Making & Installing Hardwood Flooring

[steviegwood]

Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone has ever made and installed their own hardwood flooring. As most of you know I have a lot of cabinet grade 5/8" wood but the longest pieces being about 32". These panels are made up of several 2" strips that have been butt joined together without any dowels or biscuits. I am wanting to know if this would make a decent floor if I tongue and groove it or finger join it together and I want to use screws to fasten it down almost as a ship deck design with the screw heads filled with a contrasting color. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. Steve

 

[McRabbet]

You could certainly use your shorts for that purpose, but I'd recommend that you use a dado blade and relieve the underside of each board lengthwise to keep it from cupping after it is installed. Most stock 2-1/4" hardwood flooring has a pair of 3/8" wide by 1/8" deep grooves which you could mill in with two passes. You could also mill the tongues and grooves with a dado blade versus a router table. It would be lots of work, but it would put the wood to good use. While your idea of screwing the flooring down and plugging with contrasting wood is a good one, I'd use a pneumatic floor nailer.

BTW, I've never made flooring, but I've put some down. Remember to make certain the subfloor is good and level throughout and put down a paper vapor barrier first.

PS -- I've moved this to the DIY forum...