tips for doing hardwood flooring

[martens]

I've never done any flooring so any tips would be appreciated.

I'm using a 3/4 thick 4 3/4 wide solid oak.
I've got a basic plan on how to start and work around  existing trim...here are my questions.

The flooring  is a "no nail, lock joint"...not the usual  T&G...would you recommend  still nailing it?

When I transition  from the hallway  to the rooms, do I need to put a transition  in there or can I just keep going?

Any tricks to stair nosing...i was thinking of using the flooring and mitering  it ..think  that could work?...i could just  make my own but I wouldn't be able to match the aluminum oxide UV finish and the stairs get all the traffic

 

[tjbnwi]

I've never done any flooring so any tips would be appreciated.

I'm using a 3/4 thick 4 3/4 wide solid oak.
I've got a basic plan on how to start and work around  existing trim...here are my questions.

The flooring  is a "no nail, lock joint"...not the usual  T&G...would you recommend  still nailing it?

When I transition  from the hallway  to the rooms, do I need to put a transition  in there or can I just keep going?

Any tricks to stair nosing...i was thinking of using the flooring and mitering  it ..think  that could work?...i could just  make my own but I wouldn't be able to match the aluminum oxide UV finish and the stairs get all the traffic

Acclamate, check sub floor and flooring with moisture meter.

Remove the trim, you need the expansion space.

Link to the material, I doubt I'd recommend you nail it, but I want to look at the instructions.

Need the room sizes and overall size, you may need and expansion space at the doorways.

See if they have a stair nosing, you don't want to miter that joint. There are field finishes with the aluminum oxide in it, now if I could only remember which ones.

Tom

 

[martens]

Thanks Tom.
I'll draw out my floor plan tomorrow.
The flooring  is that Uberhaus  brand Rona sells. I couldn't find any online  instructions.

 

[martens]

I'll attach  some pics tomorrow  as well.

It just seems wrong to just lay it down.
Everything  in me wants to PL, glue and nail it down.

 

[tjbnwi]

What is the underlayment sheet?

Floating floors are done all the time.

Tom

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

I think Tom covered it the install,  just buy some good knee pads. 

 

[tjbnwi]

I could not find install instructions either, float the floor.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

[member=45400]martens[/member]
When Tom said acclimate, that means put as much of the flooring as you can in the room where it will be laid. Open or better yet remove the packaging and let it come to the same temp and humidity levels as the room. 2-3 days exposure will work, but a week is better yet.

The most important row is the first row so take the time to get it exactly where you want it. The remaining rows just follow the first.

I've always used red rosin paper between the subfloor and the 3/4" thick hardwood strips but that is for a nailed floor, I've never floated a floor before.

 

[Grasshopper]

I've always heard that for wider planks you need to glue and nail to the floor. We have 5" planks and our floor was glued and nailed in place by our installer.

 

[martens]

I haven't had a chance to draw out my floor plan but my widest  uninterrupted run  is 22'...the room to hallway is only about 16' so I think I can get away with no transition  strip for expansion  there?

Bonus  if I don't have to nail it down would be that I can go uninterrupted  from hallway  to room without having to flip the boards...i can keep going with the grove side out instead of flipping it to get the tung side out for the nailer...or am I thinking crazy?

What's the main think the shot for with the first row? I keep hearing square but wouldn't being parallel  be more important?

Also does my first row need to be a full board or should I plan it so when I meet the next wall I have a normal size as my last board....not sure if that makes sense ....i just dont want the have a 1" strip running down my hallway.

 

[Cheese]

1. I haven't had a chance to draw out my floor plan but my widest  uninterrupted run  is 22'...the room to hallway is only about 16' so I think I can get away with no transition  strip for expansion  there?

2. Bonus  if I don't have to nail it down would be that I can go uninterrupted  from hallway  to room without having to flip the boards...i can keep going with the grove side out instead of flipping it to get the tung side out for the nailer...or am I thinking crazy?

3. What's the main think the shot for with the first row? I keep hearing square but wouldn't being parallel  be more important?

4. Also does my first row need to be a full board or should I plan it so when I meet the next wall I have a normal size as my last board....not sure if that makes sense ....i just dont want the have a 1" strip running down my hallway.

1. I converted an attic to a master bedroom loft and ran a continuous run of 32' of 2 1/4" maple with a 3 1/2" Brazilian cherry border. I used 1/2" thick base so I left a 3/8" gap all around the room for floor expansion, therefore the installed base would overlap the floor by 1/8" all around. I let the maple & cherry acclimate to the room for about 10 days. 7 years later not a gap in the bunch.

2. If you don't have to flip the boards that's easier. However, you may want to purchase some slip tongue if you are also going inside a closet or other small area.

3. The direction of the floor joists usually dictate the direction of the floor. It's best to lay the flooring perpendicular to the floor joists. That way you can put a nail/staple in every joist along with the subfloor. I've also put flooring in parallel to the joists, but then I build up the subfloor another 3/8' to 1/2" to eliminate any roll in the floor strips.

4. I usually split the difference so that if I have a narrow board, it will be narrow on both sides of the room. Once the base is installed everything looks fine.

Disclaimer: All of the info above is based on 3/4" hardwood strip flooring installed with 2" staples into 3/4" to 1 1/4" sub flooring. Everything I've installed is narrow (1 1/2" to 3 1/2") and I've never done a floating floor. I'm just bringing up talking-points. Good luck [smile]

 

[PA floor guy]

No need for transitions into bedrooms, that will not look professional. That floor is made to float. So no glue is necessary. I am not a fan of these floors. But some situations are good for them.

 

[peter halle]

I would love to see a picture of the material.  I have never seen 3/4" solid wood in a click together configuration that is used in a floating floor situation.  Maybe I don't get out much  [eek].  If it is solid wood then there will be considerable expansion and logic would lend itself to a fastener being used.  Most floating floors I've seen are thinner and have a more stable base with an applied thinner wood face.

Peter

 

[jacko9]

Some of the 3/4" solid wood flooring that I've seen is actually solid wood ply flooring of the same material throughout.  I put down 7/8" solid oak rift sawn T&G in my house nailed to the substructure over 30# building felt butted at edge and it has lasted over 30 years so far.  One refinish after our last German Shepard passed away at 13 years old.

Jack

 

[jacko9]

Some of the 3/4" solid wood flooring that I've seen is actually solid wood ply flooring of the same material throughout.  I put down 7/8" x 5 1/2" solid oak rift sawn T&G in my house nailed to the substructure over 30# building felt butted at edge and it has lasted over 30 years so far.  One refinish after our last German Shepard passed away at 13 years old.

Jack

 

[Billedis]

Peter, if you have a Floor and Decor store in your area, they sell the 3/4" click lock solid flooring.  I think it might be called Timberlock or something like that.  Bill

 

[Cheese]

I would love to see a picture of the material.  I have never seen 3/4" solid wood in a click together configuration that is used in a floating floor situation.  Maybe I don't get out much  [eek].  If it is solid wood then there will be considerable expansion and logic would lend itself to a fastener being used.  Most floating floors I've seen are thinner and have a more stable base with an applied thinner wood face.

Peter

I have never installed a floating floor and that's the reason for my disclaimer in my response.  My only experience with one was when my neighbor installed one that consisted of an engineered lumber (ply) base with a 1/4" top solid wood surface. Unfortunately, he had a dishwasher leak in the kitchen and it warped the complete floor. After many weeks of trying to dry the floor so that it would lay down flat again, he eventually gave up and I helped him remove it and we installed a 3/4" oak strip floor stapled to a 3/4" subfloor. I'm not a big fan of the floating floor program because by its very nature, it will always move.
An interesting note though, I've seen several 3/4" hardwood strip floors that have been water damaged and though they were severely warped, after they dried out, they returned to their flat position. I think that is because they were secured to the subfloor and thus forced back into their prior position.

 

[martens]

Can't seem to post any pics

Instructions  don't say anything about nails or glue....
I went back to the store to get my underlay, I bought a foam vapor  barrier underlay that's made for floating floors, looks like about 1.5mm.
I asked the kid at the store about floating  it and he told me to PL300  it...to the foam underlay. When I asked what is going to keep the underlay from moving around he told me to PL that too. So now I'm making a plywood-PL300-foam-PL300-wood sandwich. ...lol.

 

[Cheese]

[member=45400]martens[/member]
Something is wrong with this program. Using the latest instructions, the floating floor will no longer float. I'd go back to the manufacturers web site to find the actual installation instructions.

 

[martens]

I'm just going to float it...even if nailing is better, not following  instructions  probably voids any warranties.