Lay Your Own Extraordinary Hardwood Floor (page 3 of 3)

Change Text Size

Change Text Size
|
Bookmark

Bookmark

Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
|
Print
|
E-Mail

Steps 11-21

Fill In The Perimeter

11. Install the first row of field flooring with a floor nailer. (Another 1x4 backer board is screwed in place temporarily to bridge gaps in the border.) Nail (or staple) with 2-in. fasteners every 6 in. To prevent splitting, keep fasteners 4 in. away from the ends of boards.

Fill In Alcoves

12. Reverse tongue direction to get back into alcoves, closets, hallways or other rooms by installing a slip tongue into the groove and continuing the flooring in the opposite direction.

13. Infill the last piece of flooring by using a table saw to cut off the bottom of the groove so you can slip it by the tongue on the last piece. (Sometimes you’ll have to cut off the tongues on boards to drop them in.) You must face-nail the last fill-in pieces.

Match Floor Lines With Ripped Boards

Click image to enlarge.
14. Rip flooring to width on a table saw when necessary to keep field flooring lines consistent through the borders.

Click image to enlarge.

15. Rout grooves in ripped boards and slide in a slip tongue to join to grooved flooring. If you don’t have a router or bit, face-nail the unjoined side to the plywood subfloor.

Crisp Corners And Edges

16. Weave outside corners by overlapping the ends. Dry-fit (no fasteners) each piece before installing and mark lengths with a utility knife for accurate miter saw cuts. Install the strips parallel to the borders.

17. Tighten joint near walls by sprying sideways while face-nailing to keep joints tight.

Lay The Field

Click image to enlarge.
18. Lay out the field flooring by staging several feet of flooring ahead of installation. Stagger all end joints at least 6 in. Before fastening, tap the flooring into place with the floor nailer mallet. Work inward from each side.

19. Mark the last floor board in each row for length and cut off the tongue end. Randomly stagger unjoined ends in each succeeding row.

20. Install transition strips. Glue down reducer strips with silicone caulk on hard surfaces such as tile.

Click image to enlarge.
21. You’re not done yet! If you decide to have a professional do the job, don’t be embarrassed; it’s tricky. You’ll pay $2 to $3 per sq. ft. for sanding, staining and clear coating.