Several Install questions

[zubby01]

I'm probably going to try and install a glue down engineered floor myself.

Den Install:
1. Should I start in the middle of the room?

2. If I pop a chalkline, how do I know if the chalkline is in the middle and straight - not at an angle?

3. The room is about 650 sf. My front door opens to an open entryway that is tile and then goes to the den which is now carpet. Should the direction of the planks pointtoward the front door?

4. There's a floor plug in the middle of the room. How do I butt up against it to make it look nice? What should I do if the height of the wood is higher than the floor plug (round) casing?

5. What is the best quarter-round trim to use? Should I get wood and stain it? If so, do you stain it before putting it down? My baseboards are white enamel. Should I use white enamel painted quarter rounds?

6. There is a firplace in the den. The hearth has a small ledge (about 18" high) and is covered in stone. Imagine the den being square and the hearth is a semi-moon shape in one of the corners of the room. How do I 'butt' the ends of the wood to the stone? How do I measure and cut for such a thing? I can't really use a trim piece because the fireplace is kinda round.

7. How do you make a notch in the middle of a board? For example, I need to make a small squared 'U' shape on the long side of one of the pieces of wood.

 

[havasu]

I) Follow the instructions provided with the flooring. When I installed glue down Bruce hardwood, they required the tongue "outward" and start 4 planks width away from the starting wall.

2) You can use the 3-4-5 or 6' 8' 10' measurements. Measure 6' down a wall and mark a line. Now measure 8' outward and mark a line. The true 90 degree mark will be the point where 10' is connected between the intersecting lines. Just remember, rarely is a room completely square. keep this in mind when laying flooring. Sometimes it is easier on the eye to follow the walls and not follow a true 90 degree floor.

3) This is personal choice. Boards towards the front door gives the feeling of being longer but narrower and is my personal choice. Boards opposite the front door will make it appear wider, but shorter.

4) Loosen the plug plate and glue down so the plate will cover the cut edges.

5) Again, personal choice. I've seen it done both ways and like them both. If you choose to stain, stain all sides before installing. Also, if you choose to stain, get a color matched stain to match the flooring.

6) Use some scraps and make a template to make exact semi-arced cuts. This will test your patience but will be the first area you will notice if you flub up on the cuts. You can use color matched caulk if you goof on the cut a bit. You could use a trim piece, but would need to do many kurf cuts on the backside of the trim piece, which will make it fragile and a PITA to correctly cut properly.

7) A hand held electric sabre saw with a fine blade will make great notches. Depending on the type of flooring, I have also used a handheld grinder with similar results.

Good luck and feel free to ask for help at any time. Also keep in mind that if this flooring starts in one room and continues into another room, make sure you are starting at the correct point because you don't want "sliver cuts" along a long wall, because it will look out of balance.

 

[highup]

I'm probably going to try and install a glue down engineered floor myself.

Den Install:
1. Should I start in the middle of the room?

2. If I pop a chalkline, how do I know if the chalkline is in the middle and straight - not at an angle?

3. The room is about 650 sf. My front door opens to an open entryway that is tile and then goes to the den which is now carpet. Should the direction of the planks pointtoward the front door?

4. There's a floor plug in the middle of the room. How do I butt up against it to make it look nice? What should I do if the height of the wood is higher than the floor plug (round) casing?

5. What is the best quarter-round trim to use? Should I get wood and stain it? If so, do you stain it before putting it down? My baseboards are white enamel. Should I use white enamel painted quarter rounds?

6. There is a firplace in the den. The hearth has a small ledge (about 18" high) and is covered in stone. Imagine the den being square and the hearth is a semi-moon shape in one of the corners of the room. How do I 'butt' the ends of the wood to the stone? How do I measure and cut for such a thing? I can't really use a trim piece because the fireplace is kinda round.

7. How do you make a notch in the middle of a board? For example, I need to make a small squared 'U' shape on the long side of one of the pieces of wood.

#6 first
Is the stone radiused and smooth enough for a base shoe or 1/4 round trim?
There are companies that make rubber trim for that kinda thing. Looks like wood and can be painted or stained.

http://www.flexibletrim.com/

#2,
Snap the chalk line, then nail some temporary straight boards to the floor perfectly aligned to the chalk line. This will be your starting point, and it will allow you to start gluing and not have the first rows of boards slip out of whack. You can start this row as close to a wall as you want........ but you should probably leave enough room so you can trowel the adhesive into that area when you go back to finish that side.

#3
The boards usually look best running the long direction......... so I am guessing from what you described........... yes, lay the boards pointed towards the entry.

#5
I like the wood quarter round stained to match the floor when placed against painted white base molding........... personal preference, no right or wrong.
Yes, stain and finish the trim, then install it.
Base "shoe" may look better than quarter round. It's 1/2" by 3/4" rather than 1/2 by 1/2 or 3/4 by 3/4

In addition, to determine the ideal starting point, one thing I do is cut one board into 3 inch pieces............ tape all the pieces together with duct tape . Use that as a story board so you can determine the best starting point and don't end up up with a tiny sliver along any part of the installation. You want to know how wide the boards will be at every wall and transition place. Spend some time figuring this out.

 

[Ernesto]

Does the hearth look kinda like this? I undercut all my hearths.

 

[havasu]

Ernesto, that flexible trim looks pretty slick!

 

[Ernesto]

Ernesto, that flexible trim looks pretty slick!

Yes, it's the invisable flexible trim.

 

[highup]

Yes, it's the invisable flexible trim.

ooooooooooh! new product time............. rubber stamp molds, colored silicone and ya got...... flexible hearths. I'm rich, 'm rich, I can now afford a Tramex moisture meter.

 

[zubby01]

Does the hearth look kinda like this? I undercut all my hearths.

Yes, very, very similar. I didn't know you could undercut them - that's a great idea. Just use a jamb saw? I was going to get a manual one but I guess that wouldn't work on the fireplace because I don't have Popeye forearms.

I'm getting a little further in my research and scouting out some plans.

I went to a flooring store and they do shoe molding instead of quarter round. I think I will stain some molding but any preference over the other?

Also, I like Southern Traditions hand scraped - anyone have any experience with it? It also goes by the name Bella Cera. A concern I have is it is only 3/8" engineered - not sure the wear layer but it can't be that much.

 

[Ernesto]

I'm using the Crain 825 because of it's lower profile than the 812. You can buy a diamond blade for it. I have 3, an old 810 and a cheesy little roberts that looks like this contraption, but it red. Talk about hillbilly. LOL

I only use the 825 for undercutting stone and tile. I use the Bosch Finecut for wood and door casing.

 

[highup]

I'm using the Crain 825 because of it's lower profile than the 812. You can buy a diamond blade for it. I have 3, an old 810 and a cheesy little roberts that looks like this contraption, but it red. Talk about hillbilly. LOL

I only use the 825 for undercutting stone and tile. I use the Bosch Finecut for wood and door casing.

That's a fantastic idea......... will you make one for me? :

 

[Ernesto]

heh heh Fer bout 500 Ducats

 

[TNT]

The only thing I want to comment on, since the other questions were answered so well, is the board direction.

Normally, the boards for hardwood (even engineered) should run across the joists. This makes for a stronger installation. Most of the time, joists go from front to back of the house, which would have you running them from left to right. Or right to left. You know what I mean! However, sometimes a house is built with the joists going from side to side, in which case you'd run it the other way. You'll want to find that out by looking in your basement, crawl space, whatever. Now, I'm not sure how to tell this if you have a finished basement with drywalled ceilings.

Tia

 

[TNT]

Yes, it's the invisable flexible trim.

Sweet, Ernesto! Will have to check that out ...

Just curious, is the original poster gluing onto wood or concrete? I didn't see that addressed.

Tia

 

[havasu]

I've never heard of gluing down onto wood, but I guess it is possible. When I think glue down and myself being from So Cal, I just assume concrete slab.

 

[Ernesto]

One would want to glue to a new underlayment, not the subfloor if gluing. Gluing wide unstable solid wood is common, even just anything 5" inches and over.

 

[TNT]

One would want to glue to a new underlayment, not the subfloor if gluing. Gluing wide unstable solid wood is common, even just anything 5" inches and over.

Yes ... I was going to mention using underlayment if on wood substrate as well, for a better bond.

Tia

 

[tectonicfloors]

For installation of a glue down engineered hardwood floor, it is most important to prepare the subfloor correctly first

 

[TNT]

For installation of a glue down engineered hardwood floor, it is most important to prepare the subfloor correctly first

Definitely.

Tia