Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - General flooring installation question
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supraman215
08-30-07, 11:41 AM
I'm going to do bamboo but this question is more geared to general wood flooring installation so I thought i'd post it here.
I'll be installing the flooring throughout all but the kitchen on the first floor of my house, total of about 530 sqft. This would be the foyer, hallway, living room and dining area. I was concerned being a first time floor installer how hard it would be to keep everything straight. From room to room as well is having the floor iteslf straight. I would run it perpendicular to the front door so the planks would go straight back to the back of the living room 35'. That section would tie all the rooms together and it would have to be straight for the whole distance or it would be very obvious. At the same time I want it to be straight in each seperate area, in theory all the walls are parallel but I'm not sure my house is of the finest build quality so it might look weird if it's not straight and parallel to the wall in one room.
I'm quite handy I have finished two basements, built a deck, etc. and I toyed with the idea of using a chalk line and mesauring from the walls to confirm the straightness of the rooms, and basically laying the first set of planks from there so it would look straight when you enter the house
My other idea was to just run them at a 45 degree angle. I realize this would add some cost and time to my project. But in terms of difficulty is it easier or harder to do? Because it would make the rooms appear larger as well as negate my need for all the rooms to be completely parallel.
PS I don't want to have a seam between rooms I realize that would be an option but i'd like to keep the floor contiguous.
Thoughts?
thanks, Newbie
Jeff
I'll be installing the flooring throughout all but the kitchen on the first floor of my house, total of about 530 sqft. This would be the foyer, hallway, living room and dining area. I was concerned being a first time floor installer how hard it would be to keep everything straight. From room to room as well is having the floor iteslf straight. I would run it perpendicular to the front door so the planks would go straight back to the back of the living room 35'. That section would tie all the rooms together and it would have to be straight for the whole distance or it would be very obvious. At the same time I want it to be straight in each seperate area, in theory all the walls are parallel but I'm not sure my house is of the finest build quality so it might look weird if it's not straight and parallel to the wall in one room.
I'm quite handy I have finished two basements, built a deck, etc. and I toyed with the idea of using a chalk line and mesauring from the walls to confirm the straightness of the rooms, and basically laying the first set of planks from there so it would look straight when you enter the house
My other idea was to just run them at a 45 degree angle. I realize this would add some cost and time to my project. But in terms of difficulty is it easier or harder to do? Because it would make the rooms appear larger as well as negate my need for all the rooms to be completely parallel.
PS I don't want to have a seam between rooms I realize that would be an option but i'd like to keep the floor contiguous.
Thoughts?
thanks, Newbie
Jeff
Carpets Done Wright
08-30-07, 08:26 PM
A tape measure and a chaulk line have worked well for me. Pop control lines, everywhere, if you have what is called a wrap around, where you go around a wall/ walls, and meet up again.
supraman215
09-05-07, 08:11 AM
A tape measure and a chaulk line have worked well for me. Pop control lines, everywhere, if you have what is called a wrap around, where you go around a wall/ walls, and meet up again.
Thank you so much for your advice. I'm going to get a book from the library on how to install hardwood floors. I would guess that from a technical standpoint there is no difference between hardwood and bamboo. Maybe in the gap you need to leave at the ends?
So now my only question is which method to use to lay it. I have a standard plywood subfloor.
1. Pneumatic nailer, I have a compressor but could rent the nailer, using solid bamboo.
2. Engineered bamboo, floating. I'm thinking as a first timer this will be the beset way for me to do it. I did like the idea of having the bamboo solid though.
Jeff
Thank you so much for your advice. I'm going to get a book from the library on how to install hardwood floors. I would guess that from a technical standpoint there is no difference between hardwood and bamboo. Maybe in the gap you need to leave at the ends?
So now my only question is which method to use to lay it. I have a standard plywood subfloor.
1. Pneumatic nailer, I have a compressor but could rent the nailer, using solid bamboo.
2. Engineered bamboo, floating. I'm thinking as a first timer this will be the beset way for me to do it. I did like the idea of having the bamboo solid though.
Jeff