Repairing old pine planks

[chaoticbob]

I've (perhaps unwisely) ripped up the plywood cladding from my bathroom floor to reveal the original boards. They're about 10 inches wide by 3/4 thick. Many are quite worm eaten from the top, but will be ok if flipped - some bits are beyond redemption though. I went to a salvage yard and they wanted £35 a square yard for reclaimed boards of this size which seemed a bit excessive to me, though maybe that's the going rate? Anyhow, I took an unwanted plank door in the cellar to pieces and after cleaning up the planks are a close match for size/colour/rusticness(sp?), but one has a large (2 inch - it's an old door!) keyhole cut in it. I'm wondering how I might plug it - first thought is to cut it out with a holesaw and turn a tapered plug from offcuts, whack it in and plane flush. Will that work for stability and appearance?
Probably not worth the candle I know, but this is how I learn stuff.
Rob.

 

[AndyT]

As long as your patch isn't directly above a joist, there's plenty of space within the depth of the floor. So you could cut a patch square-edged and screw another, bigger piece of wood underneath it, to make sure it won't disappear when stepped on.

 

[chaoticbob]

Thanks Andy, hadn't thought of a backing piece . That's what I'll do. I won't be able to get as good a fit for the patch as I could by boring/turning a plug, but it'll still be less incongruous than a 2.5in dia round patch.
Rob

 

[AndyT]

When I've done patches (a bit smaller than yours) I've cut them as diamonds with the grain lined up.
I did some on this project

post948570.html#p948570

Yours might need to be a bit more structural.