Replies

1. 
   Novy | Jun 08, 2002 09:36pm | #1

   Baltic Birch is not made with waterproof glue

   On An Island By The SEA
2. 
   UncleDunc | Jun 08, 2002 10:05pm | #2

   The baltic birch I've seen was very bland. That's not necessarily bad, but it's also not usually a selling point for a wood floor.

   Another question is, can you get it in 4'x8' sheets? Cutting 2' squares out of a 5'x5' sheet (actually 1.5 meters) would waste more than a third of it.

3. 
   MisterT | Jun 08, 2002 11:58pm | #3

   I hope you are asking about solid Baltic birch. I don't know if this wood is available domestically  in solid form. I guess the 2'x2' thing means plywood. I have never heard of using plywood as a finished floor. The top veneer (wear layer) would be to thin to give it any real life. even the baltic birch ply has only slightly more than 1/16th inch veneers.

   Go with solid wood floor, there is no substitute!

   Mr T

   Do not try this at home!

   I am a trained professional!

4. 
   Piffin | Jun 09, 2002 01:15am | #4

   From a design standpoint, it would be an intresting floor.

   But it would be a nightmare to install and protect. It is very soft and would need a powerful wear layer of finish along with lots of signs that say, "Take you shoes off or else!"

   Excellence is its own reward!
1. 
   tuffy | Jun 09, 2002 03:39am | #5

   I just imagine someone in sock-feet snagging a corner of veneer and peeling it right off.

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Jun 09, 2002 04:51am | #6

   I have a pretty stupid suggestion, but only after agreeing with folks who say it ain't suitable flooring material.

   Lay the floor with the edges as the wear layer.

   I kinda like the alternating light/dark pattern on baltic birch plywood. Sorta like an end grain block floor.

   Most baltic birch plywood projects seem to somehow show off the edges as part of the finished product instead of edgebanding over it.

   Instead of laying the stuff flat, let folks know that you used baltic birch plywood.

   And the best part would be no worries for "sock-feet snagging a corner of veneer and peeling it right off."

1. 
   Qtrmeg | Jun 09, 2002 05:01am | #7

   That's an alternative.

2. 
   tuffy | Jun 09, 2002 05:42am | #8

   Frank Lloyd Wright actually did exactly that for the main drafting studio at Taliesin, and it does in fact look really, really cool.  I imagine it'd be stong too, no?  Wright supposedly said he'd never do it again, though--a labor-intensive process for huge, huge room.

1. 
   ahneedhelp | Jun 09, 2002 06:15am | #9

   re - Wright supposedly said he'd never do it again, though--a

   labor-intensive process for huge, huge room.

   --------

   Yes, and there would be quite a loss of material from all the saw cuts for the zillions of strips. Yet another architect's concept that is realized through client's deep pockets.

   Thanks for pointing out Wright's floor. I had no idea.

2. 
   gbwood | Jun 09, 2002 04:28pm | #10

   I've seen it used on edge set up in a harringbone(sp) pattern- if I remember they were 3 x 6 inch "tiles"- looked beauty