Fixing Old Floor Boards (Rescuing a 120 year old house)

[@bloodonthesnow]

Felix is the secret ingredient that brings out the best in Laura. The perfect sidekick.

[@greensteve9307]

Festool is the not-secret ingredient! xD

[@mceajc]

Agreed - though Simone Giertz is also an excellent sidekick!

[@mattewiegand9896]

I do like the new format but sometimes I just miss the old artsy camera shots and feel of Laura working alone in the shop. It's just different.

[@suecapra5005]

One of the things we do with tiny holes is mix sawdust with varnish or shellac, it works great... save the beautiful floors!!!

[@user93237]

They also sell products for mixing with sanding dust and filling gaps and holes, e.g. BONA Mix & Fill Fugenkitt. It tends to crack between the planks with gaps as wide though, but I guess with some more manual/targeted application you could apply it to the worm holes only.

[@commando552]

@@davidf2118 Wouldn't green wood shrink as it dried and make the gap bigger?

[@user93237]

Yeah, gluing up the large gaps with wood strips (wedges) and the remaining tiny gaps and holes with a mix+fill product seems to be the best solution. That is if you are going for a smooth surface. Some prefer the gaps. The advantage of these mix+fill products is I think speed. They're fairly runny so you can spread them with a squeegee very quickly while perfectly matching the color of the wood.

[@Hanswurst90000]

Epoxy

[@bjglesener]

Slim coat the worm holes with glue/epoxy and sawdust as others have said...almost like the last two coats of drywall...then sand and finish...you don't want to do a self levelling epoxy cuz the individual boards still need to move.

[@CatCaffeine]

I really enjoy the subbed German conversations. Your English and Felix's are great but hearing people speak their first language is always beautiful.

[@undefined40]

"We have to patch the patch." That one hit home. I work in IT ;)

[@cupojoego]

I love that you took the time to share the small moment of walking outside and going to get a coffee. It lets us get a feel for the local neighborhood and a quick break from the work. I think it fits in nicely with the storytelling. Nice to see the progress you're making!

[@JustinShands]

Absolutely, it also made me jealous of how walkable so much of Europe is... as an American it's usually a lot harder to walk to a coffee shop from a house.

[@eileenbrodie7686]

Can a fellow builder-maker survive the amount of endorphins a video like this produces? Laura’s joy, the elite tools, the quirky method, the convivial coffee break with a work mate! Creation dreams are made of this.

[@eileenbrodie7686]

Also, I worked for years in a bicycle shop in an historic brick building; it had been a printer’s shop before. The oak floor had patches where heavy equipment had been; the printers had just poured lead into the voids-such as they used to mold their letters. It was very beautiful in a steampunk way, but I wouldn’t want to sand that…

[@CatCaffeine]

Goals for sure

[@JustinShands]

@@eileenbrodie7686 hah, that's definitely a "maybe we just put a layer of clear epoxy on top?" sort of floor.

[@hawkie333]

This is definitely “living the dream"! Many of us would do this for free and love every second of it.

[@tuncuzun8626]

Dear Laura, my recommendation for next such patches is to glue them ONLY on one side of the floor boards. Don't forget that wooden floors tend to 'breathe' through the seasons due to humidity changes. Otherwise these newly patched areas will rupture!

[@Maker_of_Things]

Or glue them to both boards and then cut the them with a Japanese saw so the repair is in two parts, one on each board, and free to move seasonally.

[@JustinShands]

@@Maker_of_Things Ooh, I like this idea as well... Still have the beauty of the matching patch grain, but the extra detail of maintaining the board split feels like a great little artisan detail.

[@fidget2030]

the wood used is pretty old though, so movement should be minimal. it tends to settle more with age

[@Nasalkeihpos]

Once you’ve sanded you can fill the worm holes with sawdust and glue. It’ll be great :)

[@ASmallGreenBean]

Or maybe even embrace the wormholes and fill them with some colored resin or something like that..? It would give it some character, right?

[@flibbertygibbette]

Depends on how extensive the damage is... if there is extensive worm damage then it'll impact the integrity of the floorboards beyond what sawdust and glue (or resin, for that matter) can fix.

[@jbenstead1330]

hijacking top comment to tell laura PLEASE LOOK INTO SASHIKO. it could be a nice break from wood/construction projects, and would be fun to mend her pants

[@jordanperrault4469]

We had termite and other bug holes in our floor (80 year old fir) and did a combination of epoxy for bigger gaps (2-3 cm wide) and wood filler on the rest. The wood filler was intended for a floor and came in a 4 litre tub. It was applied like cake frosting everywhere before sanding and finish. Is it gorgeous? No. Is it geil? yes, most definitely

[@michellouvel9663]

@@flibbertygibbette 😊

[@korinnespencer1324]

Seriously one of the best thing I ve seen, and I have watched a ton of home improvement channels. The creativity and passion that went into them! Perfect.

[@flapierry]

Laura is finally being able to do what she wished to the house back when she bought it. It is very nice to see that!!!! ❤

[@EileenMeehan-q4g]

The patches remind me of when Japanese artists patch broken ceramics. There is beauty in carful repairs. Yours are certainly beautiful!

[@m.maclellan7147]

Kintsugi Kintsugi (literally, gold seams) is a traditional repair method that takes the broken or chipped parts of cherished vessels, glues them back together with a Japanese lacquer, and paints the seams with gold or silver powder.

[@oiskypoisky2674]

not translating the word "geil" makes me grin each time i watch your videos. it's just so perfect.

[@martas9283]

Not if you speak Dutch it isn't..

[@juwen7908]

​@@martas9283yes, we have the same meaning for this word in german as you, too. I guess. 😉😂But it's not very common that way in these days.

[@christinefisher7900]

It's so lovely to see you being joyful in the house after such a hard journey to get there.

[@kikihammond5326]

Laura if you can access PBS This Old House series from USA, I think they address worm holes on floors over the years. I may be wrong, but I think they made a wood putty with sawdust and some type of glue and applied to the whole floor, then sanded, then stained and put polyurethane on top. This may be good for you to look into.

[@jessevennard2640]

The wormholes will hold just fine with any type of rigid varnish. You could also fill them with several types of wood fill just dont fill the joints. Looks great so far. Keep up the hard work.

[@andreacrashe9894]

*Wow that is an awesome machine. So the floor is a patchwork floor like a patchwork quilt.. I like it... 🙂.*

[@nancyt2003]

I’m a quilter and so appreciate your creative solution for this floor! Bravo!

[@DevinTrierMaker]

Pretty amazing how great the floors look beneath the surface. Good save, Laura!

[@Jawmsie]

Okay, the music in the patching montage towards the end of the video was utterly delightful.

[@suzykeene9298]

I've never seen floor patching done before and it looks so good. I learn something from you every video.

[@jacen381]

One thing that always stood out to me in your older videos were your pops of color while working on projects. Fluorescent tapes and such. Saying that, what I’d do, if I were you and putting a personal touch on my home, take a brightly colored epoxy, like greens and blues (that would compliment the woods but stand out) and spread them into the holes and sand down. so instead of hiding the “defect” you’re not only owning it, but highlighting it in your Laura Kampala style. Wormholes would look like mini constellations of colors throughout the space.

[@mattinkel7342]

I fully expect there to be a nook somewhere in that house holding a rail for Simone's Coat Hingers

[@osmia]

+

[@terenzo50]

The patches look great! And they'll look even greater after sanding, staining and sealing. At my advanced age, with my lousy eyesight, I can't even see wormholes anymore.

[@ivan_valerian]

It's a really great idea to save those solid wood flooring, and repairing them with patches of other type of wood makes it so much more unique and gives it more story to tell. Looks good as well. Loving the progress as always Laura!

[@jeric_synergy8581]

Thank you for including more German than usual: I really enjoy it!

[@garryryan3654]

Thank you for revealing these cool techniques.

[@GenericSweetener]

The shaper origin has been a dream tool of mine for a while, I know a normal router could do this job with a template but it wouldn't be this cool. The patchwork look adds so much personality to the floor, I'm so excited to see this project coming together!

[@bobd5119]

"Personality" is the key word. That's why I encourage leaving tool marks. I made a picture frame with a crack in one of the sides. A couple of bowties took care of that.

[@ronnieplonk]

There is something so enjoyable about watching Laura and Felix on a Monday morning, it just makes me smile. Do you think you guys could come to the UK please? The whole country needs to be repaired. That would be so geil!

[@AJB2K3]

Spray the whole thing now with wood worm treatment and leave it to settle before sanding.

[@ali.cg11]

Your videos are like my therapist appointment every week, thank you Laura

[@robynw6307]

Your idea to patch looks amazing. Can't wait to see the finished floor. As for the wormholes, I would fill with glue mixed with sawdust, just as you did with the gap around the first patch. Tedious? Yes, but easier than more patching. Looking forward to seeing your solution.

[@cassiupeia]

Love it!

[@lateciamadethis]

I am ❤️ with the thumbnail! Patchwork is used to prolong the use of loved things. How fitting!

[@egbertjozefknot3662]

😂

[@logandodson1484]

It’s great you are repairing the old floors - you can’t get old growth wood like that anymore. (At least not in the United States.) Your solution adds visual interest and charm.

[@ghostxrue]

You pointed out the first unacceptable hole and I couldn't help but look around at the 10+ larger holes than that that were landlord specialed before I moved into my apartment lol

[@pipoms]

i´m so in love with this solution, now i just need a wooden floor, wood and ... well a house hahah anyways, amaaaazing work, you always inspire me , i can't wait to finish my "thesis" to have time to make things

[@cyberhornthedragon]

thank you Laura your the first one to show off how that router works in detail awesome! now i just have to win the lottery to be able to get it LOL but thank you Danke, i think in 150 years they will find the floor cute an well done part of history of how the internet entertained educated and was creative

[@lauragiletti]

What a gorgeous thumbnail!!! Now to watch the video.

[@michellejenkins5922]

Uniquely beautiful just like you Laura. You have a unique outlook on life which only enhances as you do

[@atameeh]

Well, I like how your patches are looking, but I‘m a little concerned how they will be working. You know, wood is working all the time, and the boards of the floor will be moving. A patch which connects two potentially moving pieces of wood will be stressed a lot. Maybe it would be better to make the patch only in one board at the same time. You can of course cut the patch through the gap between the boards too now. The problem with the wormholes is another one which I know from my old house. They are making the holes under the surface, when you plane or sand it, there will be more and more of them.

[@Brassica_Periviridis]

Woodworms don’t like a dry and warm climate. So if you keep the house warm and dry they should stay away, fingers crossed!

[@4203105]

@@Brassica_Periviridis I think they meant, once you sand it, you'll uncover even more holes and tunnels, since the worms mostly burrow under the surface.

[@ejp9921]

Soo Worth It! You have so much fun ‘working’ on your house…

[@nickkowal6537]

Spray that whole floor with woodworm treatment. Then you can use all the sawdust from sanding with some varnish/oil to fill cracks

[@floralspectre]

the patches look beautiful!! I’m hopeful that you’ll be able to save the whole floor

[@jbenstead1330]

Im not sure if laura is into sewing, but if she decides to patch her pants, she would love the art of sashiko mending. It is oddly similar to what she did with the floor patches

[@m.maclellan7147]

​@@jbenstead1330Yes ! Those little wooden looms make wonderful repairs as well ! I think the brand name is Speedweave.

[@RachaelPadilla]

I LOVE the I.S.R.U. floor patching idea! The best thing to make a home out of is other parts of the home.

[@oxwilder]

If you cut those patches (or Dutchmen I've heard them called) with tapered edges, they'll always fit perfectly, like a cork in a wine bottle. Also, make the grain run in the same direction or the patches could pop out during wood movement.

[@jannibal9273]

That is a major issue - the wood grain running in the wrong direction in her patches. That makes them FAR too obvious and looks like the work of an amateur.

[@heidiLjacobs5]

Just the joy of the exercise seems worth it. Good to see you guys enjoying the process so much

[@a-ms9760]

That shaper is cool, but i'm yearning for a power planer so much more because of the time and effort it would save. There are lots of fun tools to look forward to in the future.

[@nickkowal6537]

The music change as Felix started kneeling the wall *perfect*

[@Nandel67120]

Cette maison va être un petit bijou et ce genre de petites astuces y contribuent. Beau boulot Laura 👍

[@AehreWemAereGebuehrt]

Je m‘apelle baguette 🥖

[@funangela]

It was really neat to learn about these tools that I never knew existed. I love it. Thank you again for sharing.

[@juliemayfield1282]

I like your posts from Germany! I like your interaction with Felix & the work on your old house. Keep filming 😊

[@DavidHunt-s9z]

The patches you have added used to be called a Dutchman Joint. Can I suggest that you router a small groove on those patches which span two floorboards. This will look like the gap between floorboards continues through the patch. I am enjoying watching your programmes.

[@brokeartTV]

You can do the 'Glue with sawdust' trick to fill little gabs and wholes on the complete floor!

[@TabaquiJackal906]

That is FANTASTIC! I love your patch idea. I'd do it in my own house, for sure, and the different colors and small flaws - just perfect! I think once you sand and seal/oil, the wormholes will only add to the look; they don't seem to hurt the actual structural integrity of it at all. Good luck! I think it will be amazing.

[@BrieyaSilverweb]

Feeding two people on high quality coffee and pastries for under $9 us. OMG, that is fantastic.

[@MuddyHuddy259]

That little sawdust trick is slick as hell! Well done!

[@paulvanhouts3365]

Just a problem if pva glue is used. It blocks wood pores and shows when lacquered or varnished. The idea of sawdust in the same finishing material seems a better idea, if you want the finish to look good. I made the pva mistake on a table top that I made, looked like crap, so I had to cut and redo.

[@JustinShands]

@@paulvanhouts3365 what sort of glue should be used for this? (also, any brand recommendations?) My skills haven't evolved to finished woodwork yet, but I'd love to learn this lesson before botching up something important :)

[@davidgiesfeldt6650]

Powder post beetles… likely they are long since dead. Love the reuse repair efforts

[@catherinefromfrance3588]

Love the wood patches

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Sie und Felix brauchen ein Kick-Starter for new jeans! Hard to believe that happened! So many folks here go to used clothing stores run by the Salvation Army or resale shops for decent recycled jeans.

[@wolfganggotzke2548]

Hallo Laura, das Ausbessern der Dielenbretter mit dieser Methode sieht echt crazy aus. Ich hätte ein wenig Bedenken, dass es beim Schleifen zu sehr unterschiedlichen Abtrag von Weich- und Hartholz kommt. Scheint aber keine Probleme zu bereiten. Weiterhin viel Erfolg und gutes Gelingen !

[@speakoid]

Loved this idea. I don't have such a fancy router, but thinking it's something I could replicate on my floorboards with a few shapes of wood and then and 3D print some router templates for those sizes.

[@a-ms9760]

Nice patchwork effect. It livens up the otherwise ordinary floorboards.

[@davefromfresno]

I really like the look and character that the patches add to the floor... it makes me want to add them even when they are not necessary. Lol Great job!

[@wolfgar_m9389]

Oooohhh, you sait „portable“. I nearly spat out my coffee because I understood „affordable“😂 But yes. Immediately after you said „floor repair“ I was like „oh yeah, perfect origin job 😄👌🏼

[@evensgrey]

I'm actually impressed. Somebody finally found a situation where a Shaper Origin isn't an overpriced piece of crap compared to a Maslow.

[@guillermodelnoche]

I’m feeling a work clothes company should be hooking you and your team up with new gear. You deserve it!

[@chrisbgifford7387]

none of us are getting any younger, great use of foam padding. It is very unique, I hope it is all savable.

[@drewharrison6433]

Might be cheaper to buy knee pads than to replace your pants, lol.

[@Meister_Eber]

Ich lass ma noch n büschl Liebe für den Felix da. Issn dufter Typ!

[@Julia-zj2ch]

Oh yes! Those patches are perfect! I do hope you end up feeling the floor is worth keeping. It looks so beautiful.

[@shanetapp]

I know it may sound super tedious, but I would bet everything I have that Laura could solicit any number of KZbin woodworkers that would be able to take the floor from this pre-final state to something absolutely stunning. with the use of some epoxy resin to fill in all the left over tiny imperfections. (Something like a deep amber would look incredible with that wood) I'm so in love with this project and look forward to every Sunday to see how it's going. This house will be her heart when she finished, and like her heart, it'll be wonderfully golden!

[@Birdy898]

20€ gespart aber die Hose versaut 😅 Klassiker! Kenne ich gut 😂🙈 eure Videos sind immer so Klasse und inspirierend! Love it!!!

[@Shapertools]

Awesome job Laura! 😄

[@andrewbrown6705]

fill the worm holes with pva and sanding dust from your sander , let it dry and then re sand it probably better of with belt sander or proper floor sander, be careful with floor sanders as they can remove a lot fast and you end up with boards that can be to thin.

[@donalddparker]

Outstanding. Love my Shaper Origin!!

[@torstenbrunke4026]

Da das Dehnen und Schwinden des Holzes in alle drei Richtungen unterschiedliche Faktoren hat, ist es eigentlich besser, auf die Richtung der Maserung zu achten. Sieht aber trotzdem geil aus.

[@hamiltonqkarl]

I absolutely adore this project!

[@RunningDwarf]

You could fix the wormholes with black resin. Would be a nice modern contrast to the rest of the floor.

[@lindaroyal8161]

It will be a very interesting floor, tons of character and good conversation topic. It adds to the entire feel of the house. Nicely done!

[@mitzy183]

good idea on the patches !!!! their gunna look sooooooo GEIL !!! :D

[@EngineerMikeF]

KNEE PADS! Brilliant. I learned (full disclosure: late in life) to put knee pads on immediately when starting work. It changes the issue of dropping to one or both knees to a non issue.

[@nriqueog]

Spring time will be the time to find an expert in wood floors who knows how to handle those worm holes.

[@wendeavontuur]

Wahaha, I was already laughing so hard when you fitted the K-Flex patches. I knew exactly what was going to happen 😆

[@ChristianMercadoAcevedo]

Perhaps a low viscosity glue + sawdust mix can be used to cover the gaps and wormholes. Then you can sand and finish.

[@tonyanddeb1012]

You can "paint" the worm holes with xylophene wood worm killer. It will protect the wood and can be stained and sealed after. We used it here in our french home and can vouch for it working and being a cheap solution.

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Thanks!

[@andsothenilookedandsaid3650]

The patches look cool. The one in the thumbnail reminds me of drawing the beginnings of a three dimensional cube in a notebook when i was younger. I want to return to the time when i did that. Anyway nice work. cheers.

[@largniew1]

I love the wood patches! Worm wood may need wood hardener if more than a little. Any worse should be patched or replaced if too far gone. One issue with patches across two boards is expansion, which may be impeded by non-gapped patches. Gaps are important to provide room for expansion. In a year's time, you'll know if you need to cut gaps in the patches. Keep up the great work. Was sorry that we couldn't get to enjoy that wonderful coffee break with you. It looked so good!

[@SN-sz7kw]

I’m in DE & without a doubt that mini saw is going to end up in my studio! Thank you for showing it. 💗

[@b.slocumb7763]

Those coffees and treats looked amazing! And so does your patchwork floor. I would love to see you and Matt Cremona collab on a floor project!

[@andyc972]

This is completely over the top ridiculous - I love it ! 😉 It would be missing the point to say that all the time, effort and resources needed to achieve this are a waste, it's an experiment and done in an effort to retain the original materials as much as possible. I do hope you can treat the "worm" and stabilise the floor and keep it, I guess we'll have to wait and see !

[@emk7132]

Love how you knew it was oak as soon as you had a clean cut edge on your patch material

[@Scereyaha]

At the dollar store here they sell gardening knee pads that are foam with velcro straps. They are 3 dollars, as opposed to the 20ish you spend at hardware stores. They are in the gardening section.

[@milikoshki]

DUDE! I hope the floor is salvageable after sanding because it looks SO GOOD already!!

[@raktoda707]

Learning so much about technique new, machinery and great prices for breakfast! It'll all work out and it will be exquisite (and functional) Meanwhile you both can start a new fashion line with your creations!

[@akaathena]

The patches look great!

[@petem6291]

I can only speech of here in the north east of the U.S but we would leave 1/2 inch between the flooring and the studs so the floor can expand in the hot humid days. of summer you dont want the floor to buckle up , You put more time and effort into that floor than on any restoration jobI have seen .you would be amazed after you sand and stain and poly coat that floor how great its going to look . the small imperfection give it a personality and a great look . plus I think you always do nice work ..

[@Janine6564]

Floor looks like a work of art Laura!

[@TheStringDojo]

I made a guitar, an acoustic guitar and I screw it up several times, and If I could fix it then using a little wood filler could work very good mixed with some insect repellent of some how in the mix, good luck!

[@Wandering_whatsnext]

I have confidence in you that you will come up with a plan to fix that gorgeous floor. 👊🏼

[@secretwpn]

What about the wood grain direction in patches vs in floor boards? Won't this become an issue as the wood expands and contacts with the weather/season changes?

[@FritzyFreakout]

I was also thinking about the expansion and contraction between the two planks when she glues the planks together. Since the boards will move together and then apart countless times it seems to make more sense to only glue on the larger side of the patch and the other side floats like T&G flooring.