Need help with last row of T&G floorboards

Hi all,
Thanks to the heaps of info in this site I've managed to lay my spotted gum floorboards on ply over an old concrete slab. (T&G laid using Bostick Ultraset and secret nail every 4th/5th row). I picked up the floorboards (18mm T&G end matched) at auction in Canberra (rugged cover grade - but some pieces :~ not even rubbish).
I put the job on hold over Xmas as me and the new toy (circular saw) did not work well when it came to ripping the final floorboard row to fit against the wall.

After searching the internet it sent me back to the little gauge sitting in the box that the saw came in but I had a brainwave and decided to speed things up. I called a chippy for a quote to finish for me. He suggested he could also use left over floorboards as skirting and proceeded to give me a lump sum quote (no detail) that would cost me almost as much than the professionals quoted to install the whole floor!!! Defeating the purpose of my hard (yet slow) work. So I'm back to DIY for ripping floorboards.

Also, what do you think of the suggestion to use leftovers for skirting? I know I can mitre to fit but should I leave the tongue or shear it off (back to the darn saw?)

If you guys could give me any hints to help me finish it would be greatly appreciated as the flatpack kitchen is still waiting :D

TJM

I am not sure what you are asking about ripping the last board. Do you want to know how to rip it,or how to get it in or ???As for usinf the left over for skirting, you could do that, but you would need to cut off the tongue and dress the edge.Will that then match what ever is already in the house?

Tools

Sorry, I need to make a row of floorboards narrower to fit along the last wall - a full width floorboard is too wide. I am not good at straight cutting along the floorboard with my circular saw.

Re skirting boards - I have already ripped out the skirting from the rest of the place (carpets is going in the bedrooms).

thanks

Teresa

G'day.
Set the board on saw horses.
Set your saw fence to the size you need (fence to sawblade dimension).
Start at one end and finish at the other.
You know you have to leave a 12 mm gap between the floor and the wall?
This makes it easy to get the last board in.
I'd use pre-primed skirting. Buggerising around with recutting T&G will give you the screaming Sch1tz.

Glue and T/nail the last board.

Hello Teresa, & welcome,

A host of questions come to mind, including how much allowance are you making for expansion, what are the dimensions of the T&G? and what other tools you have at your disposal, thicknesser? hand planes? handsaws?
If using leftovers for skirting materials one would imagine it would be a good idea to rip the tongue off and maybe try a new profile using a plane or router, otherwise it would look fairly average with the tongue poking up:oo:

geez Trev that was quick off the mark:p .

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Originally Posted by E. maculata

geez Trev that was quick off the mark:p .

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The quick and the dead, 2 to the body, one to the head. keeps the dead dead!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by E. maculata

Hello Teresa, & welcome,

A host of questions come to mind, including how much allowance are you making for expansion, what are the dimensions of the T&G? and what other tools you have at your disposal, thicknesser? hand planes? handsaws?
If using leftovers for skirting materials one would imagine it would be a good idea to rip the tongue off and maybe try a new profile using a plane or router, otherwise it would look fairly average with the tongue poking up:oo:

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Gents, many thanks and in order of your questions:
(a) 12mm allowance on expansion (have the spacers)
(b) T&G is 80 x 18mm, varying lengths.
(c) have handplaner, handsaws - tenon, hacksaw etc
(d) Happy to rip off tongue but if it means using the circular saw too much then chances are minimal:U Any other way to neatly remove tongue? Dont have a router (yet) and tools and a straight line is still something I'm striving.
Also, to dress the pieces used for skirting presume that means sanding? (have a cheapo belt sander).

thanks

Teresa

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Originally Posted by glock40sw

G'day.
Set the board on saw horses.
Set your saw fence to the size you need (fence to sawblade dimension).
Start at one end and finish at the other.
You know you have to leave a 12 mm gap between the floor and the wall?
This makes it easy to get the last board in.
I'd use pre-primed skirting. Buggerising around with recutting T&G will give you the screaming Sch1tz.

Glue and T/nail the last board.

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Thanks for this, not sure what you mean by fence to sawblade dimension?
I know re the 12mm gap
You may be right about the pre-primed skirting but I've got a few of the floorboards left since now carpeting the bedrooms.

Teresa

The tongue can be removed reasonably quickly with a half decent handplane (#4 or up, would probably be best) .
Trevor means (I think) using the fence supplied with the circular saw set (the fence that is) to whichever width you need and keeping aforementioned fence to the truest edge rip away (whilst the timber is securely held down, by mechaical means of course)and voila the last board you need to lay is made. Alternatively take to local joinery shop and plead or pay to get them to rip it to size.

If you are not familiar with using the saw guide, it would be better to run it along the waste side of the board so that you don't risk running off and ruining the piece you want.

Tools

Gents,

Sounding a bit clearer now, I'll let you know how things go

Many thanks:)

Just take the board down to Magnet Mart and pay them a buck to rip it to size on their table saw. Bonus being that the cut is straight and all your fingers remain attached.

Cheers

What i do is place the legnth of board to be ripped down at the spot it is going in. I then take a measurement every 500mm the width of the gap and deduck about 8mm. I then transfer that measurement onto the board. I then remove the bottom of the grove. I then join the dots along the board where the measurements have beem marked on to and then with my table saw cut of the bit i dont want. If you dont have a t/saw then use a power saw witrh the blade adjusted to the thickness of the board . i then apply glue on to the to of the tounge on the last board and then insert the ripped board. I cut up some small wedges and wedge the last board in to get a tight fit.

Figured it was time to finish the floorboard install as the new kitchen appliances have arrived and I've started putting together the Ikea kitchen cabinets that have been sitting around for umm.. a while.

Measured the boards and was heading down to MM to get them to cut to size when I realised the amount to remove was very small so I had an excuse to buy another new toy - electric planer...and it works really well for this job.
I read various comments (good, bad and ugly)on the forum while researching them and how to use one - but its sooo good. Last row along the wall is done. :2tsup:

Everyone, thanks for all your help and advice. (Larry, glue on tongue worked a treat:p and the final board is a nice fit.)

I'll start a new thread on the kitchen reno as I have a few questions that I haven't yet found answers to elsewhere in the forum.

cheers

Teresa

Hi all

I will be laying a floating T & G 15mm bamboo floor in about 3 weeks and I will probably need to trim some boards. I thought I would use my jigsaw, then I do not have to mess about with guides etc, just mark clamp an cut.

Any reason why this was not suggested?:?

celeste

Personally, I find jig saws slower and harder to cut a straight line with.

congratulations its all done, get a good floorsander in, best way to find one is to talk to a guality home builder and get his recomendation. Most builders will not put up with any crap from his own contractor and will have a high expectation. You can take advantage of this on your project.

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Originally Posted by celeste

Hi all

I will be laying a floating T & G 15mm bamboo floor in about 3 weeks and I will probably need to trim some boards. I thought I would use my jigsaw, then I do not have to mess about with guides etc, just mark clamp an cut.

Any reason why this was not suggested?:?

celeste

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Jig saws are fine if you are not confident in the begining and are afraid of the power saw, They are slower as someone just mentioned but thats ok, I used to have a guy that started with me , he was learning to instal floors, he had no experienceand with machinery and used a jig saw to do his long cuts. I allowed him to do this for the first couple of times and then he managed the makita. That young man now is one of the most talented installers i have , working on 10 million $ homes and getting rave reviews.

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Originally Posted by Larry McCully

Jig saws are fine if you are not confident in the begining and are afraid of the power saw, They are slower as someone just mentioned but thats ok, I used to have a guy that started with me , he was learning to instal floors, he had no experienceand with machinery and used a jig saw to do his long cuts. I allowed him to do this for the first couple of times and then he managed the makita. That young man now is one of the most talented installers i have , working on 10 million $ homes and getting rave reviews.

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Hi Larry

thanks for that, I am not that good with the circular and can cut pretty straight with the jigsaw, a bit slow tho. with the floor I prefer slow and straight. I practice with he circular free hand on the mdf I am using to bring the floor levels up ready for the bamboo. I am getting better.

Slowly, slowly

Celeste

Celeste