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Thread: Hardwood Floors in Log Cabin

  1. #11
    LHBA Member jrdavis's Avatar
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    Here I was thinking.... with an OAK log that straight -- I'd build a HOUSE out of it and use PINE for the flooring
    JD

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by BarstowRat View Post
    I had a similar thoughts as John17three, but instead of t&g, I was curious if a simple 'V' groove would work. Thought that would be easier to cut by hand, and with some wax or other sealer, it would fill any gaps that may occur. I also want to keep them tapered (as the tree grows) so they will lay out in a radial pattern from the center of the house... that's where my fire pit will be.
    My youth days were spent on our family farm, built in 1858 (with addition later). The floors were black walnut and oak cut from the property. No V ot T&G or notches at all. Butted together tight and maybe in the next 130 years had 10-15 coats of varnish and oils tossed on them. Some "character_ gaps" I guess were there but they were few and far between and no one paid a heed to them. The foundation was rock with dirt walled cellars so we had some settling. That said - it didn't impact the flooring. The floor joist I bet were 4-5" x 10" or 12" and spanned around 35-40' so they'd have been a lot longer to sit on the earth. Tell you one thing with certainty - they DO NOT build 'em like that anymore. lol
    I'd think V would be fine - suspect I will just toss down ply or cdx and nail straight planks on this unless I get lazy and buy the stuff from a wholesaler.
    Let me know what you did. If anyone wants to see a 1858 vintage farmhouse in MN tell me how to post pics and I'll hoist some up when I can. Sadly the place was torn down and burned 20 plus years ago - corporate farming ya know.

  3. #13
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    Spent the last 2 days haveing that kind of fun! Actually I really do enjoy milling. I get a real charge out of seeing the next board and checking out the grain patterns and all.
    We have been milling that big ole Hickory that came down in the road a few weeks ago. It took 3 days to clean up the mess it make and now it is taking forever to mill it. I got every answer you can think of from dry it on the log, cut it into cants and dry it, to if you don't cut it now you will never be able to mill it. [steel wood] is what some millers I talked to called it. I believe it. We cut it to 7' and 8' lengths because I knew it was going to be a tough go. I can mill one log and maybe get a couple of sides off the next and have to change blades. We did about 1000' lf but of course it is only 4",5",6" wide so it is probably only 300-400' sf. Still have 5 more logs to go plus some smaller ones. I'm going to hate it if this stuff splits all to pieces. If this works out maybe those bear size claws on my Alaskan Malamute will have met their match.

  4. #14
    LHBA Member rckclmbr428's Avatar
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    Mossemye, look up anchorseal, it keeps the ends of boards from checking
    www.WileyLogHomes.com
    "Hand Crafted Traditions"

  5. #15
    LHBA Member rocklock's Avatar
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    Just a few thoughts...
    1. I air dried my Doug fir for three years. The moister meter was at 7%. I put down the floor and now I have 3/16ths cracks in my floor... Lesson for me, air drying won't do it!
    2. I just put down my re purposed oak floor. I got it on crag's list for about .45 cents per board foot (700 bf for $200 and 450bf for $320). I need to refinish it but its down and looking very rustic - it needs refinished badly... The water based finish will cost over 300 but it will look great!!!

    Bottom line, making boards for floors is very tough. Craig's list is easy....
    Dave
    --> The unaimed arrow never misses....
    --> If can, can. If no can, no can... Hawaiian Pidgin
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    If you are gonna be dumb, you better be TOUGH!

  6. #16
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    Isn't CL almost like cheating?!
    Rocklock - I had left you a qustion on your blog - btw, very very nice looking! What size is your home?

  7. #17
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    Thanks Ron,
    I did look up anchorseal, none in this small town so bought coolseal, read that it was next best except for the mess. Will wait for one more day to warm up the wood and paint a little then seal.
    Rock lock, that is very good advice, I am sure there will be many a time I'll wish I had taken it. When we started this it was to salvage dying trees, we kind of have gone with lets use what we have, so the plan is to use only wood from this land except for PT for sill wood if at all possible. This devil of a hickory tree just literally dropped in our laps so I have to see what I can do with it. It is just not in me to let good wood rot. You should see all the odds and ends and piles and piles of lumbar and logs we have around here. Gary just rolls his eyes every time I start looking for a new place to stack some odd shaped log, limb or whatever.
    We have never milled anything like this Hickory tree. Ths sawdust is like talcum powder, it builds up between the board and the log as you cut instead of blowing out with the blade, It eats up blades like they were butter, and I have to go super slow with the cut or it pulls the blade off the mill. I am milling most of it quarter sawn but today I just had to take a few off flat sawn because the grain patterns were just so beautiful.

    I do know it is a lot of work to do floors this way, we have done about 1800 sf in our current home with pine flooring, some of it from trees we cut out here and the other from Lowes, some of what has been down for several years has shrunk and separated a little but what we did from here we laid out on the floor in that room and let it lay there for a couple of years before we took it back up ran it through the planer again and then laid it glewed, and screewed it . It really looks good but in a year or two it may have change a lot

  8. #18
    LHBA Member John17three's Avatar
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    So did some snooping on Craigslist. A guy posted that we could buy "direct from factory" for T&G. I was hoping to do my own logging and millwork, then have someone else do the "grooving." I asked if they did this. He said no, and gave me the following prices for what they've got.

    Here are our prices for 4” Flooring per square foot:


    Red Oak White Oak

    Select & Better $2.48 $2.35
    1 Common $2.18 $2.15
    Euro Common x $2.05
    2 Common $1.95 $1.95
    Tavern $1.00 $1.00

    Sales tax is 7.225%.

    Anyone know if these are good prices, assuming they're unfinished?

  9. #19
    LHBA Member rocklock's Avatar
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    This is a picture of my re-purposed oak floor...
    I was able to re-purpose the oak cabinets for free... Yea, I can't believe it either...
    Some like the rustic look of the floor in my log home, but I will be refinishing with a clear water based finish next year...
    Last edited by rocklock; 11-13-2011 at 01:00 PM.
    Dave
    --> The unaimed arrow never misses....
    --> If can, can. If no can, no can... Hawaiian Pidgin
    2011 video http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/open...a413d0d0a&sb=1
    2006 to 2009 video http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/flintlock1/
    If you are gonna be dumb, you better be TOUGH!

  10. #20
    LHBA Member spiralsands's Avatar
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    Very nice Dave. I love the variety of color and shades of the floor boards.

    Frances

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