I keep reading about checking for straight and parallel lines while installing wood flooring.
What happens when I reach my permanent island which is NOT perfectly parallel to my starting wall about 14 ft away?

Do I measure differently to begin with?

Make angled cuts of flooring?

Thanks,
Frank

I would not like to see angled cuts out in middle of a floor. There are various ways to loosen and square up islands.... depends on how they are mounted.

Good response Jerry.

How NOT perfectly parallel is it? Have you measured to that point and see what kind of board width you'll have? If it's off 1/4" for example and the board is 3" wide it may not be noticeable depending on where the boards land around the island

There is also a fireplace hearth that is off by 1/4" front to back!

The island is very permanent- Supporting 6x6" for roof beams on either side, cabinets nailed to the floor and all is tiled!
The diff. from side to side is 3/4" measured from my front wall

What to do?
Thanks Frank

I have the same problem, see this thread

I'm thinking of using some trim around the base of the fireplace so there'll be room for expansion and also will hide the un-squareness. I'm hoping the pros will have some input. Does your problem look like mine? (see pic in other thread)

jdelisle,
Yeh, my hearth IS out of parallel by about 1/2"+. I will be covering this by using quarter round arount the base of the hearth
Frank

With my install, I have to lay 3/8" ply on top of my subfloor. When I add the 3/4 hw to it I'm going to be almost as thick as the stone at the base so I'm not sure if I can fit a quarter round against it like that. I figure t-molds cut in half should be the right height, and will leave a gap for expansion. Good luck with yours, post some pics when you're done I'd love to see it.

I find it hard to tell that a board is 2 1/4" at one end and 1 3/4" at the other from a standing position without tape measure laying next to it. As long as there are not slivers of material laying next to a focal point, it is difficule to determine that the visual reference is out of square.

If possible you could figure out the distance from the starting point and the island and split the difference between the two so that ripping your starting boards will leave the most amount of wood on both giving the most forgiving appearnce to the squareness of your install.