Author Topic: Opinions needed: What should I cut an mill for flooring for my log house? (Read 2533 times)

MotorSeven · « **on:** August 29, 2011, 08:02:39 pm »

My walls are almost halfway up(6x6 ERC). I want a light colored flooring and after seeing the price of finished hardwood floor my wife and I said, "no way Jose to $5 a sq ft". I am not in a big hurry and have a hundered ac to choose from: hard maple, soft maple, beech, ash, white oak, poplar, hickory and a few others I can't remember right now. So what would y'all choose to cut and sticker in the house basement to let the soapstone stove "kiln dry" druing the upcomming winter? My neighbor has a big shaper and can either T&G it or Shiplap it.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:29:32 pm »

Here is where I am at right now:

WDH · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:32:02 pm »

Did you cut the cedar logs with your LT15?

Ash will have a much more bold grain than the beech or maple. Hickory would be difficult to work with.

KBforester · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:46:03 pm »

I vote beech if you have decent logs. I always like the idea of using stuff that isn't popular, but highly functional.

Satamax · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:50:51 pm »

If i may say, ash make lovely floors.

millwright · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:56:43 pm »

I have used black ash for flooring and casing trim, and also for cabinets , it works very well.

Cedarman · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:00:23 pm »

We have the big room floored with quarter sawn ash. A small section is from flat sawn. I like the quarter sawn much better. It also has some darker heart wood in it for contrast. Walnut floor in hall way and some walnut wainscoating. Looks nice also. Our house is also 6x6 cedar.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:07:58 pm »

the only wood that can take the harsh rapid drying you are speaking of is ash. all other woods will self destruct without having a controled drying process.

POSTONLT40HD · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:10:33 pm »

I can put you on some KOOL-AID colored WHITE OAK......but ya need to hurry before the color goes away.

mikeb1079 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:11:58 pm »

do you have enough black cherry on your land? if so that gets my vote.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:52:50 pm »

WDH, initially I wanted to use all my ERC. But, my terrain(steep) made this diffucult and dangerous, so I will end up with about 1/4th my own cedar. I bought the rest of the 6x6x8' ERC for $20 a stick from Grant Cedar Mill in Gordonsville TN(about 3 hrs from me & East of Nashville). This was not too much more than buying raw logs locally which proved to be an exercise in futility.

Mike, no, as far a I know I have no black cherry.

Guys, I think most of my Ash is Green Ash and it is abundant. It gets cut for firewood a lot and I see it is very light in color so I may go that route.

I also have quite a bit of Beech but I am not sure how it will warp/twist when drying. As far a Maple goes I don't know how to tell the difference between hard and soft maple. Can either be used for flooring? What about Poplar...too soft?

I guess I am looking for the easiest one to work with under my parameters that is light in color. Sorry for all the questions, but I really need to be edjumacated

cypresskayaksllc · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:59:40 pm »

How about making a mixed species floor

WDH · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2011, 10:04:28 pm »

Beech can be difficult to dry straight. Oak is in the beech family, and I suspect that it requires, like oak, more gentle drying than most other species.

Yellow poplar has a specific gravity of about .48. Cherry has a specific gravity of .50. Soft (red) maple is about .54. Black walnut is about .55. Green ash is about .56. Hard maple is about .62. Red oak is about .62. White oak is about .68. Hickory is .70 or above. That should give you some idea of the relative density of these species. I think that green ash would be a fine choice.

As to hard maple versus soft (red) maple. Both species have leaves with lobes. Sugar maple (hard maple) has about 5 lobes (think the Canadian flag) while red maple has three. Also, the leaf margin between the lobes in sugar maple are not toothed, but the leaf margins between the lobes of red maple are decidely toothed.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2011, 10:35:52 pm »

WDH, thanks. My neighbor worked at a local sawmill for 15 years and even he could not tell me how to find hard maple in the woods. I do have a few sugar maples, but green ash sounds like the winner.

Well......... I considered mixing, but the whole dang house is going to already be 'busy" so a consistant light floor is the way I want to go.

I won't get to cut and mill anything until the house is in the dry...I'll post up a update then.

sealark37 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2011, 10:41:47 pm »

I vote for ash. I did most of my house in ash 25 years ago. It is simply beautiful. I had the mill make my door and window casing out of the ripped edges from making 4" flooring. We get lots of positive comments. Regards, Clark

jdtuttle · « **Reply #15 on:** August 30, 2011, 06:36:07 am »

I just finished a mixed hardwood floor & it looks great. Ash, white oak, red oak, cherry & poplar.
jim

catskillpond · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2011, 10:49:44 am »

I would like to see what a mixed floor looks like thinking fo doing the same in the kitchen

petefrombearswamp · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2011, 06:05:04 pm »

1993 built our present house, (not me I was too busy with my career as a consulting forester).
Sugar maple from 2 to 8 wide all screwed up from underneath in the kitchen and dining area.
living room, hall and den Black cherry 3 to 9 wide screwed as previous.
Bedrooms (2) White pine 12 to 16 also screwed as previous.
Nothing showing upstairs.
18 years of kids, grand kids and a dog and it still looks great with of course the requisite wear and tear.
A few boards now creak, but this is to be expected.
I like to work with beech a bit difficult but worth it.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2012, 06:50:52 pm »

I am dragging this post back up because the stove pipe is en-route and I will have the stove up and running in the basement within 2 weeks. I have not cut anything yet because I didn't have any place to put it. I was at a local mill the other day and they have 5 quarter x 6" wide poplar that has been sticker'd out in the weather for 6 or so months....a thousand bf is $450.

I have kinda backed myself in a corner and will be ready for flooring in about 2-3 months. 2 questions, will poplar hold up as well as SYP, and If I go this route, what is a realistic drying time in the heated basement with a fan on the stack?

Cypress Sam · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2012, 07:40:25 pm »

hickory would look good if you want to have a light color. But about twice as much as you think you are going to need to cull knots, warped boards and cracks. I have ran alot of t and g flooring and every thing that has not been kiln dried down to 7% or less usually ends up with cracks between the boards.

Sam

Bandmill Bandit · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2012, 07:43:57 pm »

If you have access to quaking aspen, cut a couple hundred feet and lay it in the house to see how it looks. I think it would look great with the you ERC walls. JMHO.

jeremiahdixon · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2012, 07:45:20 pm »

#2 oak unfinished is running about 1.30 to 1.50 in Missouri, the #2 stuff still looks really good in my opinion, just has some character.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2012, 09:39:39 pm »

CS, I don't think I have time to skid cut and stack hickory.
BB, no aspen here.
JD, we do have a flooring mfg in Morristown, so I might call them & see what a kiln dried stack would cost. I drove by there today and that have a lot of lumber sittting outside on stickers. Cracks and knots are fine, I want it "rustic" and may just butt 'em..no T&G or shiplap.

dlabrie · « **Reply #23 on:** February 08, 2012, 10:04:44 am »

Quote

I just finished a mixed hardwood floor & it looks great. Ash, white oak, red oak, cherry & poplar.

Jim, Do you have any pictures?

MotorSeven · « **Reply #24 on:** February 08, 2012, 11:10:11 am »

Hmmmm, I just got off the phone with our local hardwood floor mfg. I can get 1,000 sq ft of Kiln dried 5 quarter rough cut Ash for $748. This does not sound like a bad deal at all...........

j rock · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2012, 12:28:50 pm »

Mix hardwood looks great. A TIP for you, when drying like this rember to flip the bordes over 1/2 way throuth drying season.(mite help stop the curling some what.) Also when sawing it out -saw it, over size, like 1.3/32 to even 5/4. that way if it dose curle much, you have lots of board to work with. J.

jdtuttle · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2012, 02:06:21 pm »

Quote

Jim, Do you have any pictures?

just sent a text to my daughter to send me a couple pictures. Not very good at downloading pics, but I'll try

jim

jdtuttle · « **Reply #27 on:** February 09, 2012, 06:53:08 am »

This is a mixed hardwood floor we made & installed in a duplex. red & white oak, ash, poplar & cherry.

Ozarkian · « **Reply #28 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:08:47 am »

I love the ERC walls, can't wait to see more pictures as you complete them! I have no experience cutting flooring, but wanted to compliment your current progress.

-Ozarkian

MotorSeven · « **Reply #29 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:09:36 pm »

Here ya go Ozark...with one coat of Tung Oil:

WDH · « **Reply #30 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:21:27 pm »

You are just gonna get him riled up

.

plowboyswr · « **Reply #31 on:** February 10, 2012, 12:49:55 am »

Motorseven looks good and wdh is right ozarkian is gonna go nuts

eastberkshirecustoms · « **Reply #32 on:** February 10, 2012, 01:34:20 am »

I know you are looking for lighter woods, but I 'wood' like to see an apple floor. That would be nice, but that's just me....

MotorSeven · « **Reply #33 on:** February 10, 2012, 01:31:04 pm »

apple? sounds e$pensive

Magicman · « **Reply #34 on:** February 10, 2012, 01:38:54 pm »

You get it from an "Apple" tree.

This picture is courtesy of Tom.

eastberkshirecustoms · « **Reply #35 on:** February 10, 2012, 06:46:07 pm »

Quote from: Magicman on February 10, 2012, 01:38:54 pm

You get it from an "Apple" tree.

Yup that's the stuff

Bill Gaiche · « **Reply #36 on:** February 10, 2012, 06:51:36 pm »

How about a Pear tree? bg

WDH · « **Reply #37 on:** February 10, 2012, 07:25:43 pm »

Then, we could BBQ the partridges

.

Magicman · « **Reply #38 on:** February 10, 2012, 09:52:28 pm »

Or "Crisp" um.

petefrombearswamp · « **Reply #39 on:** February 12, 2012, 09:51:53 am »

My question has to do with the ERC walls.
they are certainly pretty, but
It seems to me that you will be living in a giant cedar lined closet/chest.
Do you think the odor will cause problems over time?

jueston · « **Reply #40 on:** February 12, 2012, 11:45:06 am »

i love the smell of cedar... but just like a closet, after a while the smell won't be very strong anymore, and since he coated it with something it might not smell much at all anymore....

MotorSeven · « **Reply #41 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:46:01 am »

I'm already immune to the smell. Our shop is 200 yards away and 300' down hill. My wife could smell the cedar when I was squaring logs form there....and I couldn't smell a thing.
Jueston is right, I sealed it with Tung Oil and I can smell that, but it too is fading quickly.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #42 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:49:05 am »

So, no opinions on the 1,000 board feet of kiln dried 5/4 Ash for $750? Fair deal?

Have I angered the milling gods by even thinking of buying wood?

jdtuttle · « **Reply #43 on:** February 14, 2012, 10:34:29 am »

That's a good price but a little thick for flooring.
jim

MotorSeven · « **Reply #44 on:** February 14, 2012, 11:25:18 am »

Quote from: jdtuttle on February 14, 2012, 10:34:29 am

That's a good price but a little thick for flooring.
jim

Yes, it's mill cut. I have not seen it yet, so I am not sure if I will have to run it through my planer or get away with sanding it once it is down.

Axe Handle Hound · « **Reply #45 on:** February 14, 2012, 01:13:04 pm »

I'd buy it for that price. It's going to make a beautiful floor and it's ready to be milled right now. Don't see how you could go wrong really.

jeremiahdixon · « **Reply #46 on:** February 14, 2012, 03:54:29 pm »

I think the price sounds good and would plane it to 1" or so and fasten it from the bottom if possible.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #47 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:37:42 pm »

Quote from: jeremiahdixon on February 14, 2012, 03:54:29 pm

I think the price sounds good and would plane it to 1" or so and fasten it from the bottom if possible.

Interesting idea....but my floor trusses are 16" on center and 10' off the basement floor. I just don't think I could play twister long enough to get 1,000 sq ft screwed down

I am kinda entertaining no shiplap or T&G, just gluing and face screwing or nailing, then making my own or buying dark plugs for the holes. If you have ever seen a teak deck on a boat, the screw plugs make it very cool looking.

WDH · « **Reply #48 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:45:38 pm »

To me, an ash floor with walnut plugs would look great.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #49 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:48:26 pm »

And I happen to have walnut stickered and stacked in a shed for two years. Yikes, I hope the beetles have not made more sawdust...........

WDH · « **Reply #50 on:** February 14, 2012, 09:52:35 pm »

Don't even say the words "powder post beetles"

. I have had them get into the sapwood in walnut lumber, but fortunately, they do not like the heartwood. They do love ash, though. They seem to prefer the ring porous hardwoods like oak, ash, hickory, and pecan. I found out that they like persimmon, too

. If you ash is not kiln dried, your might want to treat it.

eastberkshirecustoms · « **Reply #51 on:** February 14, 2012, 11:35:44 pm »

I hate those ppb's. I have a lot of oak joists, posts, beams, and flooring in the old barn (pretty much the entire barn, I guess). Those little suckers sure do some damage! The commercial sprays for them are next to impossible to get shipped to NY. So far I have had really good results with a mix of boric acid, diatomaceous earth, and water. No more sawdust falling out of the wood that I treated.

WDH · « **Reply #52 on:** February 15, 2012, 07:32:44 am »

Boracare is supposed to penetrate into the wood whereas Timbor is a surface treatment. However, I have no experience with it and I hope that I never have to use it

.

toolman18 · « **Reply #53 on:** February 27, 2012, 03:23:04 pm »

A friend of mine has a log cabin with poplar floors in it, they look very nice. It is a little soft but you get a lot of character marks, which I like.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #54 on:** February 27, 2012, 07:38:32 pm »

TM, I thought about that. Air dried Poplar is $450 a thou, Kiln dried Ash is $750. Since we are not talking about huge dollars, I think I am going to go Ash. They do have Kild dried Poplar, so I will take a look at it when I go to buy.
The gable glass arrives on Wed, I installed the wood stove flue yesterday, so once all the glass is in I will be ready for flooring.

MotorSeven · « **Reply #55 on:** May 04, 2012, 10:21:24 am »

Well, I went and looked at the kiln dried stuff at the mfg. They wer out of Ash but had hard maple for $780. It was all random lengths/widths and looked to have been dried very fast...lots of splits & cracks. What it really looked like to me was too much stinking work, so I switched to Plan B.

I have been checking Craigslist for the past few months, so I looked again and found a Demolition company that had re-claimed oak flooring. Called the guy and he said he had 3,000sq ft for .50 cents a foot. My neighbor is also building a house, so he wanted to look at it too. When we got there I found out it was 80-ish year old 2 1/4" oak t&G from an old church. Other than carpet glue on a lot of it we thought it looked pretty good.

We took all he had, and it took 6 hrs for it to get bundled and strapped on pallets(it was stored on a second floor). Some was 12' long and all of it had been nailed down with square nails. Once it was loaded he did a calculation on the quantity.....over 4K sq ft(I thought he was overestimating a bit). We got the whole load for $1500. 6 bundles filled my 20' trailer, and my truck flat bed was loaded with the long stuff:

The plank in the middle had glue on it, but it is dry and brittle...scrapes off easily:

Here it is 2x36' nailed down:

I am 3/4's done of 1200 sq ft and the waste is running about 10%. I will get that done on 2 bundles and half of the long bundle, so there will plenty left over. All in all it was a great find..........

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Author Topic: Opinions needed: What should I cut an mill for flooring for my log house? (Read 2533 times)