Reclaimed floorboards - what to do wit holes?

[charri421]

I'm rather pleased with myself today, I've just spent the weekend sanding the reclaimed pine floorboards that I have fitted across all of upstairs - they have really come up a treat The hours and hours it took to fit the buggers seems to be paying dividends!

This brings me to a bit of a quandry, I was unable to align my joists with the house that the boards came from, hence there areold nail holes where they were previously secured.

This is the upstairs, so draft not an issue... however, there are also a number of slightly embedded screwheads that I used to secure the boards (didn't fancy bashing nails in on my old rickety house)

Can anyone offer advice / voice of experience?

- Should I fill with a coloured filler prior to OSMO oilwaxing?
- Could I put a coat of oil/wax on and fill a little later? (I am keen to get a protective coat on quickly)
- Should I just leave THE HOLES as the filler may look worse?

At the moment I'm simply standing back and admiring my handiwork! but I think if I do nothing, the screwheads and numerouse large ex-nail holes may drive me mad!

Either way, I want to get a wax or oil on pronto

 

[biffvernon]

If you want a filler that won't come unstuck mix sawdust with a woodglue such as Evostick. You can still do it after your first coat of Osmo.

 

[charri421]

Thanks for that

I certainly have PLENTY of sawdust.,...

I assume evostick dries clear and sufficient saw dust will give a decent(ish) match.

 

[biffvernon]

Sort of...it tends to go a bit darker than the original wood. Try it and see.

 

[sarahj]

Look after that sawdust! My ex didn't tell me that the small plastic bag was not rubbish, and I threw it away - it was the sawdust left over from the plumber's works in the bathroom and would have been a perfect match for patching up - the floorboards were the original ones so sawing up any more was not an option!

 

[Lime]

If you want a filler that won't come unstuck mix sawdust with a woodglue such as Evostick. You can still do it after your first coat of Osmo.

Don't use wood glue that contains water with steel screws or nails.

The steel rusts and will eventually turn the glue a rust colour.

 

[NT]

If theres one thing not to do with pine its use a tinted filler. Pine darkens heavily over time, and any matching filler ends up looking awful. 3 Options that work:
1. leave the holes
2. fill with pine
3. fill with screwheads.

NT

 

[Cardiffbloke]

I too have just spent the weekend re-laying my Victorian pine floorboards plus a few reclaimed ones to replace those terminally damaged in getting them up. i have holes all over the pace and before i sand, have just bought Ronseal Pine filler to 'do' the holes..... Are you saying NT that i should not use this quite expensive product as it will not 'age' with the boards? I absolutely DO NOT want to hammer in any more nails or screw in any screws to 'fill the holes' so, what am i to do? I understand the concept of mixing sawdust with glue but what glue exactly (brand name and type please) as i know nothing of glue! :shock: And, will that age too, or will the glue, like amber, also preserve like a mosquito the sawdust in a little time capsule!

 

[Lime]

I don't think that there is an easy long-term solution.
Woods vary a lot but pine in particular changes colour over quite short time spans.
Another option that hasn't been considered is one of wooden pins or pegs.
Perhaps that could be an answer to some hole problems.

 

[Nemesis]

Try buying the stcks of hard wax which are sold for furniture repair, and they can be melted and mixed to a decent match.

The stuff becomes quite hard once dry and stands a reasonable amount of wear, is totally reversible, and can be altered if the colour darkens.

 

[NT]

I too have just spent the weekend re-laying my Victorian pine floorboards plus a few reclaimed ones to replace those terminally damaged in getting them up. i have holes all over the pace and before i sand, have just bought Ronseal Pine filler to 'do' the holes..... Are you saying NT that i should not use this quite expensive product as it will not 'age' with the boards?

Absolutely, its about the worst option. Pine darkens fairly quickly, so soon what appears is lots of patches of light coloured filler on mid coloured wood. And its not as if they're neatly filled holes, you get big sloppy patches where a trace of filler has smeared over the surface. It looks truly awful. Holes dont look good, but just leaving the holes looks far better than filler with pine.

The best option is probably to fill the hole with pine. Just wittle a stick of it, ram it in and cut flush. And basically give up on getting it perfect, holed pine just wont work that way, just make them not too noticeable. Maybe next time do your best to line holes up with joists, and reuse the old holes.


NT

 

[biffvernon]

The best option is probably to fill the hole with pine. Just wittle a stick of it, ram it in and cut flush.

Yes, and then smear a little Evostik mixed with wood dust from a sander into what's left of the hole, wipe clean and sand off when glue sets.

 

[charri421]

I worked on the basis that it looked rustic as opposed to scruffy. I have retained a bag of sanding dust in case I have the urge to mix with glue at a later date, but based on the fact its 1st floor (no draft) I doubt I will bother.

In the end I used OSMO POly xxx that is highly recommended on here. Must admit, I'm not mega happy with the finish as it seems to have gone quite yellow / orangey. I think this is more a reflection of the floor - despite it (apparently...) being from a late 19th century row of terraces and being covered in years of grime (appeared authentic) it sanded to a very light colour, not too disimilar to spruce. In fact, it only looks old because of the holes, many knots, pattina and colour variation between planks. it certainly doesn't have the rich brown of a floor in my previous house.

I can only assume it was bog standard cheapo stuff back in the 1890's, not the nicer pitch pine which is browner (btw, what exactly does the 'pitch' in pitch pine mean?)

Is it too late to stain? (very thin layer of OSMO polyX already on) would using linseed oil as a second coat help matters? or am i condemned to living in an Eastern European ski chalet?

 

[Lime]

Don't stain, you will regret it.
In a very short time the wood will go darker, richer and more interesting.
If the floor is left uncovered make sure you move things about so that a shadow of the object is not left on the floor.
If you leave a flower pot unmoved for 6 months there will be a light circle underneath it.
Once in the light the circle will disappear.
It takes about 10 years before a floor doesn't change much in colour.
However if the floor is covered it will take much longer.

 

[charri421]

Thanks for your re-assurance Lime!

I suppose I am concerned because I am staring at big empty rooms full of the stuff!!

When beds, furniture etc move in, I suspect it will be much less dominating.

 

[David Dyer]

(btw, what exactly does the 'pitch' in pitch pine mean?)

Pitch = resin so it is a resinous timber much more so than than say European redwood (Scots pine). It is much more obvious on newly cut boards than on old ones and a real pain if you are handling them as it gets all over your hands and can be a b**** to get off.

 

[Moo]

But it smells wonderful

 

[NT]

and being covered in years of grime (appeared authentic) it sanded to a very light colour, not too disimilar to spruce. In fact, it only looks old because of the holes, many knots, pattina and colour variation between planks. it certainly doesn't have the rich brown of a floor in my previous house.

its cos you sanded it off innit. Now you have to wait for the wood to slowly enrich in colour again.

Dont make the mistake of staining, it really kills the rich pattern and contrast of pine. It will get a bit darker as each year goes by.


NT

 

[charri421]

Just as a follow up (in case anyone is reading this as an archive at a later date)

Within 4 days, the bare pine with POlyx OSMO has really mellowed and the 'orrible orangey pine effect has gone (looked lousy for 3 days though!)

Another thumbs up for this waxoil - plus it really goes a long way, approx 1.5 litres used, about 20sqm covered twice with thin coats.

Will worry about the holes another day - or year