Woodblock floor

[Jake]

So long in the planning this one - the blocks have been sitting in my shed for ten years since a long trek up to Northumberland to collect them from an eBay seller. Now finally getting around to do doing up our living rooms for which this was earmarked. It was worth the wait, stunning blocks (listed as Wenge, but actually I am pretty sure it is Panga Panga, a cousin) for a song. Now I just have to do them justice - no pressure.

Finally time to get them down after some torturous dealings making a flat (and less unlevel) base.

"Dragon spine" went in yesterday.

[wrong pic]

An example of a nice block (there is a lot of variation).

Right, better stop putting it off and get on with it then...

 

[Jake]

Wrong picture got attached to above.

 

[NazNomad]

That is going to look amazing.

 

[Jake]

Thanks, I hope so, can only be my fault if it doesn't end up looking superb as the wood is amazing!

Borders of one quarter taped out, blocks final checked and any missed dirt etc cleaned off (main cleaning done last week and was a pretty unpleasant task even with hired helpers).

Glue is F Ball F21 dipping adhesive. Off to dip and place a few hundred...

 

[Racers]

Looks very nice, that block looks like Wenge.

Pete

 

[Jake]

And done for today, harder (and longer) work than I thought it would be, block plane got used quite a lot to keep those pesky little gaps from opening up.

 

[NazNomad]

Block number 472 is upside down. :-D

You're flying now, looks great.

 

[Rorschach]

Wow what a project! Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Jake]

Cheers Naz- upside down would be a good mistake for tomorrow,if I can manage it - I've made (and hopefully corrected) most others during the course of today I reckon. First thing to do in the morning is buy another box of disposable gloves or four and loads more trade wipes.

Thanks Pete, they are very similar so it could be Wenge, but Panga-Panga has a tighter grain and more of a chocolate brown/tan rather than black coffee brown/tan. Same genus, but from the ex-British side of Africa rather than the ex-French side, so more likely too for that reason (this was apparently reclaimed from a Victorian school up in Northumberland).

Hi Rorschach - same here, believe me! I am really looking forward to the sanders cutting the old varnish and wax off and revealing what is under there.

Anyone used the 2k version of PolyX?

 

[Jake]

Too busy trying to finish the room to complete this thread before, but here goes.

The gloop set up. Not sure if the loose tongues are in the picture, but they were cut from 4mm ply and used in all the end groove/side groove connections.

More laying - can't remember exactly but the field took about 4 days I think.

The border took about the same 4 days or so (surprised me) what with all the cutting, grooving, fiddling around getting lengths balanced around the centres of the runs, corner mitres and so on. Used a tracksaw to trim the field straight, then ran a router with a bearing guided groover around the edge to give a t&g joint between field and the border of two soldier courses. Went for a 50/50 offset on the soldier course because it looked best when things get tricky ie short bits of border where you can see both ends in an eyeful - bit like tiling those look far easier to the eye if they are based around a whole piece centralised in the run, with identical length shorter bits at the ends to marry up to the required length of border. Probably something where a picture would speak a thousand words but I'm not sure if captured below. I left a 15mm gap to the wall (filled before the skirting went on with foam backer rod). Cut under all the architraves door frames etc enough to lay the blocks under 10mm and leave the same gap.

Then, sanded - hired the big Bona belt sander and did 40G and 60G, each grit lengthways and crossways (plus Bona edger, same).

Then Lagler Trio 60G. My weekend hire ran out before I finished.

Had to hire the Trio for a second weekend to do 80G and 120G . Then ETS150/3 120G on my knees just because it looked better for it.

Then 2 coats of Pallmann Magic Oil 2K, troweled on, buffed off with a Bona buffer and red/white pads. The second lot of sanding and finishing took a long (ie 3 day) weekend.

I would say never again (and my other half has been more definite still) but I have nearly enough in the shed to do our bedroom with a different border or something...

 

[monkeybiter]

Sumptuous!

 

[Jake]

Thanks Mike - good word for it too. A bit too much so, I got used to it being more like this.

 

[Jake]

Busted my balls (and wallet) for a couple of years (interspersed with other house projects and of course actual paying work) but the now:

 

[marcros]

great job. floor looks brilliant

 

[siggy_7]

Lovely job. It's very rewarding to put all that effort in and get such a good result that will last a lifetime.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[MusicMan]

Excellent job! Are you in need of replacement knees now?
Keith

 

[Jake]

Hah. Would have been, but can highly recommend Snicker's floorlayer's knee-pads - packed with beads like a compressed beanbag - really effective.

 

[MusicMan]

Thanks, I'll remember that when I risk kneeling again (just had my second replacement knee, so it hurt just to read this thread!).