Cutting hardwood floor against a wall

I have a 3/4" thick maple hardwood floor that abuts my living room, which is carpeted. The ends of the hardwood were left ragged and the transition between the hardwood and carpet is covered with a metal strip. I'm going to install hardwood in the living room and, in order to create a straight edge on the currently installed hardwood, I need to cut across twelve 3" planks. The problem is that the end planks are up against a wall and I can't figure out a method to use to get a nice even cut right up to the walls. The cut will be in a very visible area so it has to be clean.

I can use my circular saw for the middle, but it leaves one plank uncut when the base hits the wall.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Mike Shapp

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There's no magic way to do it. You'll use a straightedge held to the floor with doublestick tape or weighted down to guide the saw as far as it will go. If you have a Dremel or Rotozip that will help you get further along the line. Then score the remaining cut line using the straightedge with a sharp razor knife several times to cut the top fibers of wood. Then use a very sharp chisel to cut out the rest. Make relief cuts on the offcut side of the flooring - don't just keep banging straight down or you'll have problems. For every chop or two down, make an angled cut coming in from the side to meet the bottom of the cut line. This will give the chisel bevel room - otherwise it tends to wedge itself into the cut line and crush the wood fibers of the wood you want to be crisply cut.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

A reciprocating saw (Sawzall) will probably help with the final bit of cut that the circular saw can't reach. Just use a sharp, fine-toothed blade to avoid tearing the wood.

Reply to
louie

I agree with Louie, a reciprocating saw is what you need. They make all types of blades for it and various lengths too. I also own a dremel tool but I can't see how this job would be done with that. You might want to look at all the types of transition strips available at your hardware store as they might make one to cover up your entire job where you won't have to make these cuts at all.

J
Reply to
Joey

I just did some work like that and it was a bear. I used a rotary tool with a wood cutting bit, and worked it in at an angle. With molding to cover the mess it was okay.

There is a new jigsaw out that does flush cuts (Dewalt?, Bosch?) A little pricey if you don't happen to need a jigsaw though.

Reply to
Toller

Do that, and then cut the last board the slow, painful way, with a backsaw or offset saw

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Reply to
Goedjn

"You might want to look at all the types of transition strips available at your hardware store as they might make one to cover up your entire job where you won't have to make these cuts at all. "

That is exactly what I was thinking. A transition strip or mouldings (if it's against a wall) should cover every situation, I would think???

Reply to
scott21230

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