Bummed by the Bevels: Why I Redid My Own Installation

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Before
Before

AfterAfter

The Problem

I installed a floor in a bathroom in my own home and I hated it. The large bevels on the end joints looked sloppy.

The Procedure

I had a couple extra boxes of 5-by-½-inch engineered maple flooring kicking around and a tiny bathroom (less than 40 square feet) in my own house where it would look great, so I decided to install it. The existing floor was vinyl, which was in excellent shape and served as my underlayment for the wood floor, helping with both sound-deadening and moisture protection. It was installed over plywood. I used a 20-gauge pneumatic cleat-nailer and a brad gun as the fastening system. I used a special flange between the toilet and flooring designed for the ½-inch height increase—fairly simple.

Once installed, I hated the large bevels on the end joints. I wanted to rip up what I had done and make it right. And, I had to get this done before my wife could stop me, as she felt the floor was "fine." As a wood floor installer, the ol' contractor line, "You can't see that from my house!" just won't fly. If I hear that on a job, we rip it out. So when I hear that at my own house, I rip it out!

The Cause

The floor looked good when it was racked out, but I neglected to consider the varied light and shading and how that would highlight the beveled end joints. They were beveled heavier than the side-matches, and with the lighting, it looked look like I had not snugged the end joints together tightly. Everyone told me I was nuts. But a few days later I heard things like, "Is that floor shrinking?" and "Did you knock the ends together?" I knew it!

After a little reflection, I realized the major cause of the problem was that I rushed the project. I had the tools, experience and materials needed to get the job done right the first time, but I failed to really think about the product I was working with in relation to my own expectations. After all, in this case, I was also the customer. The fact is, you could see it (literally) "from my house," and it wasn't what I wanted.

How to Fix the Floor

I had to admit I messed up a hardwood floor. I didn't want this staring me in the face day after day, so I formulated a new plan. My lovely wife kindly told me I was too picky and was wasting my time, but as she walked out the door, she chirped, "Just put your tools away when you are done." Ah, the backhanded, "Just do what you want, you're going to anyway." Works for me!

My plan to fix the floor was simple. Since the floor was installed with 20-gauge cleats, it was easy to pull it up. Cleats were either pulled through the flooring or end-nipped; fasteners stuck in the subfloor were pulled. I cut the end joints square, made a slight relief cut and lightly chamfered the edge to avoid chipping. I then coated each with a water-based floor finish prior to re-installation to avoid future staining. The flooring went back easily where it had been originally and, voila, I now had nice, clean, neat, tightly set end joints.

In the Future

Words to live by: Plan the install and install the plan. Make sure you understand what the customer expects. When you do so, you will be far more likely to meet the expectations of all involved. My wife remarked after I had cleaned up my tools, "Oh! That is much better. I love it... You really could have left it, it wasn't a big deal." Grrrrrr!

 

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