Fix hole in tounge and groove flooring - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Radi8tor · 03-10-2004, 08:23 PM

Hi! in the middle of my loft floor is a hole where 2 of the tounge and groove floorboards were cut out...its about an 8 inch length, 4 inches on either side of the joist, the boards are about 2 inches wide making it 4 inches wide...I can nail a piece of wood to the joist, but its like a see saw if you put weight on either side of it...cant get tounge and groove boards in without starting at the wall and working over can you?

There are some pieces of tin nailed to the floor in a few pieces...I wonder if these are covering holes fixed with the "see saw" method above...Id rather not use the tin technique...any alternatives to ripping up the rest of the floor to the wall and relaying it?

extend the hole so its ends will reach the middle of the next 2 joists(the ones on either side of the hole)? that would be less ripping up of the old floor...

any ideas appreciated!

jwoody · 03-11-2004, 05:56 AM

You could cut the 'tongue' from a new piece of tongue and groove board, cut to size and force it in (hammer time). It won't be perfect but it'll hold as long you don't put a table or chair leg directly on top of either end of it.

onetime2 · 03-11-2004, 06:30 AM

The first thing that comes to mind is to put a supporting joist in underneath. I'd try to determine where the next floor joist is and cut a 2 by 4 to fit that length. Then I'd slap some construction adhesive onto the ends that butt against the joists, clamp it in place, and if you can nail the other floor boards to the new joist, I'd do that. If you can't get a clamp to seat against the current floor easily, you can cut another board to span the gap in the floor, screw throught that into the new joist and tightening the screws will pull the new joist up against the floor.

As far as putting new tongue and groove in, jwoody has the right idea. Cut the tongue off the piece you're trying to install.

iamnormal · 03-11-2004, 01:41 PM

I suggest removeing more of the boards that been removed.
1 to cover more joists with whole board 2 to make it look less like a patch.

Here is a link to H&G TV they are working on tounge and groove floor.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_floors_o...396327,00.html

fhqwhgads · 03-11-2004, 10:30 PM

Don't cut the tongue off the board you're trying to install. Instead, cut the bottom off the groove in the last piece that needs to go in. That way, you still have the other boards fitting together as the tongue and groove should, but the last board fits more like a rabbet joint.

Tirian · 03-12-2004, 10:41 AM

What fhqwhgads said.

If you need a patch 2 boards wide, lay in the first piece whole. Cut only the lower half of the Groove off the second one. This way the top will still be supported by the tongue of the next board in the floor and it won't see-saw.

Also use a good glue on the ends and joints of the patch boards and it will be bomb proof.

I have included a quick paintbrush drawing of what I mean.

jbrooks544 · 03-13-2004, 10:36 AM

Some good advice above. If the "flooring" being removed exposed the joist, then you are maybe talking about t&g subflooring and not finished flooring. Olden days they used one or two layers of this, run diagonally. Finished flooring could then go over it. The easiest way to gain support under it is to slip a board or two into the hole and have it push up on the underside of the adjacent flooring. Your new patch pieces will then rest on top of them. You attach your underneath pieces with epoxy to the underside of others. While drying support with string loop slung around it and back up through hole and put a scrap wood through the loop, twist like tournequit. After it is dry then put in patch pieces like picture drawn in previous post. You can just glue them in.

Radi8tor · 03-22-2004, 01:52 PM

wow, you guys are the BOMB...Sorry its taken me a while to get back...I really wasnt sure what kinda response I would get, but am *very* pleased with the results! As JBrooks indicated, this is not a finished floor, so eventually something will go over it...I'm going to follow Tirian's diagram (very nice paintbrush work!) and replace the 2 damaged boards, the hole is small enough so that with 1 tounge in place, and 1\2 of a tounge for additional support I should be OK...the hole is over a joist and im going to sandwich it between some 2x4s just to make sure, that was also a good idea, and the HGTV artickle was good too...Thanks a bunch for your input!

03-10-2004, 08:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Radi8tor Upright Location: Philly	Fix hole in tounge and groove flooring Hi! in the middle of my loft floor is a hole where 2 of the tounge and groove floorboards were cut out...its about an 8 inch length, 4 inches on either side of the joist, the boards are about 2 inches wide making it 4 inches wide...I can nail a piece of wood to the joist, but its like a see saw if you put weight on either side of it...cant get tounge and groove boards in without starting at the wall and working over can you? There are some pieces of tin nailed to the floor in a few pieces...I wonder if these are covering holes fixed with the "see saw" method above...Id rather not use the tin technique...any alternatives to ripping up the rest of the floor to the wall and relaying it? extend the hole so its ends will reach the middle of the next 2 joists(the ones on either side of the hole)? that would be less ripping up of the old floor... any ideas appreciated!

03-11-2004, 05:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
jwoody Shackle Me Not Location: Newcastle - England.	You could cut the 'tongue' from a new piece of tongue and groove board, cut to size and force it in (hammer time). It won't be perfect but it'll hold as long you don't put a table or chair leg directly on top of either end of it. __________________ .

03-11-2004, 06:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	The first thing that comes to mind is to put a supporting joist in underneath. I'd try to determine where the next floor joist is and cut a 2 by 4 to fit that length. Then I'd slap some construction adhesive onto the ends that butt against the joists, clamp it in place, and if you can nail the other floor boards to the new joist, I'd do that. If you can't get a clamp to seat against the current floor easily, you can cut another board to span the gap in the floor, screw throught that into the new joist and tightening the screws will pull the new joist up against the floor. As far as putting new tongue and groove in, jwoody has the right idea. Cut the tongue off the piece you're trying to install. __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

03-12-2004, 10:41 AM	#6 (permalink)
Tirian Addict Location: Canada	re: Floor patch What fhqwhgads said. If you need a patch 2 boards wide, lay in the first piece whole. Cut only the lower half of the Groove off the second one. This way the top will still be supported by the tongue of the next board in the floor and it won't see-saw. Also use a good glue on the ends and joints of the patch boards and it will be bomb proof. I have included a quick paintbrush drawing of what I mean.

03-11-2004, 01:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
iamnormal Addict Location: In the id	I suggest removeing more of the boards that been removed. 1 to cover more joists with whole board 2 to make it look less like a patch. Here is a link to H&G TV they are working on tounge and groove floor. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_floors_o...396327,00.html

03-11-2004, 10:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
fhqwhgads Junkie	Don't cut the tongue off the board you're trying to install. Instead, cut the bottom off the groove in the last piece that needs to go in. That way, you still have the other boards fitting together as the tongue and groove should, but the last board fits more like a rabbet joint.

03-13-2004, 10:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
jbrooks544 Addict	Some good advice above. If the "flooring" being removed exposed the joist, then you are maybe talking about t&g subflooring and not finished flooring. Olden days they used one or two layers of this, run diagonally. Finished flooring could then go over it. The easiest way to gain support under it is to slip a board or two into the hole and have it push up on the underside of the adjacent flooring. Your new patch pieces will then rest on top of them. You attach your underneath pieces with epoxy to the underside of others. While drying support with string loop slung around it and back up through hole and put a scrap wood through the loop, twist like tournequit. After it is dry then put in patch pieces like picture drawn in previous post. You can just glue them in.

03-22-2004, 01:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Radi8tor Upright Location: Philly	wow, you guys are the BOMB...Sorry its taken me a while to get back...I really wasnt sure what kinda response I would get, but am very pleased with the results! As JBrooks indicated, this is not a finished floor, so eventually something will go over it...I'm going to follow Tirian's diagram (very nice paintbrush work!) and replace the 2 damaged boards, the hole is small enough so that with 1 tounge in place, and 1\2 of a tounge for additional support I should be OK...the hole is over a joist and im going to sandwich it between some 2x4s just to make sure, that was also a good idea, and the HGTV artickle was good too...Thanks a bunch for your input!