Hardwood flooring mistake: How bad was it?
 

I just finished two rooms with hardwood flooring. I was told that the
flooring should go perpendicular to the joists. In one room I
remembered that. In the other I forgot.

The theory is that there's a tiny bit of flex between the joist that
will eventaully cause the flooring to sqeak and maybe bow ever so
slightly (but visibly).

I certainly don't plan to rip all the flooring up but I would like to
know just hw serious of a mistake did I make.....

wrote in message
I just finished two rooms with hardwood flooring. I was told that the
flooring should go perpendicular to the joists. In one room I
remembered that. In the other I forgot.

The floor is nailed to the subfloor so it is not a question of falling
apart. I'd run it the way it looks best. This has been discussed before,
but there has been no evidence of any problems going in a different
direction.

Depends on subflooring material. Have 2 rooms of 3/4" oak flooring that has
to be redone because it was not perpend'r to joists. This was over 5/8" ply
and the hardwood planking is starting to swell and lift which results in
'speed bumps' all over the floor.
Could be due to moist indoor air and swelling of wood?

--


Remove the obvious to reply. Experienced and reliable
Concrete Finishing and Synthetic Stucco application in the GTA.
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
m...

wrote in message
I just finished two rooms with hardwood flooring. I was told that the
flooring should go perpendicular to the joists. In one room I
remembered that. In the other I forgot.

The floor is nailed to the subfloor so it is not a question of falling
apart. I'd run it the way it looks best. This has been discussed before,
but there has been no evidence of any problems going in a different
direction.

Top posting repaired...

ConcreteFinishing&StuccoGuy wrote:

--


....
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
m...

wrote in message
I just finished two rooms with hardwood flooring. I was told that the
flooring should go perpendicular to the joists. In one room I
remembered that. In the other I forgot.

The floor is nailed to the subfloor so it is not a question of falling
apart. I'd run it the way it looks best. This has been discussed before,
but there has been no evidence of any problems going in a different
direction.




Depends on subflooring material. Have 2 rooms of 3/4" oak flooring that has
to be redone because it was not perpend'r to joists. This was over 5/8" ply
and the hardwood planking is starting to swell and lift which results in
'speed bumps' all over the floor.
Could be due to moist indoor air and swelling of wood?

If it's raising from swelling, the direction it's laid isn't going to
solve the problem. It's either on an inappropriate subfloor or has no
expansion room around edges or there is a moisture problem from
somewhere.

On Sun, 29 May 2005 09:15:06 -0500, Duane Bozarth
scribbled this interesting note:

ConcreteFinishing&StuccoGuy wrote:

--


...
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
m...

wrote in message
I just finished two rooms with hardwood flooring. I was told that the
flooring should go perpendicular to the joists. In one room I
remembered that. In the other I forgot.

The floor is nailed to the subfloor so it is not a question of falling
apart. I'd run it the way it looks best. This has been discussed before,
but there has been no evidence of any problems going in a different
direction.

Depends on subflooring material. Have 2 rooms of 3/4" oak flooring that has
to be redone because it was not perpend'r to joists. This was over 5/8" ply
and the hardwood planking is starting to swell and lift which results in
'speed bumps' all over the floor.
Could be due to moist indoor air and swelling of wood?

If it's raising from swelling, the direction it's laid isn't going to
solve the problem. It's either on an inappropriate subfloor or has no
expansion room around edges or there is a moisture problem from
somewhere.

I'd have to concur with this assessment based on everything I've seen.


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Thanks for all the comments, folks. FYI, I have 3/4 inch OSB as a sub
floor. It's darn dry in Colorado so moisture is probably not a big
issue.