I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?

On 5/1/2014 8:44 AM, wrote:
I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I
have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably
buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering
about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I
notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two
indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?

Relief so it will more easily set flat on subflooring which inevitably
will have some imperfections despite how well it's prepared. And, yes,
it will make laying flooring w/o it more difficult to avoid
high-centering on occasion. How significant will depend on the subfloor
and also on how wide your flooring strips are going to be. Very narrow
and you can do without.

--

wrote in message

I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in
the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried
lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and
groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When
I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the
bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two
indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it
necessary?

In addition to that - which dpb addressed - you should note that in
commercial solid flooring the area below the tongue does not touch the piece
into which it fits nor does the tongue extend entirely into the groove. In
addition, the area above the tongue is slightly beveled. All are to reduce
the possibility of the floor buckling when it expands.

IOW, you can't use a T&G router bit to make flooring in the same way as the
manufacturers do.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

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Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On 5/1/2014 9:44 AM, wrote:
I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?



You will want to set the router in a table for ease of handling the
wood. The job will go faster and better than trying to hand hold.

The relief on the bottom is a good idea and it allows for some
imperfections.

Ask the guys at the sawmill and they may have a flooring uy already. It
may be just as easy to buy rather than do your own and save hours of
work. If saving money is the goal, the guys doing huge quantities can
often be cheaper than DIY.

On Thursday, May 1, 2014 10:46:04 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 5/1/2014 9:44 AM, wrote:

I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?



I thought about that. I can get unstained red oak for 2.50 square foot. Part of me likes the challenge. Also, in one area I am wanting to match some existing hardwood.

Are the areas on the tongue and reliefs on the bottom necessary for 3 3/4 wide red oak?

I do have a small router table by the way.



You will want to set the router in a table for ease of handling the

wood. The job will go faster and better than trying to hand hold.



The relief on the bottom is a good idea and it allows for some

imperfections.



Ask the guys at the sawmill and they may have a flooring uy already. It

may be just as easy to buy rather than do your own and save hours of

work. If saving money is the goal, the guys doing huge quantities can

often be cheaper than DIY.

On 5/1/2014 11:30 AM, wrote:
....

I thought about that. I can get unstained red oak for 2.50 square
foot. Part of me likes the challenge. Also, in one area I am
wanting tomatch some existing hardwood.
Are the areas on the tongue and reliefs on the bottom necessary for
33/4 wide red oak?
I do have a small router table by the way.
....

For that wide I'd say it would be almost mandatory unless you can level
the subfloor like a table top.

As much or more to the point is do you have a planer to finish finish to
exact thickness to match the existing (or just a little more if you're
refinishing in place to sand down level) and the facilities to handle
pieces 6-ft and longer in length?

Not saying it's not doable but it may be more work than you're
bargaining for. How much (linear feet) do you need?

You can, you know, buy unfinished flooring in any species needed? Also,
you can almost always find prefinished rejects/seconds at bargain prices
owing to finish mismatches/defects primarily that can be refinished to
match simply by sanding as you're going to have to do, anyway.

--

On Thursday, May 1, 2014 12:27:16 PM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 5/1/2014 11:30 AM, wrote:

...



I thought about that. I can get unstained red oak for 2.50 square

foot. Part of me likes the challenge. Also, in one area I am

wanting tomatch some existing hardwood.

Are the areas on the tongue and reliefs on the bottom necessary for

33/4 wide red oak?

I do have a small router table by the way.

...



For that wide I'd say it would be almost mandatory unless you can level

the subfloor like a table top.



As much or more to the point is do you have a planer to finish finish to

exact thickness to match the existing (or just a little more if you're

refinishing in place to sand down level) and the facilities to handle

pieces 6-ft and longer in length?



Not saying it's not doable but it may be more work than you're

bargaining for. How much (linear feet) do you need?



You can, you know, buy unfinished flooring in any species needed? Also,

you can almost always find prefinished rejects/seconds at bargain prices

owing to finish mismatches/defects primarily that can be refinished to

match simply by sanding as you're going to have to do, anyway.



--

I do have a small planer and a 1950's era craftsman jointer.

Stryped1:

I have no idea what the indentations on the bottom of commercial hardwood flooring is, but I think you need to be aware that most woods have tannins in them. When you use steel nails to install the hardwood flooring, and that floor subsequently gets wet, you will have iron ions from the rusting nails coming into contact with the tannins in the wood and producing a chemical called "iron gall ink". This is a black substance that forms right inside the wood.

Look at any picture of any old wooden flooring, and you will see black stains around every nail used to hold the wood flooring down. This is the result of people mopping that hardwood flooring and the resulting rust reacting with the tannins in the wood to form that black ink which penetrates into the wood and stains it.

Similarily, if you ever see a black round ring on a hardwood floor, that's caused by overwatering a floorstanding plant. The water that seeps out of the bottom of the pot is rich in iron ions from passing through the soil, and that iron rich water than forms a round puddle on the floor. The tannins in the wood react with the iron in the water to form a black round stain inside the wood.

So, make your own hardwood flooring, but keep in mind that your hardwood will stain if you don't protect it from iron nails, iron in the soil of potted plants, and other sources of iron. Google "Iron Gall Ink" if you want to find out more about it.

On Thu, 1 May 2014 09:30:46 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Thursday, May 1, 2014 10:46:04 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 5/1/2014 9:44 AM, wrote:

I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?



I thought about that. I can get unstained red oak for 2.50 square foot. Part of me likes the challenge. Also, in one area I am wanting to match some existing hardwood.

Are the areas on the tongue and reliefs on the bottom necessary for 3 3/4 wide red oak?

I do have a small router table by the way.



You will want to set the router in a table for ease of handling the

wood. The job will go faster and better than trying to hand hold.



The relief on the bottom is a good idea and it allows for some

imperfections.



Ask the guys at the sawmill and they may have a flooring uy already. It

may be just as easy to buy rather than do your own and save hours of

work. If saving money is the goal, the guys doing huge quantities can

often be cheaper than DIY.
I bought my hardwood from a local mill - all milled and prefinished -
for a whole lot less than I could have made it myself if I paid myself
fifty cents an hour and someo e gave me the router bits.

On Thu, 01 May 2014 11:46:04 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 5/1/2014 9:44 AM, wrote:
I have contemplated making my own for some hardwood in the house. I have a sawmill near by that seels kiln dried lumber. I can probably buy a router bit and tongue and groove it, however I am wondering about the bottom. When I look at a piece of hardwood flooring, I notice the bottom of it that lays against the subfloor as two indentations milled into it. What is this for and is it necessary?



You will want to set the router in a table for ease of handling the
wood. The job will go faster and better than trying to hand hold.

The relief on the bottom is a good idea and it allows for some
imperfections.

Ask the guys at the sawmill and they may have a flooring uy already. It
may be just as easy to buy rather than do your own and save hours of
work. If saving money is the goal, the guys doing huge quantities can
often be cheaper than DIY.

I bought my hardwood from a local mill - all