Hi all. I'm having about 800 sq ft of solid hickory installed. Part of this install is a step down to another section, a bit like a slightly sunken living room. The step runs in an L about 13 ft per side and we want bullnose along the length. The problem: flooring abuts the bullnose and it seems to me to be far enough out of level as to be a problem. When I asked the installer about this, he said it was normal and followed the contour of the subfloor. Thing is, I replaced a few chunks of subfloor (I did all the demo) and said I had no problem doing more.

Here's a pic:


Is he right and this is normal? Are my expectations out a whack? Should I tell him that shims exist for a reason? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Is that the bullnose running left to right in the picture?

That certainly wasn't very clear. Sorry about that.

Yes, the bullnose is running left to right. This is a closeup shot looking in from the round portion of the bullnose. I was trying to demonstrate that the bullnose is set a bit lower than the wood boards themselves.

As you said he should have built up under the bullnose to get the joint between the floor boards and the edge of the bullnose at the same height. Are the ends of the floor boards that abut the bullnose in a straight line? What is the height difference the surface of the bullnose and the floor boards? Which got installed first the floor boards or the bullnose?

I'm not sure which was installed first. Which way SHOULD they have gone?

The ends of the floorboards are mostly straight, but they're certainly not flush. I feel like that part is OK, albeit not stellar. Here's a pic I took earlier.

I guess I keep looking at it, thinking to myself "it looks like *I* did it, not like a wood flooring expert did them." I hired it out so that it wouldn't look that way!

The installer is going to pull up the bullnose and try again. Hope it comes out better next time!

For best results the ends of the floorboards should tie into the bullnose with a tongue and groove. The bullnose could have the tongue and the floor boards the grooves or vice versa. No matter which way it is done the floor boards and bullnose should meet with tongues and grooves....other wise you have what is referred to as a weak joint where you can get movement and squeaks. The tongue and groove connection will get the surface of the floor boards and the bullnose at the same height.

If you have two layers of Titebond's floor laying tape to put under the nosing it will be very close to the right height. It is a double sided sticky tape made for fastening flooring to the sub-floor without nails.