Joining Engineered Floor

[PinkFloyd]

I've started to take a look at how I'm going to lay out my floor and I'm confused on something. Not hard to be honest

Basically If I lay board one and cut off 1/3rd at the bottom of this board to start row two I'm then left with a sawn end with no click system to use on row two. I take it you just 'but' boards like these boards together?

The reason I ask is that if that's the case my cuts are going to have to be perfect to get a neat square finish. Which cutting by hand doesn't seem to be that easy.......

The other way appears to be leaving the click system in place at the top or bottom of each board, but that makes it a nightmare to click in lengthways?

I'm probably confusing myself with this.......

 

[nickjb]

I'm a bit confused too. Why are you cutting 1/3 off the first board, don't you just keep going with whole boards until reach the edge and cut that one? Anyway... if you need a nice square cut use a circular saw and a guide and it will be bang on. I made a guide like this one: http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-T...lls/two-essential-saw-cutting-guides/View-All and use it all the time. Safe, neat and accurate.

 

[PinkFloyd]

I'm a bit confused too. Why are you cutting 1/3 off the first board, don't you just keep going with whole boards until reach the edge and cut that one? Anyway... if you need a nice square cut use a circular saw and a guide and it will be bang on. I made a guide like this one: http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-T...lls/two-essential-saw-cutting-guides/View-All and use it all the time. Safe neat and accurate.

Thanks Mate,

Simply cut the first board 'cause I'm an idiot. No in all seriousness I'm not on the ball right now due to illness and should probably leave until the weekend. The main reason for cutting was that the area I'm flooring is short in length; just over the length of the boards. So I wanted to stagger the board a little so there wasn't one long length with a tiny piece at the end making up the first row.

Can I confirm though there are times where you have to but horizontal lengths together without any click system being in place at these joins, only on the vertical lengths?

 

[TicklyT]

You would normally put the cut ends against the walls. Using the piece you cut from the 'north' end of one row as the first piece at the 'south' end of the next row automatically puts the cut ends towards the walls, so there's no unfinished edges to worry about.

If things work out well, you will only have one or two small offcuts left over at the end of the job - and they won't have tongues or grooves on either end.

 

[PinkFloyd]

You would normally put the cut ends against the walls. Using the piece you cut from the 'north' end of one row as the first piece at the 'south' end of the next row automatically puts the cut ends towards the walls, so there's no unfinished edges to worry about.

If things work out well, you will only have one or two small offcuts left over at the end of the job - and they won't have tongues or grooves on either end.

Thanks mate

I've actually finished it; just waiting on my carpet fitter coming to install a 'Z Bar' between the lounge carpet and the hall where the floor is. I worked out how to stick it together after calming myself down....... It's simple really. I understand it as this:

The off-cut from row one starts row two and the tongue at the end allows the new piece of board in row two to attach to the starting board, which was the off-cut from row one. You continue like this until you meet an obstacle

Just got the skirting to put on and two pieces of scotia bead at each end and it'll be done. Going to leave that until after the carpet bar is in, just in case there's any niggles.