The Pictures

Realblog

Where Do I Start?
This picture is a good one to explain a little about starting.


The rule is to go from critical measurements to non-critical measurements. In this picture how the flooring meets the tile is a critical measurement. Having the flooring visually straight from this doorway is also a critical measurement.


I started this floor with a piece of the pre-finished flooring cut to the width of the door and butting up against the tile. The groove side of the board faced the room I was installing so that I could tongue and groove all the flooring into the transition board. This makes for a very strong transition from tile to wood. It is also pleasing to the eye.


The first board was installed with the groove side against the wall in the room to the left of the wall. I took the time to make sure this was straight and perpendicular to the tile. I put blocking boards where this board extended to the tile so it wouldn't move in the hallway. I then installed the room to the left.


After finishing the room to the left, I came back and removed the blocking boards. Putting a spline in the groove I reversed the direction and installed the room to the right.


For a larger picture Click Here

  Where do I start? Photo 2
This is the main living room. The tile was already laid. The critical measurement in this room is to have a full board against the tile. I "picture framed" the tile with a full board. I mitered it at the angle. I then started with full board at the long straight edge and continued installing the flooring into the living room.


After finishing the room I came back and splined the board and reversed the direction to install the small triangle to the right against the tile.


For a larger pictureClick Here


This is the room to the left of the wall above when it was finished
The color of this flooring is "Gunstock" and is available at most Home Depots. Because the Home Depot buys it in such large quanities it is very affordably priced. It is also available in "Natural" 		 
The critical measurement here is to have a nice straight floor through the hallway into the bedrooms
The common wall that the bedrooms share would be the ideal starting wall.
Where the flooring meets this wall is a non-critical measurement.
If your walls are not straight this may be a taper or a scribed cut. It is not critical visually as where the flooring meets the tile is. A little planning before starting will help you determine the critical measurements. 		 
One of the nice things about 3/4 nail down pre-finished flooring is once it's nailed it's done and you can move furniture on immediately
This is very helpful if you have a house full of furniture and little place to put it all. Just move the furniture to one side, install the floor, move the furniture, and continue installing

This is the bedroom off the living room
You can see the tile through the doorway. To the left there is a doorway to a bathroom which is tiled. Again the transition strip was put in first and flooring laid from that critical point to the wall in the living room and the wall in this hallway which were not critical measurements. 		 
This is the opposite view from the picture to the left
Note the door jamb for the door I mentioned to the bathroom. The finish on this floor will last a long time with proper maintenance. Taking care of a real wood floor is easier than most people realize. I recommend a hardwood cleaning mop and hardwood flooring spray cleaner available at Home Depot. NEVER, EVER damp mop a wood floor. Many people make this mistake. Too much water on a floor can be harmful to it's appearance and structural integrity.
Looking the other direction from the living room
The transition into the dining room is another critical measurement. 		 
This has nothing to do with wood floors but was a nice touch to this tile job. It's nice to see craftmanship is still alive and well in this cookie-cutter mass production world we live in.
Another before picture.
The cord is plugged into an outlet for the electric range. It can also be plugged into the panel box if needed.

Note all the furniture stacked on the stage.

 
A floor before sanding
This is a large fir floor that needs some TLC. The drum sander in the picture is an old Clarke. It is a 220 volt machine and is about 50 years old. They don't make 'em like this anymore. I have owned this machine for over 25 years and it still does a great job. It has an 8 inch drum.

This job is in Red Lodge Montana. The red bag in the middle of the floor is for the vacumm system on the machine. It is amazing how little dust is created with this machine, but then what would you expect with a 220 volt 1 1/2 horsepower vacumm cleaner??


This is the same picture as above with the sanding started
Note that the sanding at the left part of the picture is with the grain of the wood.