Maple 2-1/4″ T&G kitchen flooring installation – center or wall start?
Hi all,
I’ve read a copule of Taunton books on flooring installation, and they both suggest starting in the center of the room, with the tongues pointed in opposite directions, for rooms that are wide enough to be concerned about moisture-driven expansion greater than that of the subfloor. The angle of the nails means the expansion moves toward the tongue, so having the tongues point in both directions from the center gives more room to grow.
I’m sure this varies by region and application, but the books give no guidelines for how wide is wide enough to start in the center. At 9′, my kitchen is by no means wide, but does a kitchen installation work better from the center – enough to justify the added headache of two cramped quarters nailing once the flooring reaches the wall?
Thanks,
Scott
Replies
9-ft is a small area. You will be fine to start at one side and just work across. Make sure you leave space at the perimeter that will be covered by the baseboard for expansion and go to it.