# wood flooring



## kmwhalley (Dec 22, 2011)

Hello,
I hope someone out there has milled and laid "homemade flooring". I would like to do this with walnut in 4-6 inch planks. In theory it seems very spanked, but I want to know of the pitfalls and or obstacles now, esther than later. I would welcome any insight. My plan is to mill the lumber, potentially kiln dry it if I can find a lion in the KC area that will take less than 10k bf, and then turn it into flooring. 
Thanks, 
KW


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## gvwp (Jun 17, 2012)

*milling flooring.*



kmwhalley said:


> Hello,
> I hope someone out there has milled and laid "homemade flooring". I would like to do this with walnut in 4-6 inch planks. In theory it seems very spanked, but I want to know of the pitfalls and or obstacles now, esther than later. I would welcome any insight. My plan is to mill the lumber, potentially kiln dry it if I can find a lion in the KC area that will take less than 10k bf, and then turn it into flooring.
> Thanks,
> KW


I have milled T&G flooring from lumber. Biggest thing I can let you know is to use shorter lengths. Its much easier to get it to fit together. No matter how well the lumber is milled there will still be a slight bow to each piece. With a flooring nailer some of this can be straightened but its still much easier to use shorter lengths in my opinion. Also find a well matched filler at your local home improvement store. This helps fill in those "missed spots" that always tend to show up. After your finish is applied you can't tell where the filler is. Also you MUST use kiln dried lumber or WELL air dried. Don't try to saw your lumber and then make flooring right away. This will only end in disaster down the road. Make sure your lumber is dried before starting. I have attached a photo of the Walnut/Cherry/Maple floor I did for my cabin.


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## TMH (Nov 6, 2012)

Thats a really cool looking floor


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

I agree about the lengths. I did an oak T&G floor. I had two router tables set up, with the two profiles set up. One was just a piece of plywood with a router screwed to the bottom, and a board for a fence. But it made it alot easier to go from one to the other without having to change setup. Shorter pieces also made it easier to run on my short bench top jointer. 



















This is oak from a tree felled by Hurricane Katrina, kiln dried. It would have been way easier to buy flooring, but this is something that one day my grandkids can say my papaw made this himself. And so can yours.


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## hautions11 (Nov 19, 2012)

I made oak T&G to batch existing 1" wide floor in my older house. What everyone else said about dry wood and I did not make any lengths longer the 4'. Cutting the end match is definitely the worst part of the job. I used a shaper head on my TS and it was frightening. I would recommend a router set up. The shaper head with knives ( craftsman) actually did well on the long side tongue and grooves. A fence and the stability of the table helps a lot. Post pictures!


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## gvwp (Jun 17, 2012)

No question its easier to buy flooring. I didn't end match my flooring. I made it on my Logosol PH360 moulder. Does a fairly nice job but pieces tend to move just slightly as they go through so you may have a fraction of an inch difference between the front part and back parts of the piece. This is where the filler comes in handy. Just a barely noticeable gap can be really noticeable on a finished floor. End matching was not necessary because of the narrow width of the floor. So far no troubles. I'm able to be put back relief cuts on the back side of the flooring all in the same pass. The Walnut/Cherry/Maple combination does make a beautiful floor.


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