Recommendations for installing WLBB antique flooring:

The following guidelines are intended only for the use of a purchaser at his/her
own discretion. West Lincoln Barnboard and Beams in no way endorses,
guarantees, or warrantees any of the following recommendations or procedures.
If your are planning to install your own floor, we recommend the following:

Prior to installing the wood floor, please ensure the sub-floor has been properly
screwed down and is free of paint, urethane, or other coatings.. Then apply an
adhesive such as PL400 (or your preferred floor adhesive) to keep loose or fragile
knots in place, weathered boards firm, and bottoms of holes sealed where epoxy
will be used. Then use your preferred fastening system (nails, screws, glue coated
air nails, etc.) on the tongue to fix it in place. For any missing knots or scars, we
recommend using black epoxy and following the manufacturer’s
recommendation..

It is necessary to sand the floor after installation and prior to applying the finishes,
making sure the final sanding is light with a fine grit paper. It is also necessary to
sand the floor with fine paper by hand or with a pole or palm sander or buffing
machine before applying the last coat of finish. This makes the finish smooth.
Otherwise it will be gritty.

We recommend that you finish the floor with an oil based polyurethane, applying
at least 2-3 applications. For the first coat of polyurethane, we recommend that
you either heat the urethane in a tub of hot water or dilute it with 10% mineral
spirits and let this thinned product flow into the wood. This will seal the wood and
flow into cracks, distress marks, scars, etc. The second coat of urethane can be
applied at room temperature. The final coat should be thinned with mineral spirits
as it will be easier to work with and will give a smoother finish.

The above procedure will provide you with a hard finish for lasting wear. To
periodically maintain your floor, simply lightly sand it and apply thinned
polyurethane. This will restore a hard wearing surface.
Other wood treatment products are available such as stains or Tung oil, but many
take up to 24 hours to dry. We suggest experimenting with the cut-offs and
different finishes to find the most preferable appearance.