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Plan for a solid pine floor.
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Samples of pine finish.
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Sandpaper for sanding a pine floor.
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1. Remove the existing floor covering and pry up the underlayment with a pry bar, leaving the subfloor intact. Pull all protruding nails. Walk the floor to check for loose or squeaky spots in the subfloor. To tighten the subfloor, drive 2-in. screws into the joists.
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2. Undercut the door jambs (and the trim if it’s staying on) with a handsaw. Use a piece of scrap flooring as a height guide; this allows the new flooring to slide underneath. Vacuum the whole floor thoroughly.
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3. Mark the joist (floor framing) locations on the wall before rolling out and stapling down the rosin paper. Snap chalk lines to mark the joists and, consulting your layout drawing, snap lines to mark out the flooring board layout.
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4. Cut boards to length with a circular saw. Clamp on a guide to ensure square cuts and cut from the backside of the board (to minimize splintering the good side). If you use a sliding miter saw ($25 per day rental), cut with the good side up.
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5. Rip to width and align the first board along the first chalk line, tongue out. Predrill and nail along the wall with 8d finish nails driven into every joist. Countersink them 1/8 in. and fill them with a natural-color hardening putty. Note: Center the butt joints on the joist layout lines.
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6. Fit the second board’s groove onto the tongue of the first. Tap with a block (flooring scrap) and hammer to drive the boards together. For an antique look, create a small gap (1/16 in.) between the boards with a removable shim.
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7. Insert shims for even gaps, and nail through the tongue of the board with a flooring stapler ($25 per day rental). Start at one end of the board and work to the other, nailing every 2 ft.
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8. Hold the board in place at doorways and corners and mark for notching with a straightedge. The board only needs to fit within 1/4 in. of the wall and slide under the door jamb.
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9. Transfer the cutout lines to the back of the board and cut out the notch with a jigsaw. Cutting from the back minimizes splintering of the front face.
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10. Wedge the boards together if necessary to straighten bowed boards. Cut the wedge from a scrap of flooring with the groove left on. Drive the wedge between the flooring board and a scrap board screwed to the subfloor. Cut badly bowed boards into shorter lengths.
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11. Cut flooring to 6 in. wide to frame around the fireplace hearth. Nail these pieces with the tongue facing out. You’ll groove the next floorboards to fit.
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12. Rout a groove into the edge of this notched board with a slot-cutting bit. The groove must line up with the hearth board’s tongue. Clamp the board securely to the horses or a workbench.
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13. Slide the notched piece into place. Use a block and hammer if needed to drive the board in. The tongues and grooves will align the boards and hold them flush.
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14. Cut the next board to length and groove the end with the slotting cutter. Fit the board onto the tongue of both the preceding board and the hearth trim board. Continue this process to the other side of the hearth.
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14. (cont.)
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15. Measure, cut and slide the threshold board under the jambs at the doorway before the final floorboard is installed. Cut the final full-length boards to width with a table saw and check the fit at the threshold.
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16. Cut the final board to width and pry and wedge it into position (allow 1/4 in. between the board and the wall). You may have to put it in at an angle and tap it down. Face-nail the board.
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17. Face-nail the threshold and fill all nail holes with putty.
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18. Stretch a string line (not a chalk line) to mark the joists. Drill the pilot holes for the cut nails using a simple spacing guide. Hammer the cut nails flush with the pine flooring and countersink 1/8 in. below the surface with a heavy punch or countersink.
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19. Apply a heavy coat of oil with a medium nap paint roller or wool applicator. After 15 minutes apply a second, lighter coat. Allow to soak in for an additional 15 minutes.
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20. Wipe until dry; there should be no oil sitting on the surface. Caution: Wear an organic vapor–rated respirator when applying the oil. Ventilate your workspace.
Copyright ©2005 Home Service Publications, Inc.
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