Making a Spline? Lauan? Waste Percentage?

[panaman]

Hi everyone.. I'm a nooby here..... anyway
I am getting ready to tackle my first hardwood floor installation.
Actually its engineered flooring. 5/16 inch thick, 4 inches wide. I bought a Porta Nailer twin trigger gun.... (I hope its a descent one)..
Porta-Nailer hardwood floor installation – DIY woodworking tools.

First question.... I know I am going to have to switch direction and I can't find anywhere to buy a spline for my thin enginnered flooring. The spline itself looks to be about 1/8 of an inch. I was thinking that I could buy a sheet of 1/8 inch thick lauan and cut strips from it... what do you guys think of that idea?

My other question is waste percentage.... parallel and diagonal.....
I've seen so many conflicting percentages on the internet.... some say 5% some say 10%, some even say 20%.....

Basically I am still deciding if I am going to do a diagonal install in the bedrooms and living room.. or just do diagonal in the living room.....
I got all my flooring on clearance and I don't think I can actually get anymore. So the waste percentage is important to me.... If its 10% for diagonal I could do all three bedrooms and living room diagonal and do the hallway parallel... Just trying to get a solid answer on this.

[Barry Carlton]

Welcome.

Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. New users that post attachments or links in their first few posts automatically go to moderation for approval. After a few posts the software becomes a little more trusting.

[panaman]

Hey no problem... its understandable... with all the spam bots and crap. I would know.. I am a computer nerd and host a bunch of forums and stuff myself....

[Lo Down]

I can't add much, but the waste factor goes down if you have large rooms and large overall square footage. I'd bet you need well over 5%, but 20% seems very high.

You will have a built in waste factor... there will be some boards in the cartons that have defects or chipped ends or visual defects. As you inspect the boards when pulling them from the carton, mark any boards that have "issues" and set them aside for end cuts in which you will be cutting off the flaws. I put a small piece of blue painters tap next to the defect as I inspect the board. Inspect every board prior to installing them so you don't install a bad one and discover it later.
Open and inspect a few boxes at a time as you install them.

As far as spline material, I don't know why luan wouldn't work as long as it fits the groove nicely

[Barry Carlton]

You can generally purchase proper sized splines.

[rgfloor]

Barry Carlton said You can generally purchase proper sized splines.

From what source? Maybe an online source would help.

[Barry Carlton]

I don't know of an online source, I just go to our wood supplier.

[TFP Admin]

Google is your friend.

Here's one: Hardwood Floor Spline - Cincinnati Dowel
Another: http://www.featurestrip.com/SlipTongue.asp
Another: Accessories for hardwood flooring and wood paneling, installation of hardwood floors

These links may not go to EXACTLY what you need, but it's a start. Contacting most hardwood flooring dealers, online or in your own home town, should get you results also.

R'gards,

Jim

[Steve Olson]

For me, it's easy to find spline for 3/4" solids, but not for engineered. I had a large supply of 5/16' solid oak flooring that I used to make spline. It was the right width for most brands of flooring, just the thickness varied. Getting it that right was trail and error. It usually took a rip or two to get it, but once it was set, I made extra, and made sure I saved a piece to set the width if I needed more.

I have used the flooring I was working with, in a pinch. Not much stress on the tongue, for reversing direction its main function is to hold the adjoining boards aligned, and eliminate topnailing.

[panaman]

TFP Admin said Google is your friend. Here's one: Hardwood Floor Spline - Cincinnati Dowel Another: http://www.featurestrip.com/SlipTongue.asp Another: Accessories for hardwood flooring and wood paneling, installation of hardwood floors These links may not go to EXACTLY what you need, but it's a start. Contacting most hardwood flooring dealers, online or in your own home town, should get you results also. R'gards, Jim

yeah, ive seen sources sell splines...but they dont sell the right size for engineered... it would have to be 1/8" thick. Lauan is the only thing I can think of buying that i can get 1/8" thick.

[Jim McClain]

Spline should be solid, not plywood. You didn't say what the other dimension is - eighth by what? Have you considered getting solid oak or something and ripping it to size? Extra cutting, but better for making spline.

Jim

[panaman]

Jim McClain said Spline should be solid, not plywood. You didn't say what the other dimension is - eighth by what? Have you considered getting solid oak or something and ripping it to size? Extra cutting, but better for making spline. Jim

the existing tongues are plywood, so why would it matter if the splines I make are ply wood...
also they would only be used in two door ways....

Since I got all my flooring on clearance at lumber liquadators.. and can't get anymore..
I have decided to just do the living room diagonal and then do the hallway and three bedrooms parallel... i think it will still look good...
I started the one bedroom... got three rows down so far. That tool I bought works awesome.
I set my air tank to 75PSI and its going good so far.
I'll get some pictures of it up once I am done.

[Jim McClain]

panaman said the existing tongues are plywood, so why would it matter if the splines I make are ply wood...

The existing tongues are an integral part of the board and are ⅛" x 4", not ⅛" x ½". You'd be lucky if that size spline in luaun didn't just fall apart.

[panaman]

Jim McClain said The existing tongues are an integral part of the board and are ⅛" x 4", not ⅛" x ½". You'd be lucky if that size spline in luaun didn't just fall apart.

Well after i put some wood glue on them and shove them in the groove I would think it would be just fine. But if it doesn't work. I 'll go get some half inch oak pieces and rip some splines from them and glue them into the slots

[Barry Carlton]

panaman said Well after i put some wood glue on them and shove them in the groove I would think it would be just fine. But if it doesn't work. I 'll go get some half inch oak pieces and rip some splines from them and glue them into the slots

I agree w/ Jim. I do not think that luan (of all the plywood choices) would have the strength and stability to hold the staples/cleats or hold up the forces that the Hdwd is going to naturally exert through natural expansion and contraction. I think you would be wiser to make your own out of the a solid piece of same type of wood the flooring is made of.