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#1
07-03-2006, 02:47 PM
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Installing hardwood floors - Trip report (w/pics, long)
So, this past weekend we installed some pre-finished hardwood floors in our house. I thought maybe it would be of interest to those who may be considering the same, as I know there are a bunch of current and future homeowners out there. Given that I'm not a big fix-it kind of guy, if anything this could inspire others to do a project like this, because it wasn't really too hard (just a lot of hard work).
So here we go.  This is a picture of our living room and den, from the front door. I'm standing on the den side, where the fireplace is. As you can see, we pulled up the carpet and pad in the living room already. Scraping off the carpet pad glue, and removing the staples, was fun.  Removing the moulding from the wall. Using a small utility bar, I was able to pry off the moulding without doing too much damage. We'll probably repaint it and reapply it. This is nice, because the moulding is already cut to the correct distance/angles - which makes a difference in a room with a few corners.  Me, making sure the floor boards are tight before nailing. We bought pre-finished bamboo flooring. This particular flooring we bought is solid wood all the way through. We did look at some engineered floors, which are nice, but somewhat expensive. And we did not like the cheaper, thinner, laminate or floating floors, although I can see their uses for certain areas.  There's me, pounding away at that bastard of a floor nailer. Yes, there are pneumatic floor nailers available. While they are easier to use than the manual versions, they can be a bit finicky - you hit them too hard, and the nail can shoot through the board - and hit it too soft, and the nail will stick up a bit, which is really a pain in the ass to fix. And jeez, forget kettlebells, this was one hell of a workout, swinging that damn mallet all day. You really get good at it after a while though, and can move pretty quickly.  Close up of the nailer, and the floor. We really like the unique look of the bamboo, it has some character to it. That should help hide the inevitable scratches.  The transition between the two rooms. Mrs. nolanfan's dad was a big help here. He built his house, and has a ton of experience. He also has a few more tools than me, which helps as well.  A view from the den side. The fireplace proved to be a challenge. We framed around it with mitered 2' pieces that we cut into small boards (no tongue or groove). Cutting and fitting the rest of the floor around it did result in one mishap and a broken tile. And check out that sweet sports-bar-like entertainment area! Pimpin! ******IMPORTANT NOTE - SERIOUS WOODWORKERS PLEASE SCROLL PAST THIS NEXT PHOTO******  Here's how to break every table saw rule in the book. Seriously, if you're a woodworker, you may be cringing. No kickback guard, no output table, no true featherboards...ugh. I consider myself lucky that we didn't have any mishaps with the few cuts we had to make. We borrowed the saw from a neighbor - but in the future I'll be getting my own saw so I can have a better set up.  Nailing in the last board! Success!  Finished product. We're really happy with how it turned out. So overall, it really wasn't a tough project, if you have a chop saw and table saw (jigsaw too, for some of the angle cuts). The floor nailer is easily rented. A brad nailer is useful too, for the boards that are too close to the wall for the floor nailer. Total time - A few hours to remove the carpet/prep floor/remove mouldings. Floor installation took just a shade over one day - a Saturday from 11 am-10 pm, and then a couple of hours on Sunday to finish up, for about 400 sq. ft. total. Worth the time and money, IMO! 
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#2
07-03-2006, 02:51 PM
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Re: Installing hardwood floors - Trip report (w/pics, long)
[ QUOTE ]
Here's how to break every table saw rule in the book. Seriously, if you're a woodworker, you may be cringing. No kickback guard, no output table, no true featherboards...ugh. I consider myself lucky that we didn't have any mishaps with the few cuts we had to make. We borrowed the saw from a neighbor - but in the future I'll be getting my own saw so I can have a better set up. [/ QUOTE ] Well atleast you aren't wearing gloves.... Nice work on the floor, it really looks nice.
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#4
07-03-2006, 02:53 PM
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Re: Installing hardwood floors - Trip report (w/pics, long)
How much were all the supplies? My parents had this done by someone last year and I remember it cost a fortune. Curious how much they would have saved if they had done it themselves.
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#7
07-03-2006, 02:57 PM
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Re: Installing hardwood floors - Trip report (w/pics, long)
Beautiful floor. I'll have to remember bamboo whenever I am faced with doing a wood-floor. Bonus points for your two TVs with a combined 25" viewing area.
Swede
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#8
07-03-2006, 03:00 PM
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Re: Installing hardwood floors - Trip report (w/pics, long)
[ QUOTE ]
No pictures of Mrs. Nolanfan? [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] Heh, she didn't do her hair or anything, and was in her "work clothes", I'd be a dead man for posting that. <font color="white"> PM for pic prices! </font>
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