I'm getting ready to install hardwood flooring in our house, and I've been reading about and thinking through the process for a while now. The one area of concern I have is dealing with a large "obstacle" in the middle of the floor.

The floor is about 1000 sq ft. The flooring is 3/4" x 4" Canarywood. In the middle of the floor is a staircase, closet and wall section, which occupies about 14 ft x 8 ft. When I reach the stairs, the rows will be independent on each side of the staircase until they join back up about 14 ft later. I'd rather not use a perpendicular seam to hide a misalignment of the two sides of rows when they come back together.

I'm looking for tips and techniques to make sure that when the two sides join back up into a single row, the sides will line up exactly.

Thanks,
-Stuart

You have to establish some control lines. pop them about every four feet. As you progress check both sides as you go and make adjustment where and when needed. Sometimes they fall right into place, if you start straight and keep it straight then it should line up. The mistake i see is when the floor goes thru a door way and they dont keep it lined up on the other side. I often see the far corner out a hair because someone got aggressive with the nailgun before they had a few rows down and knocked it out of square by nailing it hard.

Hi Kevin, the control lines sound like a good idea.

How does this process sound: For each strip of paper I put down, nail a row of flooring to secure the paper, then measure a line from before the staircase to the far edge of the paper, use that for a reference, and repeat?

If the two sides are not tracking the control lines exactly the same, what type of adjustments do you make? Would you set the trailing side a little loose to use up more space?

Would you recommend laying down both sides at the same time, or do one side, then the other? Or maybe put the first side down without nailing, do the second side making sure it tracks the first side, then take up and nail the first side?

-Stuart

I like to do them together. Nail aboout half and move to the other side, nail half, check reference lines, proceed. Its usually easier to add space vs ripping down pieces to align back up. You need to pick your starting point and get that line straight first, then the rest of the lines are pulled from the starting line.

Thanks Kevin.