Please help a new guy trying to install a solid hardwood floor, 3" wide, 5/8" thick over an entire 1st floor area. I want the floor to run straight through all rooms without any transition (laying from north to south)

I am not sure where I should start this floor? Please click on link below to see the floor plan. Should I start in the NW corner and work all the way through? Then I suppose I would have to use a spline to work my way back once I enter the kitchen area. Is that correct?

There are two points where the floor will have to meet up precisely (I indicated where those are on my floor plan). Will I then need to use a spline at both those points? Is there a better way?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Here is the floor plan: http://www.newagewd.com/fplan.pdf

Thanks!
JJ

If I were installing this floor, this is how I would proceed:
1) measure out from the East wall in living room at each corner out far enough to continue a line through that small hall to the family room. Snap a line. this is control line 1.
2) measure from control line one far enough to extend the line into the kitchen and snap that. Control line 2.
3) Check all parallel walls with these lines. If the lines are off with a majority of the walls, you'll need to adjust your lines. If you're within a 1/4" parallel, that's close enough.
4) Measure back from control line 1 and start at the east wall. You'll only need to reverse direction once in the kitchen.
5) keep measuring and refering to your control lines to check to see if you are keeping the install parallel and straight. Compensate if you get off.

I would start on the longest run, from the North to South wall, through "Meeting point #2". Then work westward. There will be no way to avoid ripping some "tongue" material to reverse directions to work into the Living Room, and on the interior of the "cove" area.

I like to start on the longest run, and keep it dead-nuts straight, so that the effect of the inevitable small angular misalignments is less amplified and less noticeable when working into the shorter areas.

My advice is worth about as much as you paid me for it !
I'm a slightly-experenced DIYer also.

Thanks for the help guys. I didn't even really think of starting from that wall, but Ithink it makes sense.

So 1 control line going the length of the house- north-to-south and another control line going from the dining room wall into the kitchen?

Does that sound right and I hopefully meet up going from the kitchen into the family room!

Thanks again!

JJ

You will meet up nicely if you keep measuring and checking with those control lines. You will only have one area to tie the two sections together and that will be in the kitchen. Starting at the living rm east wall, lay that and when running down that little hallway into the family room, extend you chalk line into the hall and family room and lay that, keeping parallel with your control line #2. Stop at least four to five row back before you get into that kitchen doorway from the family rm. Now go back and finish laying the wood from the living room into the dining room. Once you get into the kitchen doorway, again extend your line into the kitchen and continue laying in the kitchen, counting your courses and checking with your control line. When your about to join the two sections, double check all the measurements. You should be spot on IF you used the same nailing force at all times and your flooring is well milled. Simply tie the two areas together and finish up to the walls or cabinets. Now you will need to install a spline to reverse that 1/3 of the kitchen floor behind the dining room door. Got It?

Our man Gary does a much better job explaining stuff than I do, but these photos may help someone to visualize what he just explained. http://www.custom-surfaces.com/35.html

(Hold your mouse over the written "semi-instructions" to expand them)

Jerry, as the saying goes, " A picture is worth a thousand words." Good job on your web site and those pictures that show how it's done.

Thanks a ton! You guys all did a great job of explaining!

I'll be back if I get stuck!

JJ