Why can’t I put several pieces of sandpaper on my edger at once? It saves a lot of time and hassle.
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Edger Paper Layers
Why can’t I put several pieces of sandpaper on my edger at once? It saves a lot of time and hassle.
Brett Miller, director of certification and education at the National Wood Flooring Association, answers:
Many people like to place several pieces of paper on their edger at once to save time. Instead of taking time to change paper, they just rip off a dull piece and have a fresh one ready to go. But manufacturers recommend putting on only one piece at a time. Why? There are several reasons. Edgers have been carefully designed by the manufacturer to consider the correct pitch of how the paper cuts into the floor, as well as to allow the edger pad to stay cool. Multiple layers cause heat buildup in the edger pad, and when the pad gets hot, it can warp or lose its intended shape. That results in excessive scratches/swirls. Once your edger pad is warped, the only fix is to buy a new one.
And, the most important reason to not put layers on is that, just like when you back an abrasive with a pad, multiple layers change the cut of the abrasive by making it softer. Even though you may have the same grit on your abrasive, as you remove layers of edger paper, your cut is changing. When the cut is softer, many guys tend to lean into their machine, and that creates more wear and tear on the edger, as well.
Banishing Bumps
I just installed a cumaru floor with my pneumatic nailer, and now the customer is complaining about seeing small bumps along the edges of some of the boards. What is causing those bumps?
Mike Dittmer, president at Michael Dittmer Wood Floors in Putnam, Ill., and NWFA Regional Instructor, answers:
The bumps you see are from the top of the fasteners not seating properly on top of the tongue of the flooring. If the fasteners are sticking up a little bit, they can push up the top of the adjacent board and cause what we usually refer to as dimples on the surface of the flooring.
You should be able to put a square on top of the tongue and see that the fastener is seated exactly even with the tongue.
Any time you are nailing or stapling down a wood floor, you should be able to see the top of the cleat or staple sitting exactly flush with the top of the tongue. If it’s too deep, that can cause cracked tongues and a loose floor, and if it’s too high, that can cause dimpling and, if it’s bad enough, even gaps between boards. You should be able to put a square on top of the tongue and see that the fastener is seated exactly even with the tongue.
When working with species of different hardness, you have to adjust the pressure on your compressor to get it just right. If you’re having trouble, call the manufacturers of the flooring and the fastener for their recommendations for that product. And don’t forget to do routine maintenance on your pneumatic tools! Drain the water out of your air compressor as recommended (we do it weekly), and oil your fastener with a couple drops of the appropriate oil as recommended by the manufacturer (for us, every time we use it).
Measuring Bamboo
Are moisture meters accurate when measuring the moisture content of bamboo?
Tony Morgan, senior systems technician at Rogue River, Ore.-based Wagner Meters Inc., answers:
Bamboo can cause problems for wood flooring installers when trying to calibrate moisture meters because bamboo does not have a uniform density, and it is possible the resin from various species of bamboo (specifically with strand bamboo flooring) will interfere with electrical conductivity. Generally speaking, pin meters have been known to work well on traditional bamboo if you insert the pins parallel with the grain of the material and at the same depth, and pinless meters work better with strandwoven bamboo.
Your flooring and moisture meter manufacturer should be able to provide you with information that will help you accurately calibrate and test the moisture content of the specific materials you are working with. Even though standardized grading systems for bamboo flooring are not currently available, many moisture meter manufacturers are working with bamboo manufacturers to establish accurate settings for specific bamboo products from the different flooring manufacturers; be sure to check with them before checking moisture to ensure your readings are accurate.