Can you pull up and relay a solid wood floor?

Hi all,
I had a solid wood floor floated last May and the guy who did it did a brutal job. Since then it is separating all over the place leaving gaps of up to 5mm. I asked the guy to come back and tighten it and all he did was stick wood filler into the gaps which is cracking out-cowboy. I have sought an opinion of another fitter who is of the opinion that I will have to buy a whole new floor as he cannot guarantee he can save any of the existing-is this really necessary? Any opinions would be very gratefully received. Many thanks

My advice to you is to arrange a couple of fitters to view, If the pro's are saying the same thing. Thats your answer.

If it is good quality solid wood you should be able to salvage most of it but you would be better to lift and clean it yourself as most fitters would not like to do that part of it as their time would be expensive.

As it was floated, the boards will have been glued together. In order to take it up and re-lay, you will need to break all these glue joints, this unfortunately will more than likely end up with many of the tongues breaking off and remaining in the grooves.

Can you source the same flooring if you need to replace some or all of it?
Leo

Thanks for the advice folks, the guy who layed it originally made some basic errors, not enough glue used to hold boards together, levels not quite right so boards are springy in places and I don't think he left it long enough to equilibrate (if that's the correct term) in the rooms before laying. I will get a second opinion on it but I imagine we need a new floor. Even if some is salvageable with tongues and groves intact etc. it would be hard to get a match I think - I'm so sorry I ever gave that guy the job, but you live and learn, I will be looking for references in future!

john62 said:

not enough glue used to hold boards together

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That can be good or bad. I did the entire upstairs in my house a few years ago, and the trickiest places 1 room and the landing, I did not use glue at all. I think this is the way to go.....I was conscious of all the pipes & cables in the landing and did not want to have to get a new floor if someone needed access to the pipes/cables.

john62 said:

levels not quite right so boards are springy in places

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This is a problem with floating floors. It really depends on what they are floating on, an old existing timber floor, a new concrete base ??

john62 said:

I don't think he left it long enough to equilibrate (if that's the correct term) in the rooms before laying.

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I really think this time is a few years..........I used semi-solid oak & it is still shrinking. This is less noticable where there is no glue as the gaps are dispersed. Where the boards are glued, they are pulling back from under the floorboards.

Warts and all, a timber or semisolid floor is so much nicer & healthier than carpet.

Rather that try & lift the whole floor, can you push the boards to one side (length ways) and replace the boards on the edge, the cut boards? Lift the skirting, tap the boards away from the wall, remove the last line of boards, typically cut lengthways, and cut new wider boards to replace them.

p.s. I am not the guy who laid the floor........

I wish you were........................
Thanks for all of that. It's food for thought anyway.

Depends what glue was used and how much.
Loosing tongs - no big deal. Groove can be done instead and a floating tong can be used. Did a mahogany heringbone, framed with maple strip good few years ago, still there. Parquet boards were made on site.