JOIN DIYCHATROOM TODAY!

myphaykename · 01-20-2009, 08:45 AM

Sorry this is wordy, but any help would be great!

I currently have solid ¾ x 2 ¼ red oak flooring installed on most of my 1st floor and stairs leading to the second floor. I would like to install ¾ x 2 ¼ maple on the second floor in 5 rooms and a hallway. The second floor is currently carpeted. There are 4 bedrooms, 1 hallway and an office at the end of the hallway. It is laid out with 2 10x10 bedrooms on one side of the hallway. Across from them are the master bedroom, bathroom with a marble threshold, another bedroom (10x12) and the hardwood stairs.

Because I am new at installing flooring, and due to time constraints (my full-time job), I’d like to start the installation in the smallest room (10x10) and go in stages. I would pull up the carpet in one room, lay down the floor, and probably not get to another room for a few weeks or even a month or two.

My questions are:
Do you recommend installing in stages?
Does it matter which room I start in?
Do I do the bedrooms 1st and hallway last?
Would it be a good idea to put down a wide strip of flooring, in the doorways, instead of trying to do a continuous run?
I’m not really sure how to handle the transitions from the bedrooms into the hallway.
I’m not sure how to work with the hardwood stair nose that’s already there as well as the marble threshold of the bathroom. I only know that the flooring would run parallel to these objects.

The house is only 6ys old. The subfloor is ¾” plywood. Other than rosin or felt paper, do I need to put anything else down?

RippySkippy · 01-21-2009, 02:22 PM

Which way do your floor joist run? Assuming they run from right to left the first picture with your hallway, I'd do the hall way running it across the joist (with the hall way) then work into each bed room.

myphaykename · 01-21-2009, 02:51 PM

Yes, the joists run left to right, so I was going to lay the flooring accross them (parallel to the walls). I guess my biggest concern is how to handle the transitions from room to room as well as how to deal with the stair nose that's already there and the marble threshold into the bathroom.

Bob Mariani · 01-21-2009, 02:54 PM

Adding too much height to the top of the stairway will be a safety hazard. Now the steps are not the same height, a code violation. it does not matter where you start. We even start in the middle of a room and go both directions to limit buckling. The transitions will just be a full run of the boards. The marble saddle in the bath is left as is and the wood butted to it. Also using 3/4" wood will require that all doors be trimmed. Door jams and trim need to be undercut, get the right type of tools for this. Pre-finished wood will be a better way to go. If not, you need to remove all the furniture in the house to avoid dust contamination. BUT.. the stairway again. Code allows 1/8" variance you will have this first step 1/2" more..better add rubber treads and wear a helmet.

myphaykename · 01-21-2009, 05:06 PM

Thank you for your help.
If the stair nose is 3/4" and the flooring is 3/4" then the height should be fine...I think. If I butt the flooring up to the marble and the stairnose, do I have to worry about expansion, since the boards will be running parallel?

Also, someone recommended "T-molding" for the doorway transitions. I'd rather the flooring all be the same level. In addition to doing a continuous run through the hallway, could I also use a wider (maybe 5") board of the same flooring and put that in the doorways?

Bob Mariani · 01-21-2009, 05:23 PM

Wider boards? Why? it will add more work (need to make the tongue and groove) and it will not add anything. At the marble leave 1/4" space and add colored caulking to match the threshold. Expansion must be addressed. T-molding is used for laminate floors not hardwood floor installation.

myphaykename · 01-22-2009, 10:29 AM

Good point about the wider boards. Thanks!!

Assuming the height is OK (level with the stair nose), do you think I could get away with butting the new floor up against the existing nose?

Bob Mariani · 01-22-2009, 01:12 PM

yes, you can even sand one down if needed to taper into the other.

myphaykename · 01-22-2009, 05:17 PM

With the flooring running paralell to the stiar nose, correct?

Again....Thank you for all your help!!!

Bob Mariani · 01-22-2009, 07:28 PM

The floor should be nailed perpendicular to the joists and the nails should be into the joists.

HardwoodGuy · 01-23-2009, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Does it matter which room I start in?

Definately start from the top stair nosing. Working back and trying to line up with the nosing will be a headache you want to avoid. Doing so will probably put it out of alignment and chances are you'll have an ugly irregular shaped piece against the nosing.

Don't use any transitions going into the bedrooms. You want to achieve a continuos uninterrupted flow. And regarding that bathroom marble threshold; I see no reason why you can't butt because of the limited distance to the opposite wall...probably 36" or so? It has enough room to expand there.

Take your time with it and do it right. You'll be much happier with the final result.

A few more tips that may be helpful.

Reverse direction of hardwood floors.