Repair of a wooden floor in an apartment and a private house: we eliminate defects on our own
Wooden floors are considered quite durable and reliable coating. However, due to its hygroscopicity, the tree is exposed to moisture. In summer, at elevated temperature and humidity, it swells. And it dries in the winter. This leads to the formation of cracks between the floorboards. Over time, the boards undergo rot. Due to furniture, dents and scratches form on the surface of the wooden floor. The paint is peeling off. Spilled chemicals leave a mark. Therefore, the coating has to be periodically restored. And what can we say about old houses in which the repair of wooden floors was not carried out for a long time. Where to start this process and what is needed for this? Here are the first two questions that a person decides to renew a wooden floor covering.
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How to start repairing a wooden floor?
If you are repairing a wooden floor with your own hands, do not rush to immediately begin work. Perhaps, in addition to those areas with damage that are clearly visible, there are hidden defects. They need to be discovered and eliminated. Otherwise, over time, repairs will have to be carried out again. Therefore, first of all, conduct a comprehensive inspection of the floor covering and its components. Having made a thorough inspection, you can decide whether the floors can be repaired or if they need to be completely replaced.
To find rotten boards you need to walk with a hammer all over the floor. This is the only way to detect a hidden defect. A muffled sound indicates the presence of rot. Rusty nails in floorboards will also tell about this. The scope of work depends on the size of the damage. The easiest way to replace the top floorboards. Subfloor boards are more difficult to replace, but not as hard as logs. To repair rotten logs, you will need to disassemble the floor above them and cut a defective piece. Then replace it with a new one.
It is much more difficult to repair the floor in a wooden house. Here, in addition to a thorough check of the upper floorboards, the subfloor and the log, you will have to examine the beams and embedded crowns. Inspection is necessary from all sides: from the inside, from the outside, from the underground. Inspection must be carried out in good light, so as not to miss the beginning of rot. When checking underground it is advisable to use a powerful flashlight.
Sometimes small defects of embedded beams are not visible "by eye". To find them use an awl or knitting needle with a sharp end. Through the piercing movements they pass the entire beam, checking for rotten areas. In this case, punctures are made as often as possible. Having found a damaged beam, it is replaced with a new one. Sometimes in order to replace a beam in a wooden house, you have to lift the structure with a jack.
Analysis of private situations
Old multi-apartment buildings still have wooden floors. Their arrangement is slightly different from the floors in private homes. If in a private building, the logs are laid on the ground, then in the apartment the laying is made on concrete. Therefore, the repair of a wooden floor in an apartment is different from the repair in a private house. After removing the lag for replacement, it is necessary to clean and check the concrete base for cracks.
If the floor is completely replaced, after dismantling and cleaning, it is necessary to perform cement screed. Can apply self-leveling mixture. After that, the base is primed and the waterproofing material is laid. Heat and sound insulating material is laid on top, and then floor boards.
Replacing floorboards
Consider a situation where you need to replace only one or more floorboards. Having found the damaged area of the floor, remove the rotten floorboard. We cut a new board according to its size. Having treated it with an antiseptic, without affecting the ends, we put it in place of the old fragment.
Advice! You can not treat the ends of the board with an antiseptic. Otherwise, over time, the board will begin to rot.
Using screws, we fix the board in place of the old one, screwing it to the lags. So every rotted floorboard is replaced. If a small area of rot is found on the board, you can not change the entire floorboard. It is enough to cut only the damaged area. Using it as a template cut out a new wood replacement. Fasten it to the lags using self-tapping screws. In this case, the ends of the new site should reach the middle of the lag.
Sealing gaps between floorboards
Before proceeding sealing gaps in the wooden floor clean the coating. Remove excess furniture so that it does not interfere. For more thorough cleaning of crevices use a brush with a rigid bristle. In order not to miss anything after the inspection, mark all areas requiring repair. Prepare the composition for work. There are special putties for wood. But you can make the composition yourself. If you mix PVA glue with sawdust to the density of sour cream, you get an excellent putty.
Having carefully processed all cracks, leave them to dry completely. Then peel the skin. This repair method is suitable for small cracks. Wide and deep slots eliminate otherwise - for them prepare wooden bars. In length, they should correspond to the length of the gap, and in the cross should have the form of a cone.
Having planted glue with sawdust, the workpiece is driven into the slot with the sharp edge down. The excess is cleaned with a plane and polished. Upon completion of the repair, the wooden floor is varnished or painted.
Eliminate squeak of floorboards
Sometimes floor repair in a private house comes down to the elimination of minor defects, such as creaking floorboards. Over time, any wood flooring begins to creak. The main cause of squeaking is loosening. If the house has a basement, the cause of unpleasant sounds can be easily eliminated. To find which floorboards will hold together, find a partner. While he will be walking on the floor, you will need to determine where the defect is located.
After calculating the creaking floorboard, you drive a wooden wedge into the gap between the beam and this board. Do not overdo it so that the board does not rise above the base. If it is impossible to get underground, repairs are made from above. Drill holes in the creaking floorboards above the beams. Fasten the screws by driving them into the beams at a slight angle, changing the direction of the angle. You can fix the board with nails.
Unsightly update
It happens that the flooring does not have the above problems. The only drawback comes down to its unsightly appearance. Or, after eliminating the remaining defects, it is necessary to bring the base into proper shape. Any repair of old wooden floors ends with it. coloring or varnishing. But before you do this, you need to prepare the foundation. Remove old paint that does not stick with a spatula. Wash the floor with detergent to degrease the surface.
If you already repair the old floors according to the rules, it is advisable to polish the old coating. This will help align the inconspicuous tubercles and depressions. The more thoroughly prepare the surface, the smoother the paint will lie. The cleaned and dried floor is primed with drying oil. After this, it is necessary to allow the floor to dry and only then apply a coat of paint. Do not try to immediately paint over with a thick layer of paint. It is better to apply two three layers thoroughly shading and letting each dry.
With proper care, the wooden floor will last more than one decade. The tree does not like moisture, so try not to flood the floors with water when cleaning. To prevent the furniture legs from scratching the surface, stick protective caps on them. Do not allow pets to spoil the floors with their claws and arrange the toilet in the wrong place. Such measures will help delay the next floor repair for a long time.
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