Hey Everyone,

New here but been reading a few threads. I have a question for you guys. I would like to know what type of flooring you think this is. I built a 4 season porch off this room and would like to have the same flooring in both rooms. However, i am stumped as to what this might be.

My original though was possibly pine, but the complete and udder lack of knots is making myself think it might not be true. The planks are 6" and 10" or 12" (approximately 15cm and 25.5cm or 30.5cm for our SI friends) and about 14 feet long (4.25m). The original portion of the house was built in 1750, however, this room i believe was built in 1950s or earlier.

Any thoughts and help would be great. Sorry for the link i couldn't attach the picture to the post, it kept "It is not possible to determine the dimensions of the image.

http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m105/Mazda3ofNH/?action=view&current=188631_648745417040_21903410_37105882_4057122_n.jpg

Danish,

I'm thinking vertical grain Heart Pine or perhaps vertical grain Douglas Fir. What is your geographical location? That would be important to figure out what historically would have been commonly used wood for flooring in that area.

Johannes

Thanks Johannes,

I live in Southern New Hampshire.

Dan

thats looks like heart pine. some really nice old heart pine btw. We never see fir for flooring down south so not sure 100%

So, I assume that you have a beautifull saltbox style home? I love the historic architecture in New England.

Likely Heart Pine then.

Anyhow, I would stay away from wide boards in an exterior setting, too much movement causing warping/cupping and splitting. Go for the standard size deck boards (or shiplap floor board if you have a covered porch). If it is a controlled 4 season porch where any moisture stays away you have a bit more leaway but I would still be carefull. Is in on concrete or is a insulated subfloor? What about raining in if it is kept open in the summer?

Check with some local lumberyards who do specialty woods.
I'm thinking Bingham Lumber in Brooklin NH or Nor' East Architectural Antiques in South Hampton NH. Carlisle in Stoddard also may have decking but they specialize in interior wood flooring.

Porch flooring should be coated well on all sides prior to installing, more on the back/sides helps with keeping it from moving excessively (controlling moisture absorption). After installation sanding it down good with up-to 80 grit and finish with a high quality exterior translucent deck finish like Sikkens Cetol.

Johannes.

Thanks Kevin! I loved the floors when i bought the house over a year ago. Got wide plank pine on the second floor, that were painted but they got stripped and polyurethane'd. 1.5 inch oak on the downstairs in perfect condition, and that wide plank, what i'm now going to call heart pine i have in the picture.

Was looking at the sub-flooring in the house and its rough cut planks, largest one i've found so far is over 28" wide!!! Man i love my old house!

Johannes,

Yes it is a beautiful saltbox, with hand cut post and beam. My floor joist on the original portion of the house are full size ceders trees, some with some of the bark still left.

I guess i need to clarify, it is a porch but not a porch. It will be year round living space not an exterior setting. It WAS a 3 season porch (newest portion of the house and the only part of the house that needed help). So tore the whole thing down and rebuilt it, it will be heated and i have R-36 in the floor (crawl space under) with 12" on center floor joists. R-27 in wall, R-38 in ceiling and new double pane windows. So in other words the most insulated portion of the house. Sooner or later (probably later) the room that the picture is in will be fully opened directly to the "porch". So, i want their floors to match as close as possible.

Danis,

In that case go find the correct wood in matching width. There are plenty reclaimed wood places in your neck of the wood, just google!

Take some good digital images from close up and get them printed in larger format so you can take them along when you search. Sounds like you have some time to do it right.

ps. please put some furniture castors under those camping chair legs if they still are getting used, they will dent the floor way too easy this way.

Johannes.

Johannes,

No worries, that picture was taken hours after i closed on the house (over a year ago), to document my first meal in the house. That room is now fully finished with an area rug (it hurt to cover it), and what furniture touches the wood, defiantly has felt!

Also, thanks for your quick search on wood places near me. That first place Bingham is literally 5 mins from me and i didn't even know it existed. Looking at their website i might have found what that floor was made of . . . Northern Hard Pine.

http://www.binghamlumber.com/old-growth-northern-hard-pine.php looks almost exactly like mine!

Thanks for your help Johannes!