" wrote in message
Any advice relative to my installation? How far off the floor should I
start?


Is the basement dry? Allow at least an inch on the bottom, more if you've
ever had water.

How to you handle the joints at the ends of the planks? I
assume you don't just butt them together.

YOu can, but look up "shiplap joints" for better appearance.

Should the end joints of
the boards be staggered? If so, what's the best way to do that?

Start at one end of the wall and work to the other. The last board will
have to be cut to fit. Use that board to start the next row. To keep it
random, cut a board for the third row. If the first piece was say 16", cut
off the next as 48" to give a better stagger. Or use them on an adjacent
wall to stagger that. IMO, random look better than a symmetrical joint.