Re: Reclaimed floorboards - where ?

[RichardS]

Just ripped up all the carpet in my new flat and want to sand the boards.

> There are a few that need replacing. Anyone know a good place to get 'old' > ones in SW London ? Or will new ones suffice if everything is to be sanded > and varnished ? Or perhaps there are some tricks that novices like myself > don't know that will make life easier ? > > How much would I expect to pay ? The size is roughly 168mm by about 20mm or > so. > > Cheers > >

There's a reclaimation yard in Trumpeter's Way, which is just off the Boston Manor Road (I think it's that one, anyway) in Ealing.

They have a fair range of stock in, which is important because you'll want to match the colour and size fairly closely. Price - variable. Quality - rough and smooth, kind of bought as seen, buyer beware, all of that stuff. Don't expect a pristine B&Q-type orderly place though...!

I'm assuiming it's yer standard Victorian-terrace-converted-to-a-flat? If so, then brand new boards are likely to stick out like a sore thumb.

Oh, and if you're upstairs, just check that your lease doesn't specifically demand that you maintain carpeted flooring. It'd be a shame to do all that work and be forced to cover it by the freeholder.

cheers Richard

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[Jim Ley]

Can't you take some floorboards from somewhere you're gonna keep carpeted, and replace those with new ones?

Jim.

[darkhorse31]

specifically

Thanks - it is leasehold but there are no clauses specifying carpet.

Might pop over to Ealing this afternoon and see what is going, although I am in Colliers Wood so might firstly try out a couple of local ones that are in the Yellow Pages.

[Michael McNeil]

Get yourself some barge-board. Take along a section of the stuff you want to match. Bargeboard comes in metric english so the section you want will bee slightly too small. Uses strips of hardboard cut by the same firm to pack it up.

There isn't much you can do about the width. You must either buy it the next inch wider and have then cut it down (easiest option if you only need a few boards) or you can glue some slips on the edges if there is a great deal to do. Again the timber yard will be happy to do all that for you and deliver. Or you can do it yourself with a 30 quid circular saw and a pair of G clamps to use one board against the other for a straight edge.

You should do it in half a day and be enjoying the job once you get into it. No kidding.

Barge board is white pine, (wide boards may have "cupped" -put the high centres uppermost, then nail down) the boards you have will be reds. The reds absorb oils and stains much better but the finish if you sand and restain the whole lot will look excellent. You might want to consider distressing the new boards with a slam or two from a dog lead and some scraping furniture (rub the edges round and dent a few to suit.) But that is guilding the lilly a bit. Guild the guilding with black biro around the new nail holes if you really want to get into it.

[darkhorse31]

Thanks for all the advice. Will pop down to the House Hospital tomorrow morning.

Re the barge board - would I get this from any timber merchant ?