Replies

1. 
   floman47 | Oct 23, 2002 12:40am | #1

   Hi ken

   It's not a big problem.  I try not to lay it to tight. Don't bang on it to hard. Leave 1/2" gap around the perimeter. Let it acclimate in your house for 1 to 2 weeks.  Then I let it set after I install it for another 2 weeks (buy the ocean). 

   What wood are you going to put in? 

   Jeff in so cal

1. 
   KenCoe1 | Oct 23, 2002 01:31am | #2

   I haven't decided what species to use. Just trying to gather some info to help in the final decision. You're saying that the expansion is minimal; even near the ocean. Thanks

1. 
   floman47 | Oct 23, 2002 02:15am | #3

   No a floor is going to expand and contract.  You have to plan with movement in mind.  I won’t install maple anymore by the ocean because it’s too unstable. Quarter-sawn is better because it moves in it’s thickness not it’s with.  When I install floor in the summertime and it’s humid, and an average moister content of the wood is 12%.  Then when the homeowners move in and turns on the heater it’s going to shrink to say 8%. In an oak floor you will see some gaps of maybe around 1/64th. But if you add moisture they will close up.

   Are you on a concrete or sub-floor?

   I’ve installed solid wood flooring for the last 20 years if it was a big problem I would not have been working too much. But that’s why they hire a professional contractor (ha ha!) so I take all the risk.

   Jeff in so cal       

2. 
   DennisS | Oct 23, 2002 05:06am | #5

   While we're on the subject, what about radiant hot water heating under a wood floor. Several web sites that sell the components for such a system include details for installation under wood flooring but it seems to me that it would be asking for a lot of grief.

   Our new place will have in-floor radiant heating on the main level under stone flooring but the upper floor, the "council" wants carpet. I'm trying to convince her that hardwood flooring would be easier to maintain and be just as warm if it included radiant floor heating. Trying to get over the mind-set hurdle of having a constant heat source under all that expensive material (thinking cherry here).

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   IanDG | Oct 23, 2002 10:24am | #6

   Dennis,The main problem with hardwood floors over radiant heat, as one would expect, is shrinkage.In an area where the normal recommended timber moisture content for flooring was 11%, flooring over radiant was dried to 8%.I always used a penetrative oil system so the timber could breathe and moisture equilibrium is reached much quicker and you avoid problems like edge-bonding and panellisation, with the resultant splitting of the timber, that you get with a varnish material.Are you intending to do the work yourself?

1. 
   DennisS | Oct 23, 2002 05:26pm | #8

   Thanks for the reply, Ian.

   No, something like this I would leave to the rofessionals, although some friends had a pre-finished cherry floor installed recently that looks like it might be something I could handle. This material had slightly eased edges which I don't think I'd like in a space where they used it (kitchen) but for a bedroom with light traffic would be OK.

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

2. 
   fdampier5 | Oct 23, 2002 07:07pm | #9

   She who must be obeyed needs to be able to "change" things around. I suspect that she's throwing out a red herring.   She sees a hardwood floor as more permant and thus not really in her control.

        Convince her that you want to put a runner rug over the cherry to protect it (I know, but bear with me here)   and that she can change it according to the season and easily replace it when worn.

     Then use radant heat under that cherry and watch, she will of her own choice leave the dang rug off.......suddenly she'll start to brag to her gal friends about how she wanted hardwood all along and you were against it......

     Ya gotta love 'em once you figure 'em out....

      

1. 
   DennisS | Oct 23, 2002 07:24pm | #10

   hahahahaha - I like you're line of reasoning, Frenchy! But you brought to mind one thing I had neglected to put in the equation: yes, my life mate is a 're-arranger' of things. Things like beds, wardrobes and dressers. The thought of a heavy dresser being dragged across that highly polished cherry floor sends shivers up my spine. The finish on the floor our friends had installed isn't much to speak of. Doubt that any pre-finished material will come close to matching a good in-place finish job for durability.

   Back to the drawing board.

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

2. 
   fdampier5 | Oct 23, 2002 07:33pm | #11

   Try glueing felt pads to the bottom of everything.  makes movin' easier and prevents damage to floors.

     (evan still I set everything on a rug without backing and just slide the whole thing)

2. 
   fdampier5 | Oct 23, 2002 03:45am | #4

   Ken,

        Hardwood floors are great but please don't expect the narrow little strips that are 2 1/4th wide  to have the same impact as wider 10, 12 or 20 inch boards.

      In my humble opinion the narrow strip floors look too much like a gym. 

     Now dealin' with expansion isn't too much a problem with a narrow boards but the wide ones need special attention to deal with all that movement.  It's not impossible, just needs to be dealt with. 

        Think outside the box, For example I'm using Black walnut  with a paduck  picture frame border on the second floor and hard maple  with a 20 inch wide burl oak border on the first floor.

        

3. 
   chrislowery | Oct 23, 2002 03:54pm | #7

   If the floor you intend to lay is above grade, leave about 3/4 " gap between your first board and all walls that it butts up against. on the ends and sides.If youcome close to tile flooring, make sure you use a good quality silicone in the gap between these materials because ceramic expands with heat, and wood expands with moisture so this area could be a virtual war zone. Below grade is another story all togather.