Figure 6-4.—Floor detail for existing concrete construction.Figure 6-3.—Nailing wood flooring.recommendations as to size and diameter foruses. Flooring brads are also available withpoints to prevent splitting the tongue.specificbluntedFigure 6-2, view B, shows how to nail the first stripof flooring. This strip should be placed 1/2 to 5/8 inchaway from the wall. The space is to allow for expansionof the flooring when moisture content increases. Thefirst nails should be driven straight down, through theboard at the groove edge. The nails should be driveninto the joist and near enough to the edge so that theywill be covered by the base or shoe molding. The firststrip of flooring can also be nailed through the tongue(fig, 6-3, view A). This figure shows in detail how nailsshould be driven into the tongue of the flooring at anangle of 45° to 50°. Don’t drive the nails flush; thisprevents damaging the edge by the hammerhead(fig. 6-3 view B). These nails should be set with a nailset.To prevent splitting the flooring, predrill through thetongue, especially at the ends of the strip. For the secondcourse of flooring from the wall, select pieces so that thebutt joints are well separated from those in the firstcourse. Under normal conditions, each board should bedriven up tightly against the previous board. Crackedpieces may require wedging to force them into align-ment or may be cut and used at the ends of the courseor in closets. In completing the flooring, you shouldprovide a 1/2- to 5/8-inch space between the wall andthe last flooring strip. This strip should be face-nailedFigure 6-5.—Base for wood flooring on a slab with vapor barrier.just like the first strip so that the base or shoe covers theset nailheads (fig. 6-2, view B).Installation over ConcreteOne of the most critical factors in applying woodflooring over concrete is the use of a good vapor barrierunder the slab to resist ground moisture. The vaporbarrier should be placed under the slab duringconstruction. However, an alternate method must beused when the concrete is already in place (shown infig. 6-4).A system of preparing a base for wood flooringwhen there is a vapor barrier under the slab is shown infigure 6-5. Treated 1-by 4-inch furring strips should be6-3
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