im looking into buying some herringbone hardwood flooring that has no tongue and groove- whats the best way to install?
it’s small pieces, african iroko.
does it need a better subfloor than normal?
any advice appreciated…
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Replies
A few questions: Are you buying this product from a dealer? a guy in the alley? The dealer or lunberyard should be able to give you some sort of information on the iroko. I am not familiar with iroko, but I will assume it is hardwood. Some guys will tell you to cut grooves in the board edges and use splines. Splines are little wooden tongues. Some guys will tell you to face nail it, and fill the holes with coloured putty. You don't say if the boards are pre-finished, and this may limit your options. I still think your dealer will be the best lead you have.
On my wide plank pine floors I glued with PL Premium to the subfloor (Advantech) and face nailed....not sure if that answer helps you though..Creation arises, is sustained for awhile, and then things change. That’s the dance.
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sorry to be so vague. i DID but the stuff from a guy in the alley, almost...off of craig's list, so there's no dealer...
its small pieces, of very hard wood, about 2x9 inches, for a herringbone. splines would take FOREVER...
oh, and it is unfinished, so that may mean nailing would be easier?one friend, who's a builder, thinks glue is the answer, but i'd love to NOT have to work with yet another super-toxic adhesive. any thoughts, anyone?
thanks.
O.K.....you bought an exotic species of timber on the internet....seller says it's flooring...you don't know how to nail it and don't want to use adhesive....
Without a t and g you'll have to glue it. Use Bostiks, it's very expensive. You'll also have to face nail alot of the boards.
I think they have less toxic adhesive...I'm not a flooring guy, but ecotimber sells something that might work. http://www.ecotimber.com/flooring/display.asp?id=72&cid=12
Glue and face-nail will be your best bet, and stay off the floor for at least 24 hours before doing anything else to it. Try 48 hours for even more set up time. I'm sure you can find plenty of information on adhesives at your local flooring shop. I think you will be best served by using a urethane glue, but what do I know. Who do you have lined up to finish your floor? You? A pro? You will have to countersink all nails at least 1/8 of an inch below surface so the finisher doesn't ruin all of his screens. Good Luck!
suprised no one mentioned using a biscuit cutter and biscuits. My local lumber yard has garage sales to get rid of various stuff. I bought 27 boxes of prefinished Bruce flooring for fifty cents sq. ft. But..............I got about ten different colors.
I was going to make some fun patterns on the floor but how to join the different angles???? I was going to experiment with my biscuit cutter. I got nothing to loose.Paid $250 for the whole lot.
The red oak floor in my 1957 vintage ranch style is 3/8" x 2" wide by however long. It has no splines. It is simply face nailed. In the areas where the previous inabitants dogs did not piddle on the floor, it has held up very well. In places that were water soaked, it has cupped somewhat and in one area of about two feet by two boards wide, it has cupped considerably. It is nailed into the 2x8 tongue and groove subfloor by small nails about every 18" or so (maybe 24", I am not at home at the moment). I will be repairing some of the flooring and will be using my 15 gauge air finish nailer. On the original floor, the nail holes were filled but were still noticeable but not objectionable. Oh, and they were laid over building paper over the subfloor.
Try this site:
<http://www.windsorplywood.com/tropical_woods/iroko.html>
I remember it from the time I spent in South Africa, in the '80s. Nice wood.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada