OAK FLOORING The Oak Floor Manufacturers Association, whose office is in Detroit, Mich., distributes an excellent booklet upon oak flooring, from which the following information is taken: Grading Rules Quarter-Sawed Oak Flooring Clear —Shall have one face practically free of defects, except % of an inch of bright sap; the question of color shall not be considered; lengths in this grade to be 2 feet and up, not to exceed 15 per cent under 4 feet.
Select—May contain bright sap, and will admit pinworm holes, slight imperfections in dressing, or a small tight knot, not to exceed 1 to every 3 feet in length; lengths to be 1 foot and up.
Select —May contain bright sap, and will admit pinworm holes, slight imperfections in dressing, or a small, tight knot, not to exceed 1 to every 3 feet in length; lengths to be 1 foot and up.
%-inch thickness; widths face and 2-inch face.
The face makes a better, more serviceable, and handsomer floor than any other width. The shading of the figure of the wood may be blended more harmoniously than when the wider strips are used. The laying waste in the face is less than 2-inch face, as it is counted inch for the tongue and groove ; whereas, in the broader widths, it is counted inch. The cost per thousand feet is less than in the wider widths, which offsets additional cost for labor in laying.
The 2-inch and faces are the widths more generally used in ti-inch thickness; and in thickness, either or 2-inch face, as conditions demand it.
No. 1 Common—Cheap dwellings, tenements, stores, high-class factories and manufacturers' buildings. Factory—Warehouses, factories, and cheap tenements.
How to Determine Amount of Flooring Required To cover a certain space, figure the number of square feet, which means the width multiplied by the length; for instance, a room 12 feet wide by 15 feet long would contain 12x15=180 square feet. Add to the square feet of surface to be covered, the following percentages: 33 1/3% for 13/16 x 1 1/2 inch 37 1/2% for 13/16 x 2 inch 33 1/3% for x 2 3 inch 33 1/3% for 3/8 X 1 inch 25% for 3/8 X 2 inch The above figures are based on laying flooring straight across the room. Where there are bay windows, hearths, and other projections, allowance should be made for excessive cutting.
Laying Oak Floors The laying of oak flooring is not very difficult. Any first-class carpenter can make a good job. Some judgment and care is very necessary in order to produce the best results.
A sub-floor should be used under both the 13/16-inch and thicknesses. The sub-floor should be reasonably dry and laid diagonally. Boards about 6 inches wide are preferred. These boards should not be put down too tight, and should be thoroughly dried off and cleaned before the oak flooring is laid.