Cutting Wood Floor
 

I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the floor in
one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge, but what do
I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get in the way? I
need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very noticeable location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Bernie

Cutting Wood Floor
 

You do not say what the old floor is. I assume it is hardwood
based on your reference to using a circular saw.

This is one of life's no-fun jobs. Cut as much as possible with
the circular saw. The remainder of the cut requires something
different.
Choices:
Dremel type tool
Roto Zip type tool
Sawzall
Utility knife and sharp chisel.
Bosch makes a straight blade finish saw. See:
http://www.boschtools.com/tools/tools-subcategory.htm?H=175981&G=54928
Kett makes a great trim saw, though it won't go the whole way
either:
http://www.kett-tool.com/webpages/tools/saws/saws.htm

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Bernie Hunt" wrote in message
...
I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the
floor in one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and
stright edge, but what do I do near the wall where the shoe of
the circular saw will get in the way? I need a nice straight cut
because this will be in a very noticeable location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Bernie

Cutting Wood Floor
 

"Bernie Hunt" wrote in message
...
:I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace
the floor in
: one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge,
but what do
: I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get
in the way? I
: need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very
noticeable location.
:
: Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?
:
: Bernie
:
:
:
Lots of flush-cut hand saws around, similar to the back-saws for
a miter box. Never used one but I've seen flush-cut jigsaws,
too. They also make an offset blade for jigsaws that'll flush
cut - if they fit your saw.
Time to surf the local suppliers.

HTH,
Pop

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Pop wrote:

"Bernie Hunt" wrote in message
...
:I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace
the floor in
: one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge,
but what do
: I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get
in the way? I
: need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very
noticeable location.
:
: Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?
:
: Bernie
:
:
:
Lots of flush-cut hand saws around, similar to the back-saws for
a miter box. Never used one but I've seen flush-cut jigsaws,
too. They also make an offset blade for jigsaws that'll flush
cut - if they fit your saw.
Time to surf the local suppliers.

Didn't say which way the cut is in relation to orientation of flooring
nor what is the end objective/need for cut so can't comment much on
exact solution.

However, removing baseboard should allow to get close enough to wall w/
above suggestions to hide the joint under the baseboard when replaced.
Adding a shoe mould when done is another trick.

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Whopps! Yes it's a hardwood floor.

Bernie

"DanG" wrote in message
news:NhGhf.22874$sg5.17396@dukeread12...
You do not say what the old floor is. I assume it is hardwood based on
your reference to using a circular saw.

This is one of life's no-fun jobs. Cut as much as possible with the
circular saw. The remainder of the cut requires something different.
Choices:
Dremel type tool
Roto Zip type tool
Sawzall
Utility knife and sharp chisel.
Bosch makes a straight blade finish saw. See:
http://www.boschtools.com/tools/tools-subcategory.htm?H=175981&G=54928
Kett makes a great trim saw, though it won't go the whole way either:
http://www.kett-tool.com/webpages/tools/saws/saws.htm

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Bernie Hunt" wrote in message
...
I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the floor in
one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge, but what
do I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get in the
way? I need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very noticeable
location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Bernie

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Bernie,

I good recipicating saw with a good blade will cut right up to the edge
but I would still use the circular saw to get the rest. They make a
thin pry bar that is flat and about two inches wide which will save you
a lot of time getting those boards up. Also consider getting a good
nail puller that sorta looks like a pair of pliers. You'll be glad you
have that when pulling nails in hard to get to places.

Joey


Bernie Hunt wrote:

I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the floor in
one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge, but what do
I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get in the way? I
need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very noticeable location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Bernie

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Duane,

I need to cut the floor into two section at a doorway to seperate the room's
floor from the hall floor. It will be a cross cut at an angle, due to the
positioning of the door. Unfortunately the trim that I would have to remove
is the actually door jamb, so that not real practical.

Basically I need to cute across the saddle of the doorway seperating the
floor into two pieces, that inside the room and that outside the room.

Bernie


Pop brings up an interesting idea. Maybe a good crosscut saw and some hand
alignment will finish it off. The
"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
Pop wrote:

"Bernie Hunt" wrote in message
...
:I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace
the floor in
: one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge,
but what do
: I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get
in the way? I
: need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very
noticeable location.
:
: Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?
:
: Bernie
:
:
:
Lots of flush-cut hand saws around, similar to the back-saws for
a miter box. Never used one but I've seen flush-cut jigsaws,
too. They also make an offset blade for jigsaws that'll flush
cut - if they fit your saw.
Time to surf the local suppliers.

Didn't say which way the cut is in relation to orientation of flooring
nor what is the end objective/need for cut so can't comment much on
exact solution.

However, removing baseboard should allow to get close enough to wall w/
above suggestions to hide the joint under the baseboard when replaced.
Adding a shoe mould when done is another trick.

Cutting Wood Floor
 

What I've done in this situation: if the cut is near the baseboard, OH
SO GENTLY pry the baseboard up and loose. Then use a variable speed
jig at the 2nd lowest speed with a 0-clearance blade, almost score the
floor surface by rotating the jig into the floor. The ending of the
cuts will be hidden by the baseboard (channel out the hidden edge if
necessary). Use a straightedge or mitre hand saw to complete the cuts.
Good luck

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Bernie Hunt wrote:
I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the floor in
one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge, but what do
I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get in the way? I
need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very noticeable location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Yes to both.

The special saw in a Japanese version is called an Azebiki:
http://tinyurl.com/bnzju
Western version is simply called a floor or flooring saw:
http://tinyurl.com/8rr25

One tip is to weight down a piece of straight wood on the _good_ side
of the cut so that one edge is directly over the line to be cut. Use
this as a straightedge to guide the handsaw. Use a good bit of weight
so it doesn't move and pull slow and straight. Let the saw do the
work. You'll need to cut the extreme corners with a sharp chisel.

The biggest part of this job is avoiding the nails that are holding the
strips in place. Encountering one nail can make a simple cut into a
big chore. I use a rare earth magnet (very strong and salvaged from an
old hard drive) to locate the nails prior to cutting.

R

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Unfortunately I'm cutting up the door jamb, so I can't pry that out,
hahahaha. At least the plan wasn't to also replace the door.

Bernie

wrote in message
oups.com...
What I've done in this situation: if the cut is near the baseboard, OH
SO GENTLY pry the baseboard up and loose. Then use a variable speed
jig at the 2nd lowest speed with a 0-clearance blade, almost score the
floor surface by rotating the jig into the floor. The ending of the
cuts will be hidden by the baseboard (channel out the hidden edge if
necessary). Use a straightedge or mitre hand saw to complete the cuts.
Good luck

Cutting Wood Floor
 

Thanks R!

Bernie

"RicodJour" wrote in message
oups.com...
Bernie Hunt wrote:
I need to cut a wood floor between two rooms so I can replace the floor
in
one room. Normally I would use a circular saw and stright edge, but what
do
I do near the wall where the shoe of the circular saw will get in the
way? I
need a nice straight cut because this will be in a very noticeable
location.

Is there a special saw for this or any suggestions?

Yes to both.

The special saw in a Japanese version is called an Azebiki:
http://tinyurl.com/bnzju
Western version is simply called a floor or flooring saw:
http://tinyurl.com/8rr25

One tip is to weight down a piece of straight wood on the _good_ side
of the cut so that one edge is directly over the line to be cut. Use
this as a straightedge to guide the handsaw. Use a good bit of weight
so it doesn't move and pull slow and straight. Let the saw do the
work. You'll need to cut the extreme corners with a sharp chisel.

The biggest part of this job is avoiding the nails that are holding the
strips in place. Encountering one nail can make a simple cut into a
big chore. I use a rare earth magnet (very strong and salvaged from an
old hard drive) to locate the nails prior to cutting.

R