SYP Plank Flooring

[pioneergal]

We are still  several months away from our finished floor phase but I'm always thinking ahead to future projects on the house.

DH and I like the looks of Yellow Pine Plank Flooring and was wondering if someone on the forum has them in your home.

What are pro's and con's of plank flooring.

Several years ago when we lived in Ga. our neighbors had a pine plank floor installed useing 12" boards but I don't remember the planks being T&G.

Is it necessary to use T&G or can one use 1x6, 1x8, 1x10, or 1x12 boards from the local builder supply?

We would really like to know all the information that anyone is willing to share on this topic.

Jackie

[glenn-k]

Solid wood will expand and contract seasonally - dry wood when installed is best or it will shrink up to about 5/8" per foot from wet fresh sawn  to dry.  We have planks in a few places.  Without tongue and groove edges tend to wander up and down separately.  T&G stops that.  Narrower boards will have less seasonal change per board hence less gap between boards- old houses used about 3/4 x 3 T&G quite often.

[John_M]

I love the look of the wide pine flooring.  I have found that it is a bit pricey ($3.00-$6.00 per square foot - wider the plank the higher the price).  Some laminate flooring has that look as well.  Very easy to install and hard to tell the difference when glancing at it quickly.  Especially when covered with throw rugs and furniture!  No worries about shrinking and swelling!

[keyholefarmhouse]

Also like the look of Pine floors.  They scratch and gouge easily.  It looks awsume with lots of this over time.  Some people paint them but then get into more maintinence.  

[joe_landscaper]

I purchased yellow pine flooring from ebay $1.09 per sq. ft. kiln dried, no. 2. It is going in a hunting cabin and the grade of floor wasn't important to us. They have no. 1 grade flooring for just a little more. The guy has  a mill in Oklahoma and will ship it anywhere for .50 or less. I wound up paying 1.50 per sq. ft delivered to California. Type in pine flooring on ebay and see what you get.

[Amanda_931]

I've no idea what the laminates look like or wear like today.  My first experience with them was in a coffee bar in a bookstore.  Don't know what brand it was.   At least after a month or two, it only looked clean when it was wet.  Soured me on the whole concept.

[jstig]

The last house I lived in had pine floors (6 inch wide t&g boards) - original to the house - it was built in 1840.  The previous owner refinished them before I bought the house.  The floors looked great even at 160 years old.  So I guess pine floors wear well and are worth the extra money.  I dont think laminate floors will last that long.  

Jim

[John_M]

Well, I'm 34.  If I build a cabin, I would be happy to have my floors last 50 years!!!!

If they last 160 years...I guess my grandchildren's grandchildren will have a nice floor to give to their grandchildren!!!

[pioneergal]

Wow! 160 years!
We really want to use the 4" - 6" plank flooring.

[Texan_lost_in_cali]

I used 8" yellow pine from Home Depot in my living room and I love it! I stained it puritan pine and then use poly over it to protect it. Yes it does have some imperfections, but that is what makes it real to me.
BTW it is not T&G.
Sean

[jstig]

great looking floor Texan - lots of character.  they look just like the 160 year old floors in my old house.

Mine were not T&G either.  I mistakenly said that in my earlier post but thinking about it now there was some separation of the boards (not much) and a wood filler of some sort was used to fill the space.

Jim

[Amanda_931]

Router-done half-lap instead of tongue and groove?

It might give one some of the sealing, but cheaper?

[stricsm]

Anyone try the SYP from Lumber Liquidators?  http://www.lumberliquidators.com/shopping/add.asp?product_id=205

[Billy Bob]

I used to work in a mill that had SYP floors,two layers 2"x8" shiplap, laid diagonaly.  Several times each day  tons of steaming witch hazel chips would be dumped out of the stills onto this floor, then shoveled into carts.  After about eighty years of this kind of treatment, they still looked pretty good!  More like holy stoned deck boards than front parlor shiny, but I bet they could have been sanded and finished nicely.  We just mopped linseed oil on 'em once a year in the off season.
Might be worth looking into local sawmills, if you're in yellow pine country; sticker up a pile to air dry whilst building the rest of the house.  The difference in price might allow one to rationalize the cost of a planer and shaper!