I had to take down the ceiling in part of the house because mice were living there, so the smell was quite unpleasant. Now the smell is gone and I want to put back wooden planks as the ceiling.
I tested with a sample plank and it can be put up but it barely sits on the support, about 7 mm.
I got an idea to measure the distance between the notches, cut the plank accordingly, then cut it diagonally in the middle, attach a strip under one part and nail everything in place.
What do you think or is there any other idea?
They must have built the planks in while building the house as there was no room for movement at all.
Sketch below
Isn't there a larger indentation in the beams at one place where it's easy to lift the boards?
I have the idea that the boards were slid in from one place, much like a wooden blind for a cabinet.
Hmm not that I've seen before, but the thought has crossed my mind.
There were no recesses, but it was possible to insert them diagonally as the planks are only 170 mm wide.
By chamfering the corners, I managed to get it so tight that the plank moved a maximum of 6 mm!
For the last boards, I had to use your technique @justusandersson.
I inserted a loose tongue in the groove so the wood can move, but they also hold tight
(I refuse to use the thumbs-up as it's so ugly and impossible to see what it's supposed to represent.)