Five Inch Floooring

[Pilgrim]

Due to some water damage I am going to be replacing my 3/4 X 3 1/4 red oak (number 3) with 3/4 X 5" Rustic Red Oak and just wanted to get some advice from the pros here.

In regards to the wood acclimating and checking the moisture content of the flooring I have thought it might be a good idea to buy a meter, and that is my first question: is there a particular meter I should get? I know there are different types and just wondering if a cheaper meter will work or if I should buy a more expensive one.

Another question deals with what I read on another forum concerning gluing the end joints (not the tongue and groove where floor is nailed down but where they butt together). Is that a good/bad idea?

I know I can research this but hoping to get some input from those who have experience with putting down flooring.

Thanks.

 

[Dan]

Do yourself a favor and get a good pin-type meter. I use a Delmhorst J2000. It was $300 on amazon. I really like it as it comes with built in species correction.

Most pin-type meters are calibrated to douglas fir. You take a reading then refer to a chart to get the moisture content for the species in question. With a meter with built-in species correction, you set the meter to the species and when you take a reading it is what you see on the meter. Tons less confusing.

You can always sell the meter after your project is complete. Someone here might even be interested.

 

[Nick]

Is the flooring being nailed , or Glued ?

 

[Ernesto]

Another question deals with what I read on another forum concerning gluing the end joints (not the tongue and groove where floor is nailed down but where they butt together). Is that a good/bad idea?



Thanks.

I've seen some manufacturers put that requirement in the installation guidelines but not really 3/4 solid.

 

[Pilgrim]

Is the flooring being nailed , or Glued ?

It will be nailed. If I have understood what I have read correctly it is where the ends of the boards meet that some guys glue.

I actually put the floor we have now down when we built the house and I nailed it about every 4-5". Is that too close? What kind of spacing do you guys normally use?

 

[Dan]

The NWFA calls for 6-8" spacing, 1-3" from the ends on plank floors three inches and wider. Follow your manufacturer's instructions.

 

[Pilgrim]

Hi guys, back again. Got my flooring delivered, 46 boxes of 5" Rustic Red Oak, pre-finished (sorry, but I'm really happy to have this flooring, lol).

Next question I have for the pros is how it needs to be stacked while I am tearing up the old floor? I have seen that it should be stacked "loosely," and just need to know...how loose?

It is in cardboard boxes (and is loose in the box, no straps), do I need to remove from the box or is this okay?

Do I need to remove the cardboard from the end of the box, if it isn't necessary to remove from boxes?

Probably going to be a while before I actually start laying it. Still need to take up old flooring and get a moisture meter.

One last question occurs to me: with it being winter, and the heat going, can the wood lose too much moisture? Or will it simply be conditioned for the temps we keep heat on (fluctuates between 69-70)?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Nick]

Stack em on a inside wall, 3 boxes across, 3-4 across on top at a 90 degree angle . Push down the ends of the boxes ..

House should have been Acclimated before the wood was delivered ..

You will have to rip up the cpt and take the moisture readings before we can tell you if you are ready to install..

PS: If you are using the pin meter stick the boards with the pins following the grain , one pin behind the other ..

 

[Pilgrim]

Stack em on a inside wall, 3 boxes across, 3-4 across on top at a 90 degree angle . Push down the ends of the boxes ..

House should have been Acclimated before the wood was delivered ..

You will have to rip up the cpt and take the moisture readings before we can tell you if you are ready to install..

PS: If you are using the pin meter stick the boards with the pins following the grain , one pin behind the other ..

Thanks, Nick, that helps. I would ask if you are saying its okay for them to stay in box.

I am going to get a MM, and saw one online for about $140 that could read different species. Is something in that price range trustworthy?

I was talking with someone today about the mold and mildew under the current hardwood, and something that came up was sealing the floor before putting down the vapor barrier. He said he thought they had a sealer that is also a mold inhibitor. Just wanted to know if you or anyone here is familiar with that, and if its a good idea?

Thanks for the help.

 

[highup]

Thanks, Nick, that helps. I would ask if you are saying its okay for them to stay in box.

I am going to get a MM, and saw one online for about $140 that could read different species. Is something in that price range trustworthy?

I was talking with someone today about the mold and mildew under the current hardwood, and something that came up was sealing the floor before putting down the vapor barrier. He said he thought they had a sealer that is also a mold inhibitor. Just wanted to know if you or anyone here is familiar with that, and if its a good idea?

Thanks for the help.

Can you add more info about the house.... geographic location, age, subfloor and if the house have a basement, or if the house has a crawl space that has a vapor barrier. You mentioned mold under the the current hardwood, so need to figure out why that's there.

I ask about location because here on the Oregon coast, humidity goes up during winter, not down.

 

[Pilgrim]

Can you add more info about the house.... geographic location, age, subfloor and if the house have a basement, or if the house has a crawl space that has a vapor barrier. You mentioned mold under the the current hardwood, so need to figure out why that's there.

I ask about location because here on the Oregon coast, humidity goes up during winter, not down.

I lived in Central Point when I was a child. Lithia Park is where I learned to love Perrier, lol.

Had a water supply on a toilet bust while we were at work, and while a good bit of it went down the register in bathroom and into my unit, another good portion effected topical as well as subsurface moisture to floor. Because of the perfectly placed bathroom, lol, it spread to all rooms of house (except kitchen, which is tile (as are both bathrooms and a pantry and entrance at front door)).

I put the floor we have now (#3 red oak) in in 2001 (finished in March)so going on 17 years old. Crawl has vapor barrier.

We are in POwhatan Virgina, just west of Richmond, so we have a yearlong battle against humidity. The mold that occurred (or at least what I am finding as I pull up floor) is mostly white, though I have found one patch that is black, and thinking I may have water getting in from the front wall, because it impacted the floor differently and looks like the moisture damage is older. The subfloor is at least 3/4 OSB, but I think its 7/8.

So I think the mold is from the flooding of bathroom supply for the most part. We did have some fascia come loose in a storm and it was a couple days before I fixed it.

Thanks

 

[Pilgrim]

Do yourself a favor and get a good pin-type meter. I use a Delmhorst J2000. It was $300 on amazon. I really like it as it comes with built in species correction.

Most pin-type meters are calibrated to douglas fir. You take a reading then refer to a chart to get the moisture content for the species in question. With a meter with built-in species correction, you set the meter to the species and when you take a reading it is what you see on the meter. Tons less confusing.

You can always sell the meter after your project is complete. Someone here might even be interested.

I ordered an Extech/FLir meter, about $150, and it says it differentiates between species. Kind of middle ground, but I use meters in my work and have learned its best not to go overboard due to the typical failure rate most meters have. IT's pin type as you recommended. Now I just have to wait for it to be back in stock again, lol. Ordered on Amazon and didn't know it was out of stock until I ordered. Still pulling up old floor anyway, so have a while before I should need it. Got about a 1/4 of it up the other day.

 

[Ernesto]

So all meters have a error of plus or minus 1 to 3%. Its help to check it against some other lumber that has been in there for awhile.

 

[Pilgrim]

Stack em on a inside wall, 3 boxes across, 3-4 across on top at a 90 degree angle . Push down the ends of the boxes ..

Hi Nick, need to get a little clarification for my wife: how many of the boxes under those at an angle on top? Single stack?

 

[Nick]

You can lay 4-5 one way and the same the other ..

Depends on how many boxes , and how much room you have on the inside walls

How high to stack em ..