Anyone put down their own wood flooring?

oz in SC V2.0 · #1 07/30/10, 09:23 AM

I ask because that is exactly what I am in the process of.

The flooring is nice and straight,very little waste except the ends of the planks have to be cut square.
My problem is either I am VERY out of shape(quite possible) or this is some REALLY tiring work.

I managed to get about a third of it down in about 8 hours by myself but that about killed me.I face nailed the first two rows,then actually hand nailed another row by hand through the tongue.When I went to return the flooring sander the guy told me I would go much faster with an air flooring nailer so I rented that.It IS faster but I could maybe get a row down before having to take a break,have some water and then continue.

Perhaps if I had a helper it would go faster.

Now it IS about 80 degrees up there with the A/C running, the little window A/C simply cannot keep up with the heat outside.

ANY helpful hints or tricks would be appreciated.
I put up all the wood walls by myself(1400 square feet or so) and that was 14'+ boards and up to ten feet in the air and was much faster and easier than this floor.

Anyone put down their own wood flooring? - Homesteading Questions

Anyone put down their own wood flooring? - Homesteading Questions

AngieM2 · #2 07/30/10, 09:25 AM

I've never done it. But, I have to say it's looking amazing!

Love the wood walls, and good luck on the flooring.

Angie

oz in SC V2.0 · #3 07/30/10, 09:27 AM

Well thank you,the walls were a lot easier to me,but then we were concerned with them looking perfect as that was sawmill lumber and was going to shrink and look much more 'rustic'.

The floors are going to be stained a dark color and be a satin finish as well,we know they will dent up and scratch easily as it is White pine but this IS a barn....LOL

Explorer · #4 07/30/10, 10:11 AM

I helped with some Oak flooring a few years ago. It does take time when you want the job done right. The proper tools are a great help, especially when nailing. By the way, I found the job hard on the back.

10kids · #5 07/30/10, 10:14 AM

We did ours. I wish you had a helper. I laid out the boards and my husband came along with the nailer and mallet. I will say that the first rows were the slowest and then he got kind of a rhythm going and it went faster. What you have done looks lovely!

oz in SC V2.0 · #6 07/30/10, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Explorer

I helped with some Oak flooring a few years ago. It does take time when you want the job done right. The proper tools are a great help, especially when nailing. By the way, I found the job hard on the back.

Hey..........good to 'see' you.

Yes it was hard on my back also,however from reading a little it appears I probably overdid it and had heat exhaustion....which of course I ignored and made worse by not stopping.

Sometimes I just HAVE to do things the dumb way...

I am actually rethinking the nailing down and might go with face nailed,not sure yet.

I have more time than money and the nailer while not too expensive to rent the nails for it are,almost $20 a box and we would need over 4 boxes.

oz in SC V2.0 · #7 07/30/10, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10kids

We did ours. I wish you had a helper. I laid out the boards and my husband came along with the nailer and mallet. I will say that the first rows were the slowest and then he got kind of a rhythm going and it went faster. What you have done looks lovely!

Mrs oz is working this weekend and while we have a couple of young nephews,I don't think they would enjoy the heat OR the work....LOL

I also found it went faster once I cut all the boards and laid them out,you do get a rhythm going...and by the end will have one giant muscle...

crispin · #8 07/30/10, 10:19 AM

Do you have a fan pointed towards you? I find almost any work around the house I do if I have even a small fan blowing on me it is sooooo very much more confortable. I am not longer in shape and am about 80 lbs overweight so I have learned all the keep cool tricks.

oz in SC V2.0 · #9 07/30/10, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispin

Do you have a fan pointed towards you? I find almost any work around the house I do if I have even a small fan blowing on me it is sooooo very much more confortable. I am not longer in shape and am about 80 lbs overweight so I have learned all the keep cool tricks.

No...I wouldn't do anything quite that sensible...LOL

I have learned my lesson however so next time should go more smoothly.

jwal10 · #10 07/30/10, 10:31 AM

I did mine here at the cabin, same pine. Yes it does dent but when stained it isn't too bad. I used a satin finish waterbase on top, 3 coats. It is tough, just wipe with a wet swiffer. I did some fancy work at the entrance, stained that first before I put them down. I used face nailing, used square nails and center punched them below the surface so I could sand. Worked well and looks so good. Matching baseboard and trim around fireplace. Mine was a small area, living room is only 9'x11' and bedroom is 9'x9'. Take your time and pay attention to details. I really like it. Harder work than tile but tile is 3 seperate tasks, set, grout and cleanup so it is more spread out....James

Serena · #11 07/30/10, 12:12 PM

Flooring is miserable work. we did the lock together laminate stuff in ours. probably much less intensive than yours... by the time we were done with hubby doing most of the hard work even I could barely move. Last bit I layed on the floor and slid him tools because I couldnt lift them up to hand them to him. Layed there a while when we were done too because my legs and back wouldnt work ot stand up.

DW · #12 07/30/10, 01:43 PM

We are in process of tearing out 3 rooms down to concrete...my complaint...my knees got old...how did that happen? We're probably 2/3 done and just found out the floor guy won't be here for a week so we don't have to overdo.

Txrider · #13 07/30/10, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oz in SC V2.0

No...I wouldn't do anything quite that sensible...LOL

I have learned my lesson however so next time should go more smoothly.

Jobs like that are what the friends, relatives, neighbor network are for...

I make sure to bank up plenty of helping time with friends and relatives and neighbors, so when I need it I can get a little help, along with usually a good feed for the helpers and some beer to drink with it.

I never get back all the help I have given others, but that's ok, I get the help I really need when the chips are down.

oz in SC V2.0 · #14 07/30/10, 01:48 PM

I think I would rather be on my hands and knees hand nailing the planks rather than using that flooring nailer...LOL

And from reading,that is probably the right way to go about it,we have 5" planks and supposedly anything 4" and above should really be face nailed.

I can then also save $$$ by not renting the nailer OR having to buy the pricey flooring nails.

oz in SC V2.0 · #15 07/30/10, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txrider

Jobs like that are what the friends, relatives, neighbor network are for...

I make sure to bank up plenty of helping time with friends and relatives and neighbors, so when I need it I can get a little help, along with usually a good feed for the helpers and some beer to drink with it.

I never get back all the help I have given others, but that's ok, I get the help I really need when the chips are down.

We only know a few people up there,mostly through having been paid to work on our place.
My nephews would probably not enjoy working up there,too hot,the work too hard and of course no TV....

Danaus29 · #16 07/30/10, 01:57 PM

It's BEAUTIFUL!!!!! The walls are just lovely! That's what dh and I want to do in our guest house.

I've got some wood flooring to redo, but the back wall has to be finished and the roof rebuilt before I even think about tearing up the floor.

If the weather ever cools down I can get back to work. I can't take the heat. Even with a fan and lots of rest breaks I still get overheated easily.

Txrider · #17 07/30/10, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danaus29

It's BEAUTIFUL!!!!! The walls are just lovely! That's what dh and I want to do in our guest house.

I've got some wood flooring to redo, but the back wall has to be finished and the roof rebuilt before I even think about tearing up the floor.

If the weather ever cools down I can get back to work. I can't take the heat. Even with a fan and lots of rest breaks I still get overheated easily.

Ditto, I have a lot of jobs to get done, but they are reserved for months outside of summer... It's closer to 100 degrees here.

I try to line up such work for spring or fall.

My biggest issue is knees, I would want a helper even if I had to pay someone to just pass me supplies so I don't have to get up and down from the floor so much, that's what kills me these days.

TNHermit · #18 07/30/10, 02:13 PM

If your gettin up and down every row to lay the floor your gonna sure wear yourself out. Once you get the first row in leave a space about 12 inches and start cutting floor to fit. Cut row after row laying them close together (not nailing

) When you get to the other side then go back (with your knee pads on) and start pulling the boards to the original one all ready nailed in. Nail as you go. If you go tongue out you can use a regular finish nailer and toenail through the tongue.. Tap the boards together with a scrap piece to get tight. Do about three or four rows at a time. Start each row with a long board then one a little shorter and stair step it when you cut for length.
Once you get about 3ft off the starting wall you can get on the new floor an pull boards to you. It should go pretty fast that way. 3-4 hours to do the best part of a room. Hour to stair step cut the floor and 2-3 to lay and nail.

oz in SC V2.0 · #19 07/30/10, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNHermit

If your gettin up and down every row to lay the floor your gonna sure wear yourself out. Once you get the first row in leave a space about 12 inches and start cutting floor to fit. Cut row after row laying them close together (not nailing

) When you get to the other side then go back (with your knee pads on) and start pulling the boards to the original one all ready nailed in. Nail as you go. If you go tongue out you can use a regular finish nailer and toenail through the tongue.. Tap the boards together with a scrap piece to get tight. Do about three or four rows at a time. Start each row with a long board then one a little shorter and stair step it when you cut for length.
Once you get about 3ft off the starting wall you can get on the new floor an pull boards to you. It should go pretty fast that way. 3-4 hours to do the best part of a room. Hour to stair step cut the floor and 2-3 to lay and nail.

Well...there you go!!!

I was laying a row out,cutting it to fit,then nailing.The planks are all 8 feet but the ends need to be cut to be straight.

I did (right before I finished for the day and came home) start cutting planks 8 foot,6 foot,4 foot and 2 foot to start then go from there...
Kind of like this:

__
____
______
________

Then I would simply lay down 8 foot planks across the room.

Still was tiring.

If I do go with face nailing instead of nailing through the tongue,couldn't I slide together a couple of rows and then go back and nail them all down?
Or could that lead to the planks not being tight enough?

It was going okay,just seemed to be REALLY slow...but feeling like crap didn't help....

hardrock · #20 07/30/10, 02:25 PM

I built my "A" frame using 1x6 tongue and groove knotty pine on all walls and ceilings.
Didn't put in on the floor (was afraid of "too much" wood) I left the floor bare concrete and it turned out a good choice.
The wood was expensive but is very beautiful. Putting it overhead was a job and I "feel" your aches and pains. You did a great job