Wooden floor sanding project

[overlander matt]

Did a small section of caulking upstairs yesterday afternoon. It takes a while to know how many strands are needed for a particular size gap. Anything under say half a mm will hopefully fill with wax.



I'll have a go with some paint on the cotton to see how it blends in. The shellac didn't make too much difference to the colour.

It is going to take a long time to complete but I do notice the floor feels more solid in the small sections that I have done. Surprisingly so. I'll have a go at a area that has the most movement next.

Alas the floor downstairs and the staircase has already been primed so I'll have to take extra care in colouring the caulk there.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

It looks great and I can imagine it will take a long time to do, but hopefully worth it. It’s a great outcome if it’s already feeling solid.

The gaps in my floor are various sizes so i’ll have to figure out what to do.

Do you have suspended floors? I’m really curious to know if it has helped with any draught.

 

[overlander matt]

I'm sure it's not just wishful thinking that there's an improvement in the general springiness of the floor. I have also secured the odd loose board! I'm really trying to pack the caulking tight. I should get quicker once I have an idea for how many strands to use. The cotton bail has 6 or 7 strands which fits a wide 4mm gap ok. You can cut off or twist on extras as the gap narrows or widens. The majority of my gaps are taking 2-3 strands.

The next challenge will be getting it to blend in with the surrounding boards. I've tried a tester pot of brown emulsion but I suspect it will be a bit light. However, after shellac and there will probably be a fair bit of wax, it might be ok - just a bit soon to comment...

On a section near the window it certainly stops the draughts! I've yet to try the suspended floor downstairs but it should make a significant difference.

 

[Cubist]

I'm sure it's not just wishful thinking that there's an improvement in the general springiness of the floor.

Really packing the cotton in, while avoiding pushing it all the way through, will produce some outward pressure on the boards and the floors structure in general will become stiffer. However, there is a risk that the small amount of vertical movement remaining may eventually push the cotton out of place. The lacquer will help to prevent this as will any wax filler you might also use but turning the corners of the boards with the cotton will reduce this risk even further.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

I'm sure it's not just wishful thinking that there's an improvement in the general springiness of the floor.

On a section near the window it certainly stops the draughts! I've yet to try the suspended floor downstairs but it should make a significant difference.

Those are excellent results so far @overlander matt. I’m sure you’ll be proud of the work and feel the benefits for a very very long time.

My bedroom ceiling is now plastered, part blown wall sorted too. I can’t wait to strip the wallpaper, line and paint. I will have a proper bedroom by the new year!

Then, back to the floor scraping. Your project has been motivating- I cant wait to work on mine!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

However, there is a risk that the small amount of vertical movement remaining may eventually push the cotton out of place. The lacquer will help to prevent this as will any wax filler

@overlander matt @Cubist I plan to stain and varnish my floors. I don’t think i will have vertical movement problems (or maybe I will), but will varnish help with keeping ths cotton in place? I’m not sure if I should use lacquer instead.

I have pine flooring that will be sanded first. I’m not sure what natural colour that will come out, but I want a golden oak colour for my flooring so I was going to stain it.

 

[overlander matt]

I've had to divert away from the floor to an ensuite bathroom tiling project ready for guests coming at Christmas. I'm probably one third of the way through caulking the flooring joints. In terms of the floor movement, the caulking has made a major improvement. I'm still trying to figure out the right depth to push the caulk below the surface of the floor. My biggest fear is that it will work its way out over time. I'm hoping some paint and primer will help with this as I really don't want to be repeating the caulking process again.

Lizziecupcakes, you might be surprised by the effect of the caulking on movement! I wish you well with your flooring project there. Originally, I was quoted around £900 for a couple of guys to come in and 'do' the floor a few weeks ago. I've subsequently embarked on a much bigger project and probably spent at least £450 on materials to do the job. That said, the appearance of the floor downstairs has been very rewarding and still needs caulking and waxing. I'm still not sure how the boards and the gaps will look after the waxing is applied. I'm hoping it will fill the smaller gaps and smooth over the cotton caulking. It's first time for floor waxing for me.

More updates to follow once the ensuite has progressed to have a functioning toilet...

 

[Cubist]

but will varnish help with keeping ths cotton in place? I’m not sure if I should use lacquer instead.

The thinning/transport agents used in varnish or lacquer for that matter will penetrate and permeate the cotton - provided its not throughly repelled by any colouring/staining agent used beforehand - and will provide a weak bond between the cotton and the boards. The key to success though is ensuring that the cotton is installed with a tight fit between the boards - it must resist your efforts to gently pull it out as you progress along every run.

I have pine flooring that will be sanded first. I’m not sure what natural colour that will come out, but I want a golden oak colour for my flooring so I was going to stain it.

Pine, as Toby Newell and others have asserted before, is one of the most difficult timbers to colour using a dye or stain because the natural oils in the wood can operate as an impermeable barrier in some parts of a planks surface while other parts will happily accept it - thus leaving a patchy finish. Not being a pro myself I would adopt a strategy of using a colouring agent for the cotton to roughly match that of the surrounding sanded planks and apply this ahead of any attempts to stain or dye the floorboards OR alternatively you might consider using a colour matched filler to cover the cotton and sand off any excess you might leave on the surface of the boards. However, you might also consider using a coloured varnish for the final finish as this might allow you to omit the staining step altogether?

I'm still trying to figure out the right depth to push the caulk below the surface of the floor

Given that your boards are PSE I would aim for no more than half the available depth of the boards if possible whilst ensuring that you leave no more that a millimetre or two between the surface of the cotton and that of the neighbouring boards for the fillers/wax after colouring the cotton.