Protecting timber floors from chair scratches

[custos]

So I have beautiful grey ironbark polished floors and have been looking for some way of protecting it from scratches from chairs. I tried the felt stick-ons and they were okay for a while but then picked up grit, and other rubbish and started to scratch the floor. Then I spent more money on the nylon protectors but they left marks on the floor as the nylon was dragged across. Teflon was worse. Rubber cups were okay but they look ugly and break down easily.

Then the other day in Bunnies I saw a new 3M product -- circles of cork with sticky backs. Cork! Perfect, it's durable but soft enough not to mark or scratch timber. Only trouble is the packs were about $10 for half a dozen circles, and they looked pretty thin. Then a great idea hit me - I bought a pack of cork tiles for $10 and just cut my own (the cork tiles are 5 mm thick). A bit of liquid nails to fix them on the bottom of my chairs and the scratching problem is gone. With the leftover cork tiles I made my daughter a corkboard to pin her drawings on. Everybody wins....

Just thought I'd share :)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Another trick is a modification of a Quaker method. They used to drill the bottoms of their chair-legs to insert dowels/wooden plugs, which were easily replaced and reduced wear on the chair-legs.

Instead of using wooden dowels, you can use soft plastic or rubber. They can be just a press-fit, no need to glue...

[Pete J]

Cork is definately the way to go. My method is to buy a dozen bottles of Penfolds Bin 389 because they have really good corks in them. As an incidental matter, you have to drink the wine, but frankly, that is a minor inconvenience.

And of course the great advantage of buying your cork this way is that they are already round.

Alternatively I can supply you with corks at the ridiculously low price of $40 each.

Let me know if this arrangement will suit you.

Regards

[Wongo]

OK I will give you greenie. :)

[Christopha]

I have the solution to your problem in one word.....................................

































BEANBAGS!!!!!

[AlexS]

I have the solution to your problem in one word.....................................

































BEANBAGS!!!!!

But wooden beanbags aren't as comfortable. :(

[zenwood]

If your chair legs are big enough you could combine the Quaker method with Pete's idea and drill a hole in the bottom just big enough to accept a bottle cork.

Or make smaller corks on the lathe.

Or use a pug-cutter.

I wonder if a synthetic closure ("artificial cork") would work?

[silentC]

Well, they're no good for corking wine bottles, so they'd better be good for something :D

When we got our floors done up in Sydney, the guy gave us a sheet of black felt stuff to cut out and glue on the chair and table legs. Trouble is all the dog hair and everything else sticks to it, so I like the cork idea.

[zenwood]

Or a piece of soft wood instead of cork? Radiata, balsa?

[Ashore]

custos I have sympathy, I pollished the floors about 8 years ago and worried about each scratch .......for the first 3...4....years
Then I realized with two grand kids and another on the way its just a floor

If it realy gets to you though I have seen plastic casters with carpet in the base

I used the stick on felt but they do need cleaning regularly

The cork sounds ok but being soft will also allow stuff to get imbedded into it

Bottom line it's still a floor and the chairs are only one part , theres high heals, stones caught in the tread of a shoe, Grandkids ( the worst ) etc etc

Oh almost forgot must put in a http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif



Rgds


Ashore

[scooter]

We used the screw on plastic bases that have the stick in felt insert.

Only on for 6 months or so but going OK.

Good idea with gluing the cork on tho' .


Cheers.................Sean.

[biotechy2k]

Hi
My mate has these most beautiful floors and was really worried about scrachtes I raided my leather work shop for old 5mm (thick) scrapes and basically just glued pieces (Cut to fit) under her chair legs and table legs longer wearing than felt and much less expensive than cork and don't go fluffy like felt does
works a treat often we can't use the bellies and legs of hides and have quite a lot left over if you're stuck mate you can pm me your address and I can send you some but I'm moving house next week end but it will have send them after
the 13th no charge mate they're bits that wouldn't get used for anything but testing dye colours on so if you can give me the dimentions I can cut them and just pop them in a post pack for you if that helps any
Cheers Bio

[DaleBlack]

I have solid oak chairs where the front legs are straight but rear legs on a angle.

I have polished solid wood floors.

Slipstick Sliders CB210 and CB215 | Slipstick Foot (http://www.slipstick.com.au/slipstick-sliders/cb210/)

455296

The above product seems to be designed for angled legs but doesn't mention wood floors.

Slipstick Sliders CB250o and CB255o | Slipstick Foot (http://www.slipstick.com.au/slipstick-sliders/cb250o/)

455295
the above seems to be for hardwood floors but says for Not suitable for Legs angled greater than 5 degrees.

Any opinions on this product I am trying to not use felt.

Q2
The CB250 product says indentations may occur in soft wood floors, I have spotted gum which has a Janka rating of 11, is that soft? I am thinking its not given Jarrah is 8.5 and bamboo 6

Q3
or is the consensus that cork is best from this thread years back?

[justonething]

If the protector wears out, wouldnt you expose the screw which causes a lot of damage. I feel they are risky protectors.

[DaleBlack]

If the protector wears out, wouldnt you expose the screw which causes a lot of damage. I feel they are risky protectors.

i thought the screw head sits deep down beneath the brown plastic rig not just the softer oring in the lighter colour?