Installing A Herringbone Floor Using The Glue Down Only Method

Question:

Thanks a million Doc,

I have tried to get this info from every source I could think of with no luck. I have seen these floors in magazines but none of the locals have done one in herringbone. I plan on nailing the 3/4″X 21/4″ thick strips to 3/4″ plywood with black paper in between. Wish me luck!

Dennis

Answer:

Dear Dennis

The method I described is for GLUE down only. If your are going to nail down the boards, you will have to move the center point to just one diagonal laid strip distant from the shortest wall. It will only be center to the two long walls. I don’t recommend this nail down method as nailing the first few strips may move them out of place. Consider gluing these first few rows down and letting it dry overnight. Or at least face nail some sacrificial pieces so that the following rows won’t shift.

Make sure you use flooring nails (not staples), read my article about this available in the search box at the top of this web page. And for nailing close to the wall use 2″ spiral finishing nails and a nail spinner to install the boards split free. Go to http://www.leevalley.com and order this nifty and inexpensive prod # 99K20.01.

Oh, and forget the black paper it provides no moisture or squeak resistance. And you won’t be able to keep the chalk lines straight. If you have a damp crawl space under this floor add another 1/4″ plywood so that the 2″ flooring NAILS will not penetrate the two layers, hence a water proof barrier made by the water proof plywood.