Replies

1. 
   rebuilder | Dec 07, 2003 08:17pm | #1

   I just looked at some of this in a showroom last week. It met a pine floor so it must of been 3/4" thick. The guy said that he set it with thinset, and grouted like you stated. It's a great look in my opinion.

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 08, 2003 01:12am | #4

   Three quarters sounds like a good thickness to me as well..there already is a step up into the kitchen where I intend to lay it...and that is no worse than backer and tile...best part is I think it ought to cost less than 2.00$ a sq.ft...not counting my time.  Thanks, Duane

1. 
   joeh | Dec 08, 2003 01:42am | #5

   This was discussed to death once, and half dead a dozen times a few years back. Might have been pre prospero, but might be not.

   Nope, all kinds of stuff in search today.

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=17685.1&search=y

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=2383.8&search=y

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=12969.1&maxT=6

   This one is from TinaG, photographer/cattle rancher/in the mountains of New Mexico

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=13251.1&maxT=7

   Joe H

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 08, 2003 02:57am | #8

   Hey Thanx Joe..usually ya just razz me about my basket case...I dont agree with some of the ideas there...sanding?  no way, that's why I am going with a new Bosch slider..no bandsaw marks.glue and saw dust for grout squited in with a bag? nope. I hope a poly/varnish/oil mix will do the final topcoat...Gonna be fun no matter what.

2. 
   rasconc | Dec 07, 2003 10:54pm | #2

   Can't remember for sure which show but I believe it was a Bob Villa deal about 4-5 years ago.  It looked super and seemed to make a lot of sense.  Supposedly many  shop/factory floors were done this way. 

   I think it was when BV was on This Old House.  You might do a search on their site.  I like a mix of 1 part Boiled linseed oil, one part mineral spirits, two parts tung oil.  I use $52/gal tung oil, but I was finishing cherry plank floors.  Less than a gal put more than two coats on 1700 sq ft. 

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 08, 2003 01:08am | #3

   The first one I saw was in a factory..all maple..they had a bunch of sewing machines making stuff during WW2 and the machine oil had soaked in for all those years..really neat.  The search I did came up with a reference to B.Villa..and a that was a thread from some other forum...not a lot of info. but I guess enough to get me going..

3. 
   archyII | Dec 08, 2003 01:51am | #6

   Here is site that sells block floors.  They have a variety of species.  Think block floors used to be used in factories and machine shops

   http://www.kaswell.com/

1. 
   RobKress | Dec 08, 2003 02:51am | #7

   Ok, that was a little bit evil.  Now I just have to have that hornbeam floor!  Wow!

   Rob Kress

2. 
   Sphere | Dec 08, 2003 03:01am | #9

   Wow...that is an impressive list of installations! If it is good enough for the Smithsonian it is good enough for my place.  I will still cut my own, but now I have to find some really cool beams...

4. 
   DougU | Dec 08, 2003 05:39am | #10

   Sphere

   It was on BV several years ago, a carriage house in Chicago. They got the old wood from a printing company that was long gone. Sliced it up, routed the edges and laid it like tile.

   I have it on tape if you need it. Thought it was cool so I taped it. You will probably get more help here than the tape, Bob tends to leave a little out in the goings on of the project.

   Doug

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 08, 2003 05:49am | #11

   Doug, I am pretty sure I got it figgured out..just gotta test some mastic on the vinyl and see if it sticks well enough, then soak it in the solvent for the prefered finish for while and see which comes unglued first..me or it. I 'd take ya up on the tape but I copied all mine to DVD and don't own a VCR anymore. Bob did gloss over things alot..eh?

1. 
   DougU | Dec 08, 2003 05:52am | #12

   SPHERE

   I have some old oak barn beams that I'm saving to do this very same thing on in a house that I have in Iowa, Its the kitchen and I dont want to do it until the cabinets are done, that should happen in the next 10 years if all goes well. :)

   Doug

   Prety sure the wood was laid in thinset and the grout was sawdust and varnish. The guy used steal wool like you would a sponge when grouting.The floor looked great.

   Edited 12/7/2003 9:55:12 PM ET by Doug@es

2. 
   Mongo | Dec 08, 2003 07:31am | #13

   Have you consdiered Bostik's Best for the adhesive?

   A tenacious grip, and it cures 'soft' so it can move as the wood moves. Plus, it'll fight off water better than most mastics. Call their tech department, or look on their on-line installation FAQ to ask about going over vinyl.

5. 
   jimblodgett | Dec 08, 2003 09:40am | #14

   "Does any one out there have any experience with endgrain flooring?..."

   I did a small section of endgrain fir as part of a kitchen remodel a few years ago, Sphere.  I'll try to post some photos.

   
1. 
   DougU | Dec 09, 2003 04:34am | #15

   Jim

   How thick is that endgrain that your puttng down?

   Doug

1. 
   jimblodgett | Dec 09, 2003 04:46am | #16

   The thinest pieces were 13/16" when I installed them, finished out at about 3/4 after sanding.  The thickest were about 1+1/2", with several graduated thicknesses in between, Doug.  I had to machine a "ramp" into a section to make up the difference between the existing heights of the kitchen and dining room floors, so I needed that extra thickness when the blocks were installed so that there would be at least 3/4" after machining.

   What a trip that floor was.  It was all her idea.  I was skeptical, to say the least. But I told her I was game to try and I have to hand it to her, it came out nice.

   They recently had it refinished along with the rest of the strip flooring in the kitchen and dining room.  He called to tell me it looked like a work of art and to come over and shoot some finished photographs, but I haven't made time to do it yet.  Too many interests, too little life.