See the diagram below...


Basically, I started on the door end of the house and have filled in the Entry (1) and most of the Livingroom (2). But now I'm finding that when I flow the next row to conjoin the livingroom with the entry via the hall (3), there's a 1/2" difference between the Entry end and the livingroom, so if the next row would leave a 1/2" gap at the end of the Entry.

So, I've figured there's two ways to handle this:

1) Rip a wood strip 1/2" wide to make up the difference in the entry hall, then just flow the floor normally from the livingroom on across where it meets the entry hall. The problem with this is you have a 1/2" strip of wood that is surrounded on both sides by full-width strips, so it stands out a bit aesthetically.

2) Get a transition strip molding (this is prefinished hardwood) to make up that gap.

Is there a right way to do this, or is it just personal preference? If it's the latter, I'd think that the 1/2" ripped wood would be less noticeable than a transition strip since at least it would keep everything flush.

Thanks!

This type of install is tricky in that you are installing two separate rooms and hope they line up at some point in the adjoining room. If the flooring is prefinished with mini/micro bevels, that small ripped piece will show. If you are installing unfinished flooring to be sanded and finished in place (and it is square-edged, not beveled), then it will be hidden much better if you choose a piece of wood with similar grain and color to the surrounding boards. Since you are nearly at the place of joining the two sections of flooring, telling you how to avoid this problem would not help, unless you want to remove the entry flooring and start over. I guess if I had to choose between your two solutions, I'd choose the 1/2" ripped piece intead of a molding.

Wow, somebody wasn't making sure things were tight, and have a control line to measure to, to keep things in line.

Not much you can do, where it won't looked "Hacked" in.

You could remove four rows from the living room area and shave 1/8" off each board then reinstall it. Of course you'd have to do some precise milling on a table saw with a brand new blade to make it work. Prefinished or unfinished?

Hi Ken,
The same idea occurred to me today. I was thinking in fact of just reducing 2 rows in the living room by 1/4". The strips are 2 3/4" wide, so that shouldn't really be too noticeable unless someone was basically looking. I'd like to tear up as few rows as possible because those staples (MIIIFS) are very timeconsuming to get out of those rows, so I'd pretty much just have to buy more wood.

It's prefinished. I do have a good table saw and a brand new ripping blade.

another option is to go buy some wider flooring and rip it down to the size you need for the foyer . one board a 1/2 wider or 2 boards 1/4 wider would even less noticeable. justin