Old Wood floor as fence panelling

sparrowcar

I am pulling up a 17 year old walnut wooden floors in the living room to get new flooring.

I have new garden fencing both sides of the garden but unsightly older fencing at the end. Anything stopping me using the old floorboards to cover up the old fence similar to the cedar batton designs that are very popular at present. Any tips or recommendations about staining them etc.

The Continental Op

Walnut is about as durable outside as a paper bag and I suspect thats laminated and not solid walnut so even less durable.

sparrowcar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119258424#Comment_119258424

It's solid wood not laminate but take your point about durability.

...Ghost...

Solid walnut. I have the exact same in most of the house. It's an indoor wood.

C. Eastwood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058252062/old-wood-floor-as-fence-panelling

Western Red Cedar wood is one of a very few timbers which is immune from Wet Rot and Dry Rot and Wood Boring Beetles, and is one of the best timbers for external use.

It is a soft Softwood but very durable.

Walnut is not durable for external use.

magicbastarder

why are you lifting the walnut? it doesn't look to be in bad nick there.

i'm actually in the process of making a workbench top from oak flooring i got from a neighbour...

Lumen

That seems like a terrible waste of walnut, particularly given the cost of materials.

Sell it! I might buy it 😄

sparrowcar

We bought a brown leather suite for practicality reasons (3 young kids) which replaced a lovely cream material suite previously.

The brown suite with the walnut floors are just way too dark in the room now so decided to brighten with a lighter floor. Some of it had warped over time also.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119260458#Comment_119260458

i'd echo this, only you won't get much, if anything for it, especially if it might be damaged as it's being lifted; to refinish all that wood is not an easy job. where are you based?

olestoepoke

Get it professionally sanded and refinished. We did, it's amazing what the pros can do.

Girl Geraldine

Anyone that would pull up a good solid walnut floor would want to be signed into an institution.

Walnut is a premium upmarket, almost exotic, material and is highly valuable. And you want to rip it up and nail it to the side of a garden fence? Jesus wept. I swear, there are so many people out there who realise the value of nothing.

If you wanted to get a piece of furniture or a new floor put down in walnut, you'd know the value of it.

sparrowcar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119261402#Comment_119261402

Not one for the drama are you Geraldine 🙄 I don't need to be signed into an institution but thanks for your concern.

The floor is getting changed to a brighter wood just seemed a shame to waste the walnut floor boards, hence the fence question.

Thanks all.

magicbastarder

as mentioned, if you could get the wood up without breaking the tongues and grooves, someone might be interested in taking it from you to reuse as a floor, but it wouldn't have a lot of value. they'd have to sand and refinish, lot of work, etc.

a hobbyist might be interested in the wood for stripping and laminating for other projects, and that's the issue with any value outside its use as a floor, the dimensions are quite limiting, and would result in a lot of work to reuse it.

monseiur

Like all timbers walnut has a limited lifespan when exposed to our damp climate. Store the floor it in a dry shed, when stacked it should not take up much room. Take a few random samples and leave outside, treat some with something like clear Cuprinol or similar, some with clear boat varnish etc. etc. and leave some untreated. After say 6 to 9 months this expermint will give you an idea if it's worthwhile or economic in the long run to proceed with using the material as a fence. I would just flog it Done Deal and put the money towards some treated Larch or Oak timber fencing - not cheap but may be worth it in the long run.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119265893#Comment_119265893

From your picture it looks a very light colour (sapwood) in the first place. In fact its so light coloured I'd want to change it because it doesn't really look like walnut.

sparrowcar

Thanks some good suggestions there.

It's 100% walnut, the receipt was in a folder when we bought the house.

GalwayMan74

I got a load of well used solid maple floor a few years back.

100sqm for free ,

Had a few lengths left over so used them as a window sill in the green house.

They are still there 3 years on but they have gone to shite. the lacquer went white and blistered off fairly quickly and they are going black.

they wont last pissing time outside.

magicbastarder

that wouldn't inform the OP though about his choice, maple is not walnut?

GalwayMan74

thank you for your valuable input.

ILIKEFOOD

eek, the price of solid wood flooring is what, like almost €100 per sqm? Had to pull up solid wood myself and it felt like such a waste knowing I was only going to replacing it with laminate.. it was wrecked though..this looks in good nick but definitely if it's not right for the room no point hanging on to it if you can afford to replace it. The yacht varnish might give it some life outside..

T-Maxx

You've changed the sofas to something that's more durable, yet you want to go lighter on the floor covering?? Would you not rather save your money till the kids have moved out, perhaps in the interim get a nice rug or two to jazz the room up a bit.

magicbastarder

just curious as to what the OP did in the end - was the floor replaced?

sparrowcar

No decided to keep it in the end.

We brightened the room with paint and furnishings which has done the job for now.

dathi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119266710#Comment_119266710

did it say African walnut by any chance ?

sparrowcar

American walnut