How To Make Toung And Groove Wood Flooring

How To Make Tongue And Groove Wood Flooring In 6 Steps

The flooring is one of the most important parts of the house. Whenever designing your homes, it is best to check on which type of floor to use before installing them. One of the easiest ways that you can even do-it-yourself is the tongue and groove wood flooring. Here are steps on how to make tongue and groove wood flooring.

Choose the floor direction that you want to follow. There are two ways wherein you can design the floor. One is perpendicular to the floor and another is horizontal to the floor. Horizontal floor direction is the first thing that can come to your mind. This design looks good for artistic reason. It looks more uniform and beautiful to look at.

Perpendicular floor direction on the other hand is for structural reasons. It is more advisable for flooring design creating greater floor support. Because of this, the floor is stronger and there is lesser joint separation. Make sure to add resin paper or foam backing in between the sub floor and finish floor which will serve as a barrier and control for sound and moisture. It is better to staple it to secure it.

Create a baseline for your floor layout. The baseline is the center of two walls and it will be your basis in putting your structure. You can use a chalk to mark it before installing the floor. You can start anywhere as long as it is perpendicular to the baseline that you have created. It is also better if you have an extra piece which you can use to measure your floor pieces. In places where there is a gap in between, you can take away the baseboard and reinstall it or with the use of a kicker.

Begin the floor structure in the middle. In larger rooms, it is better if boards are initially installed at the middle area where the baseline was made. This is to ensure that there will be less movement on the pieces installed along the edges. The work start by installing 2 grooves side-by-side with a piece of molding instead of a tongue. This is recommended for larger room areas which measures 12 inches across the floor. This system is no longer required for rooms smaller than the specified size.

Start the first course. First course is made by installing long straight pieces of wood which is parallel to the baseline previously made. To the time being, you can nail the wood with a 1x lumber to prevent it from moving. With the help of a floor nailer, you can fasten the tongue for every 10 to 12 inches. You can do this until you finish the entire area. Ensure that there is a ½ inch gap between the wall and the perimeter of the flooring.

Make sure to fit courses together. After finishing the entire length of the floor, ensure that you fill in the gaps which were formed in the process. With the use of a scrap piece, hammer the pieces to place. Do not directly hammer on the floor because it can cause damage to the pieces. For bigger pieces, use a coping saw, a special saw which is use to formed precise cuts on wood. This will make the piece of wood fit in the spaces completely without damaging the design.

Finish the floor. After filling-in for the spaces and gaps made while making the flooring, it is now time to finish the flooring with final touches and remedies. Ensure that there are no moving parts in the floor, and all parts are completely filled up.

The steps on how to make tongue and groove flooring is very easy to follow. You just have to understand the basics and you will now be ready to do it on your own.