Hello,
My name is Bill and this is my first post. I live in So California and am interested in installing a bordered hardwood floor. I love the old floors with a border and walnut strips. I am looking for info on how this is done. Can it be done with engineered flooring. Can anyone steer me to a resource (book or course) that will teach me this type of installation?
Bill, I have done many an "advanced" home project. I have always started with my local library. It is a wonderful source of basic information on a wide range of topics. Some libraries will have VHS or DVD's on topics such as floor installation. Best of all, the cost of these materials is already paid for ( By you and me of Course) Paul
Bill-
I bordered our 3/4"x2-1/4" T&G red oak flooring with 1x6 oak boards, inlaid with 3/16"x1-1/8" strips, mitered at the corners, grooved for splines, and screwed & glued with construction adhesive to the subfloor. The T&G flooring was nailed over tarpaper as usual and splined to the border. I think I used construction adhesive where the flooring board ends splined to the borders.
The 1-1/8" wide inlay strips consist of 3/16" of teak, 3/4" South American walnut, and another 3/16" teak. I glued wide pieces of 3/16" teak and 3/4" walnut together as a sandwich, sliced off 3/16" thick strips, and glued them into 3/16"x1-1/8" rabbits cut into the border boards. I used Weldwood plastic resin glue because of the teak, but I think Titebond would've done just fine after wiping the teak with lacquer thinner.
You can just barely see the border in a couple of photos at
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