Replies

1. 
   rez | Mar 17, 2005 05:35am | #1

   Greetings TGNY,

   This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.

   Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.

   Cheers

   	I am becoming increasingly worried that there isn't enough anxiety in my life

1. 
   rez | Mar 18, 2005 11:49pm | #2

   bump

   Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. ~  Drinking Rum

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 19, 2005 12:29am | #3

   Thanks to rex for bumping this up.

   I love heart pine flooring, but have never laid it in those widths. Usually when laying pine that wide it is SYP or eastern white pine.

   I rpresume this is from reclaimed lumber and face grained. Some of the answer to your Q depends on the quality and cut of the grain, but in general, heart pine is more stable than many flooring woods, once aclimated. Vertical grain clear heart pione is so stable that you could expect almost no movement. But I doubt you could find flooring over 3" wide that is clear vertical grained. So I assume that this is face grain, maybe even a rustic cut, meaning you get some of the culls from th emill. So yes, it will move enough to show gaps when it shrinks. get used to that idea, because if you want wide plank flooring, you will have some of that, no matter what wood you use.

   Cupping - there are a couple of ways to avoid that- either glue and stapled T&G or face set nailing, along with proper patience in aclimation of the product on site. The decision will depend on what sort of appearance you are looking for.

    

    

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   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
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1. 
   TGNY | Mar 19, 2005 02:38am | #4

   Thanks Razzman for the bump and Piffin for the response.
   The wood I'm considering is new (southern yellow) heart pine with mixed grain (not 100% vertical grain). Basically it is the middle grade - called plantation, not the select nor the frontier / cabin grade (curtisheartpine.com). I have never installed heart pine before, so I haven't seen firsthand what the potential movement might be.

1. 
   DanH | Mar 19, 2005 02:42am | #5

   To minimize cupping, pay attention to the climate on both sides of the floor. If this is over a crawlspace you need to be sure that there is adequate insulation and a vapor barrier below, so that temperature and humidity is essentially the same on both sides.

1. 
   TGNY | Mar 19, 2005 03:07am | #6

   Since you bring that up, consider this. The flooring that will be on the 1st floor for the most part is over a heated bsmt., but there will be some over 2 crawl spaces at the new additions. In fact the living room is half on the extg. bsmt.(warm) and half on the crawl space (not so warm). There are accesses to the crawl space, but they are also vented to the exterior. So I planned on insulating the joists over the crawl space, but then does one put the v.b. on the cold side? You can't really get it on the warm side unless you line each joist space and deal with the heating ducts. Or, do you heat the crawl space and omit the insulation? Will felt paper over the subfloor rather than rosen be an effective v.b.? I realize I can't eliminate all movement, but I do want to do everything possible to minimize cupping and gapping.

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 19, 2005 04:16am | #7

   I hate it when sales people mix terms like that to benefit from the fine reputation true antique heart pine has and apply that rep to a lesser product by confusing the client.They mix three differeent related trees grown on plantations and call the product harvested from all three by the same name and compare that to true heart pine. What you end up getting can vary considerably in colour and textrue, as well as in stability.I would expect your wider planks to have the potential to move as much as 3/16". To minimize this, sticker and dry it for a month until the tested readfing is below eleven percent everywhere.. Then use a cut dewaxed shellac to seal all edges and resticker and stack it to dry for another week before laying it. use an AC or dehumidifier all the time you are doing all this and while installing.Again, Whether you use glue or face nailing to hold the product down against cupping depends on whether you wan tthe look of a smooth fastner free finish ( glue) or a rustic finish( exposed nail heads)
    

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   TGNY | Mar 19, 2005 04:40am | #8

   Thanks Piffin,

   A month of stickering, eh? I guess I will be doing the tile and kitchen cabinets during that time.

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 19, 2005 06:00am | #9

   southern yellow pine tends to hang onto the moisture for a long time. Lots of pitch to stabilize. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

2. 
   homebaseboston | Mar 19, 2005 03:26pm | #10

   We see that a LOT down here too.  No such thing as *new* heart pine, but some eegits down here sell it like that.  Reclaimed HP is going for about 13-15/sf where I get it.  Hands down the most beautiful flooring available, and solid as a rock._____________________________HomeBase______________  LLC

    

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 19, 2005 03:48pm | #11

   I've been spending 10-`12 bucks a foot, but it's been three years since my last order. About tne yars ago, I tiotally rejected and returned a ten thousand dolar order that was yellow pine when I'd ordered antique heart pine with specified grain pattern. They were trying to sell me three dollar product for ten bucks. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!