Thoughts on Cheap Flooring Idea Needed! - DIY Chatroom

MissyM · 08-05-2007, 11:16 PM

Hi Group --

I am hoping there is someone out there with some experience with crazy ideas. I know that this is kind of a hard question and that's why I'm appealing to the group for help. I want to run it past y'all because I'm worried that it won't work (even though I can't think of a single reason why - except that it is too cheap to work). I was thinking of getting these great Doug Fir strips (1"x4") that are sold for indoor trim and nailing down to the plywood subfloor in my living room. I know that Doug Fir is soft and that is okay because I'm going for the rustic look. I was thinking of nailing them down, sanding, staining and varnishing them.

I would so love it if someone with some experience with wood floors or with Doug Fir could give me their two cents worth! If you think it's a bad idea, let me know! The problem is that I have a limited budget and in need something REAL. I could do pine, too, if that would be better. I stained some pine and some doug fir and it looked great. Any thoughts or ideas would be welcomed!! I have a budget of about $1/square foot.

Thanks --

MissyM

Joining_Heads · 08-07-2007, 12:20 AM

I would advise a different route. You would have to face nail (gluing causes problems in humidity fluxuations) which would negate the option of sanding with a drum since hitting nails can be an expensive no no. You would have to set each nail- that might not look good. Not being able to sand flat is an open invitation for sock catchers ( self explanitory). Another problem is doug fir is really hard to stain (blotchy).

I think the biggest problem would be the absence of tongue and groove and end match. Depending on your climate this could be bad. Cupped and buckled boards would be a problem.

MissyM · 08-07-2007, 02:17 AM

Thanks, Joining_heads, for your thoughts. I didn't think it all the way out, apparently. I'll have to think more on it I guess. I appreciate your directness.

MissyM

millie · 09-01-2007, 12:20 PM

Hi,
You might have found a solution for your floor by now, but if not, I am sending you a picture of my kitchen floor, which also needed to be cheap. It is 1x6 tongue and groove douglas fir (3/4 inch thick), which I got fairly cheap at the local lumber mill. A friend and I nailed it with a rented floor nailer ($12.- per day) on top of the existing linoleum. Then I painted it with acrylic paint. That was ten years ago, and since I have repainted it a couple of times with a different color when I changed the furniture. It has a few dings from dropping stuff, but I like that. It looks like someone lives here. then I also did the same thing in the bathroom, but this time I glued the t&g on top of the tile, which had cracks, some of them. Sealed all around and painted with a couple of coats of acrylic it holds up great. Hope this helps, but if you already did your floor I hope you are happy with it.

Concordseeker · 09-01-2007, 09:51 PM

Some people just finish the plywood. Lots of poly is a good solution. I've seen it in many "urban" settings. Might want to do a Google search.