Saturday 8 March 2014

Getting Laid

(this follows on from my off-topic parquet post...)
Made a stab at laying my wooden floor. There are several theories about technique so ended up with a fusion of geometry and much reference to my favourite philosopher Heath Robinson. Bostik Laybond floor adhesive is brilliant, if gooey and messy, so lots of wipes to-hand.
Heavy tool boxes and dead batteries are used end of line to keep freshly laid sections square - or weighed down, as the floor is slightly wonky and the blocks are slightly different thicknesses. The set-square is my bible.
I had a few kcuf-ups where individual parquet blocks slid about and left big gaps (effectively aquaplaning) even though - or maybe because?, they had 24kg on top of them. The glue is so strong (although still completely flexible) it ripped up the latex cement floor rather than coming un-stuck from the wood. Balls.
Once a central herringbone spine has been laid and the glue has set, it's easier to slot in the rest. It's all tongue-and-groove. But as these are reclaimed blocks, adjustment by sanding down edges, has to be made for a good fit with each neighbour.
Only another 1,976 blocks to lay. BP

8 comments:

stevegayton said...

Epic undertaking but what a buzz when it's all done and all down to you

Paul said...

Great undertaking Dood! Hope it turns out that way you want it to :-)

herrod said...

Fantastic!

Kirk said...

That is brilliant! Seeing the slowly expanding completed floor must be a good feeling

Kirk said...

Nice use of an underwear catalog too....

rustyli150 said...

Looks amazing ben - good work

Hercules Propellers said...

Lay 'em right the first time and you'll be able to walk all over them for the rest of your life.... I mean the floor.

Dan said...

looking great! wait until you get to the edges, then everything else will have felt like it took no time at all!