I am planning to install some pre-finished 2.25x.75 red oak t&g flooring. Before getting started I have a few questions:\

This is an older house with 1x6 planking (not T&G) as subfloor over 2x8 joists 16" IOC with 12' spans. The 1x6 subfloor planking has 1/4" gaps between the boards. Should I plan on putting 3/8 BC underlayment over the planking before installing the flooring

I'd like to install the flooring flush up against the existying baseboard mouldings and door case mouldings. I realize that this is more work the installing the trim after or using shoe mouldiong...but it is the look and finish I am looking for.
-Any tips on cutting the flooring for flush fit.
-Do I use a scroll/jig saw or hand coping saw?
-What is the best way to transfer cut line from door casing to flooring.
-Should I cover the prefinished surface with painter's tape befor cutting?

Thanks,

JB

Gaps between solid plank subfloors are normal. IF your existing subfloor is solid and without noises, you can install directly over. You'll need to lay out some 15 lb. asphalt saturated felt first and run the flooring at 90 degrees to the direction of the floor joists.

The correct way to accomplish this look is to carefully remove the existing baseboards and re-install them after the flooring is completed. For the door jambs and casings, you undercut them with a jamb saw and slide the flooring underneath. You still need to allow for an expansion gap at the perimeter of the floor. That's just one reason for not net cutting the floor to the baseboards.

Gary-

Thanks for the reply....but I need some clarrification.

If I run the flooring perpendicular to the joist, then it will be running parallel with the plank subfloor. What do I do if the to front (tongue) edge lands on one of the gaps between subfloor planks. Do I glue that strip of face nail.

All the red oak floors through out my house were installed after the base mouldings and door casing were installed. And when I had the floors sanded and refinshed, I didn't have any unsighly gaps which I would have had if the baseboard trim had been installed on top of the flooring.

I know that your advice to leave a 1/4" gap at the perimater is recommeneded for floating and engineered floors. But from what I have seen of new construction in my area, the hardwood floors installed last... after all the trim.



Thanks,

JB

I see. So your plank subfloors are running 90 degrees at a right angle to the floor joists? That's sorta unusual. They are supposed to run at 45 degrees. Well, you cannot run the oak floor parallel with the subfloor planks. Are your existing oak floors 3/4" thick and running parallel to the floor joists? While NOFMA recommends installing perpendicular to the joists, in your case, in doesn't appear that is an option unless you add plywood. You could run the new flooring at an angle (45 degrees or so). I would be concerned about the subfloors being stiff enough to run the new oak flooring parallel to the joists. It is done sometimes, but it can have problems as well.



Well, not just my advice. This comes from NOFMA, the NWFA and nearly every wood floor manufacturer. It MAYBE that all those existing floors are quarter sawn 5/16" floors. Those do not expand and contract like other flooring can. Plus, not having T&G makes cutting net to base and doors much easier. Also, the existing floors may have been bordered where the borders are installed first and net to the walls, then the field is installed last. I've seen this done in older homes. BTW, how old is your home and these existing oak floors?

Gary-

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Let me clarrify on the subflooring. The floor joists (2x8) are running front to rear on the house at 16"OC with 12' spans to the center beam. The plank subfloor is running perpendicular to the joists. I want to lay the 3/4 oak hardwood flooring in the same direction as the subfloor planks...or perpendicular to the joists. This is consistent with normal woodframe construction. The only problem I foresee is that the subfloor planks have 1/4<>1/2" gaps between their edges. If the "tongue line" of the hardwood flooring happens to land on a gap, I will have nothing to nail into. If I go over the plank with plywood, would 3/8 underlayment be adequate. I would run the grain of the plywood perpendicular to the joist to maximize floor strength. I am dointg this work on a house my daughter purchased.

My own home was built approximately 35 years ago. All the oak flooring throughout the house was installed after the trim. I always figured that this was a sign of quality and craftsmanship, since great care had to be exercised to get a tight fit around door jams and casings. Which is why I wanted to do the same at my daughters. I always figured removing & re-installing moulding was a shortcut...not recommended practice. I appreciate your explanation.

Thanks,

JB

JB, if it were me i would add the underlayment for several reasons. Thicker is usually better but i see no problem with 3/8".

I'm still trying to get my head around your thinking of net fitting to trim. Makes no sense to me at all. By far it looks and works much better to undercut door jambs and casing. You may like the looks for whatever reason but you need to allow for some expansion all around the perimeters.

Thanks Jerry....I will go ahead with installing the 3/8 underlayment.

Just one question about installation without moulding in place. Does this mean that in the future if the floors need sanding the moulding would have to be rewfitted (lowered). It would seem that there would be a gap created after sanding between the floor surface and mouldings. Or do refinishers more typically feather the edges of the floor where it meets so that there isn't as much material removed.

Thanks again,

JB

I am not a sander JB, but they typically use a small edger to sand tight areas next to baseboards / casings where the big floor sanders won't reach.

It is better to remove and replace the baseboards or add a base shoe when re-sanding a floor. I have seen multiple jobs done by others that do not remove the base and the edger will sand a bit of the baseboards. I remove the baseboards on all of the refinish work I do. With the little amount that you are sanding the baseboards are only lowered by 1/16" at the most. I try to remember to council my customers that there will be paint touch up necessary.

Actually, I find that once customers see how beautiful the floors look they don't wish to re-install the old base and desire a new clean fresh look.

The exception to this is in much older homes that use plaster walls. Typically back then, pre WW11 and even for a little while post WW11, walls were plastered. The typical way baseboards and most trim were done back then was all the trim was installed prior to the walls being plastered. Also, some Victorian and Arts and Crafts styed homes had very tall (10" + ) baseboards and still no baseshoe. I've seen it many times. In these homes, one does NOT want to remove any trim when installing new floors or refinishing the existing floors. You simply CAREFULLY sand up to the existing baseboards. If you need to leave that last 1/4" near the base and scape it out, then that's what you have to do. One always needs to adjust typical procedures according to the actual job. Of course on your typical track 50's, 60's and 70's homes with cheap base, replacement is sometimes a better option.