and may vary from 2 to more than 16 feet. The top isslightly wider than the bottom so that tight joints resultwhen flooring is laid. The tongue fits tightly into thegroove to prevent movement and floor squeaks.Thin strip flooring (fig. 6-1. view B) is made of 3/8-by 2-inch strips. This flooring is commonly used forremodeling work or when the subfloor is edge-blockedor thick enough to provide very little deflection underloads.Square-edged strip flooring (fig. 6-1, view C) isalso occasionally used. The strips are usually 3/8 inchby 2 inches and laid over a substantial subfloor.Face-nailing is required for this type of flooring.Plank floors are usually laid in random widths. Thepieces are bored and plugged to simulate wooden pegsoriginally used to fasten them in place. Today, this typeof floor has tongue-and-groove edges. It is laid similarto regular strip flooring. Solid planks are usually3/4 inch thick. Widths range from 3 to 9 inches inmultiples of 1 inch.Figure 6-2.—Application of strip flooring.InstallationFlooring should be laid after drywall, plastering, orother interior wall and ceiling finish is completed anddried out. Windows and exterior doors should be inplace, and most of the interior trim, except base, casing,and jambs, should be installed to prevent damage bywetting or construction activity.Board subfloors should be clean and level andcovered with felt or heavy building paper. The felt orpaper stops a certain amount of dust, somewhat deadenssound, and, where a crawl space is used, increases thewarmth of the floor by preventing air infiltration. As aguide to provide nailing into the joists, whereverpossible, mark with a chalk line the location of the joistson the paper. Plywood subflooring does not normallyrequire building paper.Strip flooring should normally be laid crosswise tothe floor joists (fig. 6-2, view A). In conventionalstructures, the floor joists span the width of the buildingover a center-supporting beam or wall. Thus, the finishflooring of the entire floor areas of a rectangularstructure will be laid in the same direction. Flooring with“L”- or “I’’-shaped plans will usually have a directionchange, depending on joist direction. As joists usuallyspan the short way in a room, the flooring will be laidlengthwise to the room. This layout has a pleasingappearance and also reduces shrinkage and swelling ofthe flooring during seasonal changes.StoringWhen the flooring is delivered, store it in thewarmest and driest place available in the building.Moisture absorbed after delivery to the building site isthe most common cause of open joints between flooringstrips that appear after several months of the heatingseason.Floor SqueaksFloor squeaks are usually caused by the movementof one board against another. Such movement can occurfor a number of reasons: floor joists too light, causingexcessive deflection; sleepers over concrete slabs notheld down tightly; loose fitting tongues; or poor nailing.Adequate nailing is an important means of minimizingsqueaks. Another is to apply the finish floors only afterthe joists have dried to 12-percent moisture content orless. A much better job results when it is possible to nailthrough the finish floor, through the subfloor, and intothe joists than if the finish floor is nailed only to thesubfloor.NailingVarious types of nails are used in nailing differentthicknesses of flooring. Before using any type of nail,you should check with the floor manufacturer’s6-2
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