Making flooring

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:41 am

Please do not attempt to make any of these cuts with using due care. Do not make any FREEHAND cuts on the table saw.

For some hints on what not to do - Please read:

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/editorial-extras/tablesaws-lawsuit/?sssdmh=dm17.441549&esrc=nwwood&email=1647629365

liftaddict · Post by **liftaddict** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:32 pm

I understand the 2.25 oak flooring thing my whole house is covered with that. I was looking for ideas for making these wide boards work since that would be special.

Drying , I can check the moisture content using the advice on ss website, ie heat in oven measure weight before and after and calculate moisture. If they are too moist I can bring them to a kiln at the local mill ( about one mile from my house ). I would like to avoid that but will consider it after I determine moisture.

Expansion and contraction issues. It is air drying in the basement stickered etc, I am more concerned about splitting . The two inch thick boards seem to split more the one inch boards not so much.

What if the whole floor was just tongue and grove ( could make longer tongue and grove ) and floating? I could put thick moldings around the room and leave room for 2 inches of movement ( or more ). I have never done this before so just a thought.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:47 pm

So how long has this wood been drying?

liftaddict · Post by **liftaddict** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:25 pm

The wood has been drying two years. I read that I need 1 year per .75 inches. So as far as that goes I should be ok.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 11:33 pm

liftaddict wrote:So as far as that goes I should be ok.

You may knot be okay. Does your basement have circulation? Did ya seal the end of the boards?

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:27 pm

liftaddict wrote:...Drying , I can check the moisture content using the advice on ss website, ie heat in oven measure weight before and after and calculate moisture. If they are too moist I can bring them to a kiln at the local mill ( about one mile from my house ). I would like to avoid that but will consider it after I determine moisture.

Expansion and contraction issues. It is air drying in the basement stickered etc, I am more concerned about splitting . The two inch thick boards seem to split more the one inch boards not so much...

If you have a good contact with your local sawmill, perhaps you can take a board from near the center of your stack and ask them to check it with their moisture meter.

Drying in basement - Although I'm not familiar with basements in your area, I would guess the relative humidity in your basement has hovered around 60% to 70% for the last two years. If this is so, you can expect a moisture content of your oak to be near 14% and 16%. This would be fairly close to equilibrium moisture content with the stated conditions. Depending on air circulation, the interior boards in the stack(s) may be more moist than the outside pieces.

Since most cured wood flooring and furniture in a house is around 8% there may be a way to go yet to make flooring.

Best wishes on your plans.

liftaddict · Post by **liftaddict** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:54 pm

Hey these are great inputs. I have circulation in the basement ( forced air ). I was going to use the moisture testing method recommended by shop smith. Cut off 6 inches. weigh the cut off piece put in the oven for two hours take it out and weigh it again. Use their formula to calculate moisture.

Does that work?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:27 pm

liftaddict wrote:Hey these are great inputs. I have circulation in the basement ( forced air ). I was going to use the moisture testing method recommended by shop smith. Cut off 6 inches. weigh the cut off piece put in the oven for two hours take it out and weigh it again. Use their formula to calculate moisture.

Does that work?

Two Hours? Maybe. You need to heat/weigh/reheat/reweigh until no further weight change.

liftaddict · Post by **liftaddict** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:41 pm

I did anchor seal the ends. According to this forum : http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/show ... hp?t=47349
I need to get the moisture of the flooring to within 4% of the room moisture.
Sounds like it has to spend some quality time in the room. NOT sure how I would do that and keep the spousal unit appeased.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:28 pm

liftaddict wrote:Hey these are great inputs. I have circulation in the basement ( forced air ). I was going to use the moisture testing method recommended by shop smith. Cut off 6 inches. weigh the cut off piece put in the oven for two hours take it out and weigh it again. Use their formula to calculate moisture.

Does that work?

I don't know if the above method will work, but here is a link to The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory's "Wood Handbook" http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/products/publications/several_pubs.php?grouping_id=100&header_id=p When you open this link, all you need to do is page down to the chapter you want and click on the view PDF for that particular chapter

This publication is the "go to" documentation for wood information. It's pretty neat that they now have it available in digital form. (I think that's what computer words are called)

You will be interested in Page 2 of Chapter 13. Here they describe a method of determining wood moisture by selecting pieces and weighing - sizing of wood pieces, handling of the wood and times in an oven along with needed temperatures. There's also a simple formula.

You will also be interested in Chapter 4.

IMHO it would be a lot easier to see if you can find someone with a moisture meter.

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