Keith Long here with Thunderheart Flooring's first-ever blog post. I'd like to come right out and say that I'm a craftsman who is in a constant state of learning. There are brilliant and creative people who I look up to, and value their insights when it comes to hardwood flooring. I don't know it all, not even close.
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Keith Long here with Thunderheart Flooring's first-ever blog post. I'd like to come right out and say that I'm a craftsman who is in a constant state of learning. There are brilliant and creative people who I look up to, and value their insights when it comes to hardwood flooring. I don't know it all, not even close.
That being said, I have been a wood flooring technician for seven years, five years owning and operating my own business. I'm a stickler for detail, which I believe helps in this trade. My main goal for doing these blog posts is to help other aspiring contractors become better at the craft.
I intend to give simple and more advanced information each time I write. If some of it seems elementary, remember, there are contractors who are brand-new to the trade who might be reading this long after we're all pushing up daisies. Technology is interesting that way-what goes out here into cyberspace sticks around forever. So, I'm planning on choosing my words carefully.
Years ago, I was buying a trailer-load of hay for our horses from an old cowboy who grew up near Telluride, Colo. Once it was all on, he asked me, "I count 89 - do you?"
I had only counted 87. His price was fair, so I shrugged my shoulders and said, "We can call it that."
He stopped and turned straight toward me. "No. Let's call it right," he said matter of factly.
We counted together and came up with 87. I paid for 87, then shot the breeze with him about his childhood ranching in one of the most scenic places I've ever been.
Many times since that day, I've thought about that old man. When I contract to apply three coats of waterbased finish, and the homeowners are out of town, and it looks really good after two, I can hear his voice. If a flooring supplier accidentally ships me more product than I have paid for, I remember what he said. If I find a wallet on the street, I know what to do.
So, I aim to "call it right" on these posts. If you stick with me, we'll go over some of the basics, and get in-depth on some tricky floors, too.
This is a floor that John Forbes and I installed in Greeley, Colo., last fall. John is the brand-new manufacturing services director for the NWFA as of last January. Not only does John have a long history in the wood floor manufacturing world, he is also an accomplished hardwood flooring contractor, with many years of in-the-field experience.
I had cut the 4-inch No. 1 and No. 2 white oak from some bundles I had in stock, and set them to acclimate for six weeks before installation. These were 1-foot to 7-foot lengths in 7-foot nested bundles. To stay in pattern, a herringbone floor such as this must have the length be a multiple of the width. So, I chose for the length to be four times the width: 16 inches. The yield was 59 percent of the original square footage of the bundled wood coming out as full-length herringbone. However, there were several pieces that were close to full length. They could still be of use around the perimeter. I figure at least 30 percent for waste with 7-foot nested bundles when fabricating herringbone with these dimensions. If the length were 20 inches instead of 16, the yield would be less, and the waste more.
For the Greek key border, John and I took leftover ipé (Brazilian walnut) decking that was 15/16 thick and ripped it into 5/16 stickers. In order to not have so much loss to saw kerf, we put a thinner kerf 7 ¼-inch Skil saw blade on the table saw.
For the oak part of the Key, John and I took some 5-inch white oak flooring and ran it through the thickness planer until it was 5/16-inch thick. Then, we ripped it in strips 15/16 inches wide.
Now that the ipé and white oak stock were both 5/16 thick by 15/16 wide, we ran them through the appropriate places on the sliding table saw jig, pictured here:
For the more beginner part of this post, I'd like to let everyone know that I wear ear, eye, lung, and knee protection. I want to be around for my wife and daughter, and to enjoy retirement. So, I protect my body in the ways I can, especially my lungs while staining and finishing.
I've been instructed to not be too verbose on any one post, so let's pick this up again next week. Stay sharp!(Note from the editor: Check out Keith's articles from the magazine, including "How One Wood Flooring Contractor Ditched the New Construction Blues.")
