Can You Use Rough Cut Lumber For Flooring

I always cut my individual pieces slightly oversize adding 1 2 in.

Can you use rough cut lumber for flooring. And rough sawn is the only way to go if you need really thick boards. If the wood is under 4 inches wide no glue is needed otherwise you need to use an adhesive. Rough lumber may contain saw marks insect holes and bark. If you re into woodworking even a little bit you should consider buying rough sawn lumber for your next project.

A proper finish keeps rough wood supple prevents it from fading cracking and enhances its natural beauty. Rough cut lumber is just what the name implies. I m going to use this current floor as a subfloor for. Can you use this on a house with a slab foundation.

I can t advise you on the finish. First off rough lumber is usually old growth so it is much better looking and much harder than anything manufactured today there are several ways to use rough lumber as flooring. This is a question that i cannot answer. You will not be able to change the moisture in your floor so just make sure the flooring is within 2 of the sub floor and you should not have problems.

Since the boards are 3 4 thick it hides a multitude of problems in sub flooring etc. How i am installing the floor and fitting it to the uneven posts. Plus you can save yourself a ton of money converting roughhewn lumber to finished product. This will help it acclimate quicker.

Basically you cut the boards down to the length you need and install it right over the sub flooring. I also use my mill to make lumber turning blanks and other woodworking related items. It s fuzzy with exposed fibers with an inconsistent surface. I have seen others use rough lumber in the past but i don t know what they did in the way of surface prep or finish.

When you bring the flooring in to acclimate stack it in a cris cross pattern. Soft woods get dented up and worn down quicker. Generally speaking the harder the wood the better the floor holds up. Rough lumber can be tricky to crosscut safely.

Use the best crosscutting tools. To get a rough sawn floor smooth enough for bare feet while retaining its rustic character use a floor buffer with a maroon pad and 220 grit abrasive strips. It imparts a rustic ambiance that you just can t get using milled lumber. Maybe enough to justify buying that planer you ve always wanted.

Your floor should be about 5 to 6. This by far is the easiest flooring we have done. My older house was built with the hardwood flooring laid directly on the joists.