I am getting ready to install a floor in my house. I have experience with cabinet making, but haven't tackled a floor yet - so I have a few questions. I'm wanting to do a pattern in my floor. Something like this...

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I hope this makes sense - basically a diamond in the middle and a whole lot of 45 degree cuts with a border around the outside edge. My questions are...
1. Where do I start? I'm thinking in the middle and work my way out. Is this correct?
2. Seams - can I use my biscuit jointer and glue them or should I route tongue and groove?

TIA

Rookie

Yes, you need to find dead center of the room and work from that spot toward the perimeter. When you get to where your apron boards (border parallel to walls) begin, you can let the 45ed field boards run "wild" and then trim them all off at the same time using a circular saw and a straight edge.

If you're referring to the joints between the boards and at the end butts, they should all be tongue and grooved and NOT glued together. The floor needs to be able to expand and contract widthwise. I am assuming you are using solid wood. While it is possible to make your own flooring, it is simply easier to use already made T&G flooring. Then use a special router bit to make grooves in the end butts and at the edge of the 45ed field. Then glue splines into the grooves to to join them together.

I was referring to the miter end joints. It would be a lot easier to use biscuits that to tongue and groove every one.

Also, I've read that you should run the boards perpendicular to the joists - what is the reason for this?

OK, I see now. In that case, yes, you could use biscuits instead of routing a groove and using splines.

Typically, this refers to installing solid 3/4" flooring over raised wood subfloors. By laying the floors at 90 degrees to the joists, it adds strength to the floors and makes for a stiffer installation. If most of your flooring is being installed at 45 degrees, then this is also very acceptable, as long as your subflooring is firm, dry and flat. You may find reading this info from NOFMA helpful.
http://www.nofma.org/Portals/0/Publicat ... Floors.pdf
http://www.nofma.org/Portals/0/Publicat ... 009_03.pdf
http://www.nofma.org/Portals/0/Publicat ... 010_04.pdf

Thank you for your replies - very useful information. A few more questions, though. When starting in the center, I obviously don't want to use a flooring nailer on such small pieces. I was thinking of glueing the first few pieces together to make a 12 inch square piece and then drilling and hand nailing it to the floor. Would this be the best way or is there a better way you would suggest? Also, when I transition from the miters to the apron, what would be the best way to secure it all together?

Sounds reasonable. You could use a little flooring adhesive there as well and just try to blind nail the flooring.

This is where one runs the floor boards long, then trims them off with a circular saw and straight edge. This must be done very carefully, especially if your flooring is prefinished. After trimming, then you route a groove all around that 45ed field. Since you are installing bamboo, you will need to make your own splines (slip tongues) that match the groove of the sides of the flooring. Then you glue the spline into the groove you just routed and then fit the first course of your apron into the spline. Basically, what you've done is made a tongue around the complete perimeter of your 45ed field floor ready to accept the groove of your apron boards. Then just build the apron one course at a time till you get to the walls. Blind/toe nail as much as you can. You may need to hand nail the last few rows and face nail the last one or two. You can also use some flooring adhesive on those face-nailed last rows to cut down on the amount of face nailing.