them they'd warp so badly as to become unusable within a day. The stuff comes wet from the lumber yard where the only thing keeping it anywhere near straight is the water content and whatever is stacked on top of it.
I finally resorted to using some old cedar that I had laying around. Wish I had more of it...
I was thinking this morning as I was working some older western red cedar how much of the new wood available is of poor quality and how its really worth the effort to reclaim older wood.
I've been ripping and routing some treated southern yellow pine for some detail work on my deck and finally gave up. Unless I could get the boards screwed in place within hours of working them they'd warp so badly as to become unusable within a day. The stuff comes wet from the lumber yard where the only thing keeping it anywhere near straight is the water content and whatever is stacked on top of it.
I finally resorted to using some old cedar that I had laying around. Wish I had more of it...
Thanks for the compliments, Semipro.
I agree. Old growth lumber is the way to go, if you can get it. Reclaiming old wood (with all the use it had in it's previous service) gives it a character you just can't replicate, IMO. I just finished putting the last coat of clear on the floor out front, and I am so very pleased with the way it came out. The nail holes, the age stains, etc......it looks great. It was a lot of work, but I can see myself doing this to my master bedroom down the road. I may look for some more antique barn beams or something, and have them milled into flooring for the master bedroom. It's around 320 sq.ft., It won't be quite as much work as this living room was.......
But I'm taking a break after the living room is done. I'm going to hit the outside work I want to get done before next winter (stoning the porch surface, pillars on the porch, stoning the back wall of the house and also around the sliding glass door on the deck. I may put the back wall off til next summer. Oh, I almost forgot, I have to pour the garage floor this summer too......
Looks like I won't get much of a break this year, after all!!
Thanks brother! I hope you are starting to feel a little bit better....Looks absolutely stunning.
Hey,,, don't make it so nice that you hardly use the room either! When people came into my log home with my wide plank pine flooring, I said just wipe your feet and leave you shoes on,,, I wanted to just let things get the natural wear that would happen.. I thought of all the times I saw old floors that had 30 years of wear and tear and how cool they looked! You just couldn't buy that look! So that's what I went for...
I'd love to take a tour through your place, Charly. Looks beautiful!! That's my kinda house!
We sold it to buy the farm we live on now! Went from New log home to 1840's farmhouse...
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Well, after several days and multiple coats of Varathane, the floor is finished! Nice pic of the floor and a close up of the fiery grain in some of that anitique wood.
I'll start the trim later this week. Its already finished and ready to install......
I'll start the trim later this week. Its already finished and ready to install......
Very nice looking wood! Excellent job! You should put a picture up in the room of the wood sitting on your trailer , just to show were it all began... Build the picture frame out of the wood in it's rough state, then people can see the before and after wood comparison in real life... Again , another perfect Scotty Overkill job
.
WeldrDave
Feeling the Heat
Dairyman
Minister of Fire
- Status
Similar threads
