How much to reinstate good old-fashioned floorboards?

pealy

I'd really like to replace the boarded floor in my sitting room but I only seem to be able to find prices & suppliers for laminates or interlocking boards. What I'd really like to do is get hold of some old boards from a demolition/refurb but will use new wood if I have to. What I'd really like to know is how much it might cost to buy the boards and have someone lay it for me?

Also, if anyone knows a good source for used or new boards in the North-west (I'm in Lancashire) or can recommend someone to fit them I'd be really grateful.

John_M_Business

OK. Couple of things first:
1) Do you have a cavity underneath the floor (i.e. beams onto which the floorboards can be laid)? If not, then don't get 'old' floorboards as they need space to breathe underneath
2) If you do have beams onto which to lay the boards, then your best bet is to try to find a builders' yard with reclaimed boards. The cost will be upwards of £15-20 per square metre for the boards, however add 20% because they will all have to be cut to size - so £20-25
3) Laying the boards, double the price. So perhaps another £20-25 per square metre. This should include cutting, fixing, sanding, staining and varnishing (inc materials). Therefore you should be looking to pay in the region of £40-50 per square metre.

Whether you can get that kind of price is a different matter. Particularly with small / fiddly spaces, they often charge more.

pealy

Thanks a mill - that gives me a good ballpark at least.

I do have beams (although I need to replace a few ends and put damp-proof membranes underneath) and there is a cavity although it's not as deep as I would like so I might try to dig it out a little first.

N.

lush_walrus

Careful with the digging out, if your house is old often the foundations are pretty shallow in comparison to modern houses.

Out of interest, why do you want to dig it out?

newfunk

Id be reluctant to start digging out uinder my house, it could throw up all sorts of problems, and the building inspector would have a field day! How big is the room you need to board?

Any cutting around fireplaces etc?
What finish are you looking to put on them when they are sanded?

pealy

It looks to me like it's just rubble under the boards so I was thinking of just removing it to give better air-flow (the house is 200 years old).

The room is pretty big at 6m x 5m and has a fireplace and a step down from the hall to be cut around.

We're just going to stain them fairly dark and varnish.

raeble

Do you have a Wickes nearby? They sell new tongue & grove pine floorboards. When I was looking at laminate this worked out comparible.

pealy

raeble wrote:

Do you have a Wickes nearby? They sell new tongue & grove pine floorboards. When I was looking at laminate this worked out comparible.

Cheers raeble I'll have a look at wickes but I'm thinking I should try to keep it authentic which means straight edged boards with drafty gaps between them!

John_M_Business

pealy wrote:

Cheers raeble I'll have a look at wickes but I'm thinking I should try to keep it authentic which means straight edged boards with drafty gaps between them!

Yes, definitely prefer 'proper' floorboards. Their eccentricities add to the character - whereas if ever tongue and groove come apart, it just looks awful.

Also, a tip from my flat - we had pine flooring and a couple of MDF bits (on stairs), but if you use a dark stain (we used mahogany) and THEN a varnish (i.e. not a varnish with stain in it) - you can't tell the difference!! It also looks fantastic...

pealy

John_M_Business wrote:

.. and a couple of MDF bits (on stairs), but if you use a dark stain (we used mahogany) and THEN a varnish (i.e. not a varnish with stain in it) - you can't tell the difference!! It also looks fantastic...

MDF? Get thee behind me satan!

I know what you mean though, I don't care if it full of arsenic and other nasty stuff, I sometimes wonder how we ever managed without it.

John_M_Business

Trouble was, the staircase was mostly carpeted (apart from the top step) - therefore the added (read DOUBLED) cost for getting a wood staircase was prohibitive.

In any case, what did builders do before plasterboard and MDF?