Lifting very old floorboards

The_Arbiter · 28 Aug 2021 at 15:04

At what point does a floorboard stop being a floorboard, 7" holey moley. Sounds like a solid build.

I suspect a dremel will not do decent 7" board. Normally a hole saw or flat drill bit. Though my knowledge is poor.

alexakasloth · 28 Aug 2021 at 16:21

7"!!?
Yeah push the filler down the cracks.
If the boards are level (they look it?) then a random orbital to knock back would be enough before filling with draughtex and applying a couple of layers of floor varnish. That is, if all you're looking to do is get a quick refurb. If you want them stripped to bare wood then hire a drum sander.

dlockers · 28 Aug 2021 at 17:27

James Peach said:
Thanks all.
I've basically discover that they are at least 7" deep. that's right. My floorboards are 7" deep. Each one. So there's no chance of lifting them.
So I'm just going to sand them and then treat them.
Unsure whether to rent a massive sander or just use an orbital one myself. Probs the former.

Also need to look into treating price.

Question; what's the best way to cut a hold in a piece of wood when you can't get all the way through. A Dremel, right?
I want to fit a USB-C power hub in there but can't work out a way of doing it neatly.

Router

James Peach · 28 Aug 2021 at 19:16

dLockers said:
Router

And how do I saw the bit at the bottom? The bit underneath? I'm not going to go all the way through the floorboards

dlockers · 28 Aug 2021 at 19:17

James Peach said:
And how do I saw the bit at the bottom? The bit underneath? I'm not going to go all the way through the floorboards

A router with a plunge bit will remove the material. See here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXYC3OGOC5U

LuckyBenski · 28 Aug 2021 at 21:33

I don't know exactly what you mean by saw the bottom... But if you want a hole that doesn't go through (a blind hole), use a Forstner bit. Or just a spade bit if you want cheap and fast.

James Peach · 29 Aug 2021 at 14:01

LuckyBenski said:
I don't know exactly what you mean by saw the bottom... But if you want a hole that doesn't go through (a blind hole), use a Forstner bit. Or just a spade bit if you want cheap and fast.

I sort of didn't understand how a plunge router worked; I assumed you cut four lines and then I wondered how you managed to slice the underside of it.
Basically I was imagining trying to spoon it out in some way : )

I bought a plunge router and a straight bit and I'm basically proposing I go to town on my floorboards and make the entire thing just made of power sockets.

dlockers · 29 Aug 2021 at 16:07

James Peach said:
I sort of didn't understand how a plunge router worked; I assumed you cut four lines and then I wondered how you managed to slice the underside of it.
Basically I was imagining trying to spoon it out in some way : )

I bought a plunge router and a straight bit and I'm basically proposing I go to town on my floorboards and make the entire thing just made of power sockets.

Try and build yourself a jig to stop it being all jaggedy. Doesn't need to be complex - outline on the floor in masking paper and an old bit of wood to keep the router straight and true.

Quartz · 29 Aug 2021 at 16:35

With regards to filling the gaps, my brother used a paste made of sawdust and glue.

Nutty_Death · 29 Aug 2021 at 22:29

You can tidy up the gaps between boards using floorboard slivers. You can buy them off eBay, made from old floorboards. They are wedge shaped, which you glue and hammer in. Chisel off what's left proud then sand and finish the floor. It's hard work but gives a good finish for an old floor.

Nutty_Death · 29 Aug 2021 at 22:30

James Peach said:
Thanks all.
I've basically discover that they are at least 7" deep. that's right. My floorboards are 7" deep. Each one. So there's no chance of lifting them.
So I'm just going to sand them and then treat them.
Unsure whether to rent a massive sander or just use an orbital one myself. Probs the former.

Also need to look into treating price.

Question; what's the best way to cut a hold in a piece of wood when you can't get all the way through. A Dremel, right?
I want to fit a USB-C power hub in there but can't work out a way of doing it neatly.

Rent a massive sander. They aren't hard to use. Your back will thank you. Plus you'll get a better finish.

Also I'd be tempted to just get a circular saw on the filler if it doesn't flake out.

Long term putting filler between boards isn't a good option as it'll eventually fall through.

James Peach · 30 Aug 2021 at 10:54

Nutty_Death said:
Long term putting filler between boards isn't a good option as it'll eventually fall through.

what's the alternative? Leaving the gaps? The problem is that it's 7 inches or so depth and there's a LOT of dust and nasty stuff inside there that I simply can't get out.

Nutty_Death · 30 Aug 2021 at 11:09

James Peach said:
what's the alternative? Leaving the gaps? The problem is that it's 7 inches or so depth and there's a LOT of dust and nasty stuff inside there that I simply can't get out.

I suggested an alternative in my post before the one you quoted.
Old floorboard slivers. It'll give you a much better finish and because they are wedge shaped they are less likely to fall through.

James Peach · 30 Aug 2021 at 12:19

Nutty_Death said:
I suggested an alternative in my post before the one you quoted.
Old floorboard slivers. It'll give you a much better finish and because they are wedge shaped they are less likely to fall through.

My bad. I did read your post but had yet too look up the slivers. I got thinking about that Sharon Stone movie; Sliver which was not good. Let us hope they bolster my floorboards more than they did Sharon Stone's career.

Side note; I think I didn't recognise the post bc of the profile picture sitch on this site which is (actually not unlike Sharon Stone's oeuvre) fun but ultimately frustrating.

James Peach · 30 Aug 2021 at 13:10

Nutty_Death said:
I suggested an alternative in my post before the one you quoted.
Old floorboard slivers. It'll give you a much better finish and because they are wedge shaped they are less likely to fall through.

Is it a problem that they're all different sizes and change widths?

A video explaining the sitch and referencing SS.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fexqx9ca4ckvhwn/IMG_5251.MOV?dl=0

Also I've rented a sander for next Monday. Is it best to have them all filled and ready for then? if so I may need to reschedule the sander. I got a bit ahead of myself.
Perhaps you have to fill and then so they're all the same height?

Nutty_Death · 30 Aug 2021 at 19:39

Your video

I would certainly choose slivers over filler for those gaps. There's no way filler will stay in those. You can get random size slivers so you can mix it up. Sometimes you might just get a couple of mm in a tiny gap other times you might need to wedge two in together. Some times you might need to snap s length in half and go down to a smaller size as the length changes size. It's pretty simple to work out how to do it but like I say it's back braking work. Think I spent 4 days on our old small dinning room...

To me it looks like you need to spend time scraping out the gaps. Circular saw may help. Them slivers. Then chisel off anything proud. Then sand.

I'd say you've got a lot of work ahead of you but the end result could be a very impressive looking floor.

Completely doable within the inexperienced DIY skill level but like I said it's back breaking. I did mine in my mid 20s and in my late 30s it would certainly take a toll now.

Nutty_Death · 30 Aug 2021 at 19:42

An example. Scroll the pictures and you'll see what I mean by width. Obviously you want to match the wood to your floorboards. Who knows what would yours are as 7inches sounds like you've got rows of joists as floorboards :cry:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FLOORBOA...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

James Peach · 31 Aug 2021 at 10:57

dLockers said:
Try and build yourself a jig to stop it being all jaggedy. Doesn't need to be complex - outline on the floor in masking paper and an old bit of wood to keep the router straight and true.

thanks!

James Peach · 31 Aug 2021 at 11:26

dLockers said:
Try and build yourself a jig to stop it being all jaggedy. Doesn't need to be complex - outline on the floor in masking paper and an old bit of wood to keep the router straight and true.

I need you to know that because of your message I have the song "yo diggity" in my head but with the lyrics replaced with "all jaggedy." I'm telling you this because it's torture and I want you to experience it too.
"I like the way you work it ... all jaggedy."

dlockers · 31 Aug 2021 at 11:28

James Peach said:
I need you to know that because of your message I have the song "yo diggity" in my head but with the lyrics replaced with "all jaggedy." I'm telling you this because it's torture and I want you to experience it too.
"I like the way you work it ... all jaggedy."

I really want some of what you are taking.