If you intend it to run full length along the hall and through the bed rooms I suggest you use a long string with a nail at each end and draw it tight from one bedroom wall to the next passing along the hall and then by trial and error adjust the position of the nails until the string runs straight and true and hopefully parallel either to the bedroom walls and the hall or mostly the hall making what ever minimal compromises you must in the rooms. There will be furniture in the rooms to hide some of the imperfections but not along the hall so, parallel lines along the hall will be most obvious or maybe I should say, non-parallel lines will become obvious.
Usually the best appearance is to have the boards running in the longest direction of any room or corridor. Once you establish your desired line you might want to temporarily nail down a course of strapping or other edge in line with the string since it probably passes through doors and therefore is offset from the wall or you could tap a nail into the floor in the hall some multiple of the width of the boards then establish the ends of the string so the string passes the nails in the corridor thus establishing a straight line an exact number of boards from the wall. You could and probably should divide the width of the hall by the width of the boards and calculate the exact starting point for the first row to evenly divide the same board width at either side of the hall and establish your line that way but that is likely extreme and unnecessary. Certainly I have yet to have been that extreme but my standard isn't necessarily the only one. Anyway, a string is a good way I have found to establish your beginning reference line. Hope this is useful. ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Baldwin To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:54 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Hardwood flooring Okay, Those that have installed hardwood flooring, what things did you do to make sure your first row was straight and square? I am installing it in 2 bedrooms, and it will pass through a hall way, about 400 sqft in all. The wall that I am sure is the straightest and most square is not in a good place to start from. Another person on here, Scott, I think is installing snap together flooring, but I do not recall this question being asked or answered. Thanks, Michael ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.3.0/1499 - Release Date: 6/12/2008 7:13 AM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
