Expert: Dave Coil - 2/10/2004

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi Dave -

I am putting in Hardwood floors (solid Brazilian Cherry) on the main level of my house.  We have forced hot air heat (the house is very dry feeling right now as evidenced by my bedroom doors contracting to the point where they don't close tightly enough to lock in place)and have a finished basement with forced hot air as well underneath the floor to be installed.  ARE THEREANY SPECIAL PREERATIONS THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE INSTALLING MY FLOORS T0 ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INSTALLED PROPERLY?  We are ripping out old ceraminc tile and putting down the BC floors in it's place.  I am also concernend about the mess the job creates.  Any recs for dust minimization???  I am having a contractor do the work so is there anything important that I should ask seeing that I have two young boys (both under 2).  THANKS
Answer -
You are in luck.  I am preparing to build my new home.... also Braziliam Cherry and having been raised on a raised floor with solid pine flooring.... I am versed it this.  One..... make sure the cherry is in the house and acquires the room temperature and humidity for at least 4 days... spread out if possible.  I am sure the contractor will know these points... stagger the joints as much as possible... 6" minimums.  For the dust control, I recommend creating a wind tunnel effect.... one opening for incoming air.... one opening for exhausting that air.  If you can arrange a window type fan... put a shroud around it to maximize its effectiveness.  Where possible make the two openings opposite rooms and or walls.  For the final surface... Shellac.   NOT poly, not lacquer, not urethanes.  Shellac has lasted 60 years for my parents house.  It has taken a recoat bout every 8 to 10 years.   I hope you can keep me informed how this goes.... it can be AWESOME>  I hope to make my kitchen cabinets from this cherry as well.   Also... I would be curious where you purchase your cherry??

Thanks for the response.  What do you mean by "stagger the joints"?  What effect will this have?  I am getting the wood delivered on Monday for a next Monday start so the wood will likely be exposed to the house for a good 7-10 days before installation.  My house seems very dry this winter (as evidenced by my bedroom doors not shutting properly, essentially not locking in place when closed fully....it seems as though all of the moisture has been sucked out!).  Will this be a problem for the floor when the warmer/more moist weather rolls around?  We have forced hot air and 2 young boys so I can't exactly turn the heat down significantly a few days before to get some of the dryness out.  I am thinking of getting one of the humidifiers that attach to the furnace but will this bea problem if I get it installed AFTER the floors have acclimated to my house?  To answer your question on where I am getting my Braz Cherry, I live in the souther suburbs of Boston, MA and I am using a local distributor (who my installer uses as I have checked the price) called Wood Pro in Stoughton MA.

Answer
You have a good start.  Require of the contractor to put down "Kraft" paper under the cherry/over the existing floor.   This will act as a vapor barrier.  Once the finish is put on the cherry there should be no movement.  Staggering the joints...the ends of each board.... the 6" is to promote straightness and strength.  ONe other little tid bit.... check EACH piece for machining.   I have seen too many times where the edges were not conpletely milled from the factory and this caused some unusually large gaps that could have been avoided by NOT installing them.... or choosing an appropriate place to put it.  This force air heat is drying your house out.  This is good for the floor.  Generally the wood is kiln dried and has 5-15% moisture.  It may not pick up much moisture in your house.. which promotes continued straightness and less warp.

I found a distributor is NJ that was offering 2 1/4" 3" and 4" widths...$ 1.99  sqft.  I will need 2000 +ft and they offered free shipping.  Hope you do as well.