Installing like 10,000 small dowells in a floor

[PA floor guy]

I refinish wood floors, I have a great customer whom I've worked for many times and he has treated me beyond good. He owns a new home replicating an old log cabin feel. Very nice home. Well his wife wanted these decorative metal exposed nails called hobnails installed on every joist of every floor board in the home. I did the floors, then he drilled every hole and put the hobnail in, once I was finished.  Last year I did an addition for him, (floors) we installed, sanded, and finished the floors with a hard wax oil. He then drilled the million holes, and then his wife decided that she doesn't want the hobnails now. SO, he calls me to rectify the situation.  The holes are 1/8. We have decided that the only right way to fix the issue is to peg every hole with small dowels. 
  I'm putting feelers out right now, so that someone might say, NO- do it this way.
Here's the other factors involved
White oak
Holes cannot be filled
No polyurethane at all, gonna use Rubio mono coat. A medium brown color
Yes the floors will be completely sanded again

Looking for any logical suggestion that I might be missing
Thanks.  Sam

 

[peter halle]

Whereas these are decorative, could drilling countersinks and then tapered plugs work?  The sander would take care of flushing them.

Peter

 

[Theshipstore]

Were the holes randomly placed or is there a method that was followed. Random to me it will look strange, methodical it might enhance the floor with a contrasting plug in it

Sal

 

[Holzhacker]

This makes me think of a modified LR32 system to simplify the job. With that many holes there should be enough money on the job to justify buying an extra LR rail or standard rail. You could re-drill the LR rail holes to the dowel size or drill the standard rail with the proper spacing and dowel hole size. You could then just position the rail and run a 1010 along it to router out the holes. If the floor boards are evenly sized and they are looking for even, refined spacing it should work. You might have to make a larger grommet or something for the LR stop to click into the larger holes.
Just a thought that I'd probably try.

 

[PA floor guy]

They are methodically placed every board, every 16 inches.  Two next to each other.  I was gonna cut up a few hundred, then taper them with a bench top sander, then one guy pounding them in, and the next guy zipping them flush with a multi master.  I'm afraid counter sinking would add another step to what's going to suck regardless.    And the boards are random width, 5-6-7".  Good thoughts so far, keep em coming

 

[Joe Duarte]

Try the lamello  patch maker works great
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Lil0jMdeQL4 , hope the link works  [dead horse]

 

[tjbnwi]

Trim the plugs with the MFK 700.



Tom

 

[harry_]

This makes me think of a modified LR32 system to simplify the job. With that many holes there should be enough money on the job to justify buying an extra LR rail or standard rail. You could re-drill the LR rail holes to the dowel size or drill the standard rail with the proper spacing and dowel hole size. You could then just position the rail and run a 1010 along it to router out the holes. If the floor boards are evenly sized and they are looking for even, refined spacing it should work. You might have to make a larger grommet or something for the LR stop to click into the larger holes.
Just a thought that I'd probably try.

Before anyone goes drilling a guide rail, the size of the holes in the rail is NOT relevant to size of the holes being drilled!

 

[peter halle]

OK.  You have 1/8" holes.  Let's be honest, creating your own plugs will be costly.  You have to decide to find white oak or make.  Can you find a 1/8" plug cutter?  If so, can you find one that makes a tapered plug.  If so, go for it. 

Most plugs that could be purchased will be 1/4" or larger.  You could enlarge the holes to 1/4" with a cordless drill and a 1/4" bit with a stop to limit depth.  Drop of glue, pound in a pre-made plug.  Sand the floor and level the plugs.

Peter

 

[mouppe]

Your plugs will show end grain against a face grain floor. Even though they are only 1/8" they will absorb a finish differently to the face grain. I think they will be visible on close inspection and would advise the client accordingly.

I would not bother with tapering the dowels but roll them in a little epoxy mixed with sawdust, before then tapping them in as flush as possible. The epoxy will hide any gaps before the sanding takes care of the rest.

 

[harry_]

Try the lamello  patch maker works great
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Lil0jMdeQL4 , hope the link works  [dead horse]

not for me

 

[Joe Duarte]

Go on YouTube and do a search on a lamello patch maker...i am using Ipad , I can't post the link
Joe

 

[peter halle]

This might not be the same video, but it is the same system:



Peter

 

[Joe Duarte]

Thank you Peter
Joe

 

[Theshipstore]

That is a great system but to e it seems to create alot of work, In this instance I feel this is not the way to go.
I do not think Floor Guy wants to create more work than needed, so again a darker wood even showing end grain will somewhat enhance the floor and in the long run remind the owner not to jump so fast maybe the next time.
Besides I am betting the better half is the one that needs to be happy about the whole issue

Sal

 

[semenza]

I think making them disappear is going to be nearly impossible considering the quantity.  Better show them a sample of what the plugged holes will look like.... stained/ finished.  If you need to make them  as hidden as possible you will need to cut plugs from face grain.  What a task you have  [eek]

Might be easier to just put a whole new floor over the top  [huh]

Seth

 

[sheeschen]

I have a feeling making the holes disappear with be very difficult.  With the patches laid out in such a regular pattern, the eye will probably pick up on it even if you get most of them perfect.  Even if you get the grain matching nicely, the Monocoat may color the two pieces of wood slightly differently, again drawing attention to it (from my experience with plugging some holes in Douglas fir).  Monocoat offers several colors - some may hide the patches better than others.

Maybe white oak won't have such variation and they'll hide better - I don't have any experience with it (other than liking it in pictures I've seen).  Probably worth it to try a small area - a closet or small room and then see how the client likes it, see if they can notice the pattern that's trying to hide.  That would also give you an idea of how much labor it will take.

Seth may be right that it would be easier to put a new floor in over the top.

Maybe the client will be happy with some contrasting plugs, in which case forget everything I said

 

[kostello]

Could you nail a new floor over the top

 

[joiner1970]

I laid a Douglas fir dinessen floor last year and we had to screw and plug that. We made sure that every hole was drilled perfectly to a string line. When they were sanded down they did almost disappear after all that work positioning them lol. I thing they were 15mm holes we drilled.

 

[Stone Message]

Your plugs will show end grain against a face grain floor. Even though they are only 1/8" they will absorb a finish differently to the face grain. I think they will be visible on close inspection and would advise the client accordingly.

I would not bother with tapering the dowels but roll them in a little epoxy mixed with sawdust, before then tapping them in as flush as possible. The epoxy will hide any gaps before the sanding takes care of the rest.

Richard is right. So you might just as well use a good quality filler as it will probably show less than end grain. I have disguised filler by using two shades; usually the lighter coloured one is used to completely fill the hole then, when it is dry, scratch some deep gouges in it and fill those withe the darker filler. I realise that this is not practical for 10k holes.

You can make 10k plus but cutting across the grain.

Now in the UK personalised car number plates cost anything from $1,000 up to $700,000. It only costs $35 to change your name by deed pole - so that is the route to getting a personalised plate - match you new name to the random lettered plate on your car.

So, the guy with the floor might find it cheaper to get a new wife who likes the floor as it is!

If it were me I would use filler.

Peter