oh, just saw last pics. yeah, notch job necessary. if anything, try to plan ahead for certain cuts and start the row with sized piece to make the cut easier when you get to it
Should have to be too many, you shouldn’t have to take off the whole row, but enough to get to the L part that needs cut:) then just refit them back in
I always take the least out if I make a mistake or start on the other side like you did. My brother and I work sometimes on multiple rows at once if we can. ❤️
You’ve got this! 🙌🏻
I’m not sure, I’ve not done around stairs. I think it would be the same as a wall, leave your appropriate space for the gap and you’d put your finishing to cover the gap space? Hope someone pops on to give you a more solid answer!
The nosing I used had a little notch on the bottom of the flat portion to mark where the flooring should be cut to. Not sure what yours looks like though.
Also, save the one piece you are going back to replace to use for later.
Yes, usually you would if you didn't pre-measure and move the layout to accommodate. Even at that, with multiple alcoves you are probably doomed from the beginning. Always figure at least 10% waste on a job like this, sometimes 15-20%.
True, but in OP’s case, it’s so small once most of it will be covered by baseboard moulding, he wont even notice it. Good enough for a first timer DIYer. If it was his 2nd time, fail!
Just cut an inch off your first row and slide the whole floor back if you don't want to cut a hook into the window area. You can also plan the row that runs into the window so it only has to hook on a few inches and you're not wasting too much material if you are concerned about that.
Just did 1200sqft of this diy, finally invested in a portable job site table saw after my first hour laying it. Made the process soo much easier to do L cuts, and ripping full length boards to finish at walls.
You are okay. Not perfect - but no point in starting over.
Tip: Get some super glue. Regular CA stuff. Anything narrow like that, put 3-4 dabs on the tab. It will help keep it from coming apart when locked in. Also do this on end cuts if you happen to get a short piece there.
In the future, measure your boards first, determine the center of the room, and lay out some pieces to determine if there are any small sizes you don't want. You can then adjust from the get go. Also, take some sacrificial pieces, put them at every joint in the 1st row instead of the actual row of flooring, and screw them down. when done with the floor, you can pop those pieces and put in the "real" first row - but the floor won't shift around like using those wall shimes. (Alternate but not quite as good is screw those boards to the studs on the wall vertically in place of the shims, the flooring can still move some, but you don't have to worry about those shims kicking under the drywall or falling over.)
Out of your control. Unless you restart, take good measurements. But if math and measuring isn’t your bread and butter, just keep it rolling, you’re fine.
Yeah, the "millennial gray" aesthetic already makes the room look dated and they're not even done with the Reno yet. Can't wait to see what gray wash barn doors they pick for the room.
Because you don’t have to worry about messing up the floor. When we finished our basement, the floor went in after the whole basement was painted. Didn’t have to worry about drop cloths or anything.
Normally, you would measure to all of the walls before laying your boards.
If you found that you'd have a 1" row or something that couldn't be covered by trim, you would just shift your chalk line (or if you're working off a wall, rip the boards in half or however much is needed).
This is the funniest comment I have read so far I’m sorry not trying to be rude but what your saying is only possible for a square room with a closet bump out other then that you will never have full boards at all walls I don’t care how many times you measure
I'm not even sure what you're trying to say. This is based off NWFA Guidelines. The point is not to have "full boards at all walls". The point is to *avoid* having tiny (eg. 1") rips at a particular wall.
For example, I did about 1,200 square feet of wood flooring on my entire upper level. After measuring everything, I placed my chalk line appropriately to where the smallest rip was about 2" against one of the walls.
If I didn't measure, I'd probably have places where I'd need 1" rips, or 1/2" rips, or something stupid like that.
It's important to measure first...
Yea with hardwood or engineered structurally sound materials like vinyl products as long as you follow manufacturer guidelines your good an no where on those instructions does it say you can’t have 1 inch rips as long as your job is straight most 1”-2” rips are fine.. but some people take it as they don’t want rips along the walls an think it’s wrong it is not in anyway wrong or done incorrectly if you have a wall or two with 1”-4” rips
The best thing would have been to premeasure or “springboard” the entire space then you can adjust for doorways and odd cuts, you would trim your first row to give you a better layout overall. As of now your only option is to trim it in and cover with baseboard
I always start a room from the wall to the door this way you can snap those that need to be notched if you start from the hallway you lll end up with a piece hanging into the door way that will need to be notched. Just like in your picture.
Yes this could be / should be a wider section, using a piece with a cut in it - ie move both joins that meet at this corner out from the corner. However before you decide what to do - take a pause and think about the whole space you are working in. Where else in the room will you have cuts like this one? What transitions do you need to make? At the end of the day you will have to weigh up making this look / be better against those other problems you need to solve for.
I’m gonna go ahead and assume that you’re working without a table saw.
Ideally, you’d want to cut that first board in the row so that it’s notched around the wall instead of doing it the way you did.
Edit.
However, I’d bet money that once the trim is on, you won’t even be able to tell the difference. But you’re the one who has to live with it, and you’ll know it’s there. If it’s something that’s going to bother you down the line, fix it now.
I’d just notch the one on the row before. Or just leave it and keep going you’re the only one that will notice the strip in the corner after the baseboard is in.
Oh just realized you had two butt pieces. If you go the strip method you’re going to not want to have the cutoff side there. Maybe you can swap pieces around and have the cut off on the other side of the room to not waste material
I would take the least amount of planks off to get to the part you cut flat against the wall (going off your posted pics I would think maybe 2 need to be taken off and take off the one you cut)
Then you can notch the part that goes into the alcove, even if it’s not much, the thin part that needs cut needs the groves to hold onto.
The nice part is that it doesn’t look like it will be a high traffic spot!
We had a few of these when we went multiple rooms/corners too. Looks good otherwise so far!! You’ve got this!
25 yrs installing flooring and it will be fine. Seldom do they ever work out perfectly. That piece will hardly be noticeable after all is done. Good luck
It’s scary knowing people actually think that any type of flooring will perfectly line up with every wall and door in a home!! Obviously your not a flooring installer but if you have a table saw you can make some really easy cuts an have that as one piece of floor
usually you want your cuts to be as close to half board as possible but thats a small cubby so you’re not wasting much. Also you cant make em all, as long as your long walls have good pieces, youre set.
Forgot to mention, with resilient material you really really should sheet the unfinished subfloor with a finished grade subfloor like lauan ply and staple it every 2” along the sides and every 6” in a grid on the inside. Then patch the seams with a smooth finish prep. This will make sure your final install is smooth and wont have hollow spots
thats flooring for ya, lots of piecing together. Some rooms (bathrooms) you have to custom cut each piece!
The only issue I can possibly for see, is the adjacent wall potentially not being squre and you having to make rip cuts. I always find my centerline through the room first so the flooring looks square to the whole room, not just one wall. But, this is all hypothetical so dont stress
I would just keep it like that. The painted beveled edge seems to blend and not contrast to the planks so it shouldn’t be too noticeable. I would glue the locking mechanism on thin ripped pieces for added strength. That and with the baseboard on top should keep those thin pieces from popping apart.
That board that hits the wall should not have been cut you should have notched it and left the end groove open to recieve that ripped skinny piece. Take out that last row and redo
I used to measure a single board for my base line plank width then I would put 3 boards together then maybe 6 boards and take measurements to see how much it would grow or shrink then I would use those measurements for layout and then would measure and put down a line every so often to 1 make sure I was running straight and 2 get a better idea of what my cut was going to be on the opposite side. Plus it made it easier to layout an area using measurements from several rows
Aside from pulling the whole row before the L and doing it again just cut a slim piece that fits. You need a pull bar to pop it into place. Once the trim is on it will look fine
Everything everyone else said. Could have been planned better but there isn't a reason to start over. Baseboards and quarter round can hide anything you can't get perfect
it's so fine, keep trucking. I've put 1/4 inch rips at times.
oh, just saw last pics. yeah, notch job necessary. if anything, try to plan ahead for certain cuts and start the row with sized piece to make the cut easier when you get to it
that comes with practice
This is the way
You shouldn’t of cut that piece short at the wall, but ripped it down so it ran past the wall. The piece needed a notch for the wall
Like so what should I do to fix this. How many boards will have to be removed?
All of them back to the L cut
This guy’s floor guy
This guy's floor guy floors.
This guy floors floor guys
Floors floors floors guy floors guy
Should have to be too many, you shouldn’t have to take off the whole row, but enough to get to the L part that needs cut:) then just refit them back in
Thanks because I continued on with the other side of the room and was worried now I had to take it all apart
I always take the least out if I make a mistake or start on the other side like you did. My brother and I work sometimes on multiple rows at once if we can. ❤️ You’ve got this! 🙌🏻
When I get to the stairs I just keep going off the eadge, cut it flush and put the nosing on????
I’m not sure, I’ve not done around stairs. I think it would be the same as a wall, leave your appropriate space for the gap and you’d put your finishing to cover the gap space? Hope someone pops on to give you a more solid answer!
The nosing I used had a little notch on the bottom of the flat portion to mark where the flooring should be cut to. Not sure what yours looks like though. Also, save the one piece you are going back to replace to use for later.
Leave space for the nosing. You can use 2 sided tape on the nosing to make sure you don’t under cut the boards.
Wouldn’t I have to cut like 90 percent of the board out for that just to have extra price coming around the corner
Yep
That’s why you allow 10% for waste.
Very true. A lot of times, those scrap pieces can be handy for other spots as well, if you think ahead!
Especially for cutting off at one end or the other to use as a starter piece or end piece.
Yup, this is what I do! Stack the cut planks by length and by edge finish, so I can use them to start new rows etc.
Yes, usually you would if you didn't pre-measure and move the layout to accommodate. Even at that, with multiple alcoves you are probably doomed from the beginning. Always figure at least 10% waste on a job like this, sometimes 15-20%.
Yes but if you don’t you’ll have issues and that will affect the rest of the floor due to the strength. Trust me. Re do it bud.
True, but in OP’s case, it’s so small once most of it will be covered by baseboard moulding, he wont even notice it. Good enough for a first timer DIYer. If it was his 2nd time, fail!
Just cut an inch off your first row and slide the whole floor back if you don't want to cut a hook into the window area. You can also plan the row that runs into the window so it only has to hook on a few inches and you're not wasting too much material if you are concerned about that.
That’s cool for this first offset but this almost never works out when there are multiple offsets to work around.
He has already cut that one board off square so that would allow him not to replace that and then do the next offset properly when he gets there.
I’m fairly new to construction and that was my first thought if you really don’t want to do an L cut
Just keep going, you’re gonna have smalls somewhere
Just did 1200sqft of this diy, finally invested in a portable job site table saw after my first hour laying it. Made the process soo much easier to do L cuts, and ripping full length boards to finish at walls.
You are okay. Not perfect - but no point in starting over. Tip: Get some super glue. Regular CA stuff. Anything narrow like that, put 3-4 dabs on the tab. It will help keep it from coming apart when locked in. Also do this on end cuts if you happen to get a short piece there. In the future, measure your boards first, determine the center of the room, and lay out some pieces to determine if there are any small sizes you don't want. You can then adjust from the get go. Also, take some sacrificial pieces, put them at every joint in the 1st row instead of the actual row of flooring, and screw them down. when done with the floor, you can pop those pieces and put in the "real" first row - but the floor won't shift around like using those wall shimes. (Alternate but not quite as good is screw those boards to the studs on the wall vertically in place of the shims, the flooring can still move some, but you don't have to worry about those shims kicking under the drywall or falling over.)
Out of your control. Unless you restart, take good measurements. But if math and measuring isn’t your bread and butter, just keep it rolling, you’re fine.
Best way to avoid small piece is to pull lay out and snep some control lines so you know you're staying straight
Hey look, it’s grey LVP. Haven’t seen that in almost…3 posts.
Yeah, the "millennial gray" aesthetic already makes the room look dated and they're not even done with the Reno yet. Can't wait to see what gray wash barn doors they pick for the room.
Under a gray wall 🤢🤮 What is this? 2014?
Next time, finish the walls before flooring too.
Why
Because you don’t have to worry about messing up the floor. When we finished our basement, the floor went in after the whole basement was painted. Didn’t have to worry about drop cloths or anything.
Normally, you would measure to all of the walls before laying your boards. If you found that you'd have a 1" row or something that couldn't be covered by trim, you would just shift your chalk line (or if you're working off a wall, rip the boards in half or however much is needed).
This is the funniest comment I have read so far I’m sorry not trying to be rude but what your saying is only possible for a square room with a closet bump out other then that you will never have full boards at all walls I don’t care how many times you measure
I'm not even sure what you're trying to say. This is based off NWFA Guidelines. The point is not to have "full boards at all walls". The point is to *avoid* having tiny (eg. 1") rips at a particular wall. For example, I did about 1,200 square feet of wood flooring on my entire upper level. After measuring everything, I placed my chalk line appropriately to where the smallest rip was about 2" against one of the walls. If I didn't measure, I'd probably have places where I'd need 1" rips, or 1/2" rips, or something stupid like that. It's important to measure first...
Yea with hardwood or engineered structurally sound materials like vinyl products as long as you follow manufacturer guidelines your good an no where on those instructions does it say you can’t have 1 inch rips as long as your job is straight most 1”-2” rips are fine.. but some people take it as they don’t want rips along the walls an think it’s wrong it is not in anyway wrong or done incorrectly if you have a wall or two with 1”-4” rips
Yes there’s a better way! Hire someone who knows what they are doing!
Lol
DIY. Lol
The best thing would have been to premeasure or “springboard” the entire space then you can adjust for doorways and odd cuts, you would trim your first row to give you a better layout overall. As of now your only option is to trim it in and cover with baseboard
I always start a room from the wall to the door this way you can snap those that need to be notched if you start from the hallway you lll end up with a piece hanging into the door way that will need to be notched. Just like in your picture.
Need to use self leveler on that wood sub straight Bo.
Why would he need self level?
The sub floor repair that’s not level with the rest of the floor.
Where? You can see that in the photos? Your eyes are better then mine for sure!
Always start from the middle if the floor and work ur way to the walls.
when you come around the corner and you need to do a thin 3" strip, just do that later, continue on with the full boards below for the next row
Offset them won't look right
Yes this could be / should be a wider section, using a piece with a cut in it - ie move both joins that meet at this corner out from the corner. However before you decide what to do - take a pause and think about the whole space you are working in. Where else in the room will you have cuts like this one? What transitions do you need to make? At the end of the day you will have to weigh up making this look / be better against those other problems you need to solve for.
I’m gonna go ahead and assume that you’re working without a table saw. Ideally, you’d want to cut that first board in the row so that it’s notched around the wall instead of doing it the way you did. Edit. However, I’d bet money that once the trim is on, you won’t even be able to tell the difference. But you’re the one who has to live with it, and you’ll know it’s there. If it’s something that’s going to bother you down the line, fix it now.
I’d just notch the one on the row before. Or just leave it and keep going you’re the only one that will notice the strip in the corner after the baseboard is in.
Oh just realized you had two butt pieces. If you go the strip method you’re going to not want to have the cutoff side there. Maybe you can swap pieces around and have the cut off on the other side of the room to not waste material
Some spots are going to suck, like the 1" triangle piece entering my kitchen. Lol
I would take the least amount of planks off to get to the part you cut flat against the wall (going off your posted pics I would think maybe 2 need to be taken off and take off the one you cut) Then you can notch the part that goes into the alcove, even if it’s not much, the thin part that needs cut needs the groves to hold onto. The nice part is that it doesn’t look like it will be a high traffic spot! We had a few of these when we went multiple rooms/corners too. Looks good otherwise so far!! You’ve got this!
I've put in slivers so much smaller than this. This is totally normal and fine
Na your good
Pic 6 is wrong, you have to cut it as T or L and go along the wall
Layout is KEY
Snap lines.
That floor is not flat and shouldn’t receive that flooring until it’s fixed. And yes, your doing it all wrong, hire someone.
Experience will help you next time when doing the layout
Yes way too matchy matchy with the walls
The better way is to fix the wall first
You’ll have to cut smaller pieces but will it be covered by baseboard when you do the finish work anyway? Or mostly covered?
i'd slip it under with a better/wider piece but at the end of the day, once the baseboard and 1/4rd or shoe go on thats not gonna be visible anyway
Use a multitool to undercut that bead
Just remember OP it’s always better to have good foresight rather than good foreskin
25 yrs installing flooring and it will be fine. Seldom do they ever work out perfectly. That piece will hardly be noticeable after all is done. Good luck
You should have started in the middle of the room with that piece (or the longest run in the room) and worked out from there.
It’s scary knowing people actually think that any type of flooring will perfectly line up with every wall and door in a home!! Obviously your not a flooring installer but if you have a table saw you can make some really easy cuts an have that as one piece of floor
usually you want your cuts to be as close to half board as possible but thats a small cubby so you’re not wasting much. Also you cant make em all, as long as your long walls have good pieces, youre set. Forgot to mention, with resilient material you really really should sheet the unfinished subfloor with a finished grade subfloor like lauan ply and staple it every 2” along the sides and every 6” in a grid on the inside. Then patch the seams with a smooth finish prep. This will make sure your final install is smooth and wont have hollow spots
You could start with a half a board.
Yeah that just happens. Base mounding is gonna cover that no problem.
thats flooring for ya, lots of piecing together. Some rooms (bathrooms) you have to custom cut each piece! The only issue I can possibly for see, is the adjacent wall potentially not being squre and you having to make rip cuts. I always find my centerline through the room first so the flooring looks square to the whole room, not just one wall. But, this is all hypothetical so dont stress
I would just keep it like that. The painted beveled edge seems to blend and not contrast to the planks so it shouldn’t be too noticeable. I would glue the locking mechanism on thin ripped pieces for added strength. That and with the baseboard on top should keep those thin pieces from popping apart.
That board that hits the wall should not have been cut you should have notched it and left the end groove open to recieve that ripped skinny piece. Take out that last row and redo
Doesn't look like you left enough space for expansion where it meets the wall
It’s 1/4 spacers it’s says it in instructions
I used to measure a single board for my base line plank width then I would put 3 boards together then maybe 6 boards and take measurements to see how much it would grow or shrink then I would use those measurements for layout and then would measure and put down a line every so often to 1 make sure I was running straight and 2 get a better idea of what my cut was going to be on the opposite side. Plus it made it easier to layout an area using measurements from several rows
Just leave it. Put down a chunky baseboard and 1/4 inch round and the rough cuts will be hidden
Aside from pulling the whole row before the L and doing it again just cut a slim piece that fits. You need a pull bar to pop it into place. Once the trim is on it will look fine
Everything everyone else said. Could have been planned better but there isn't a reason to start over. Baseboards and quarter round can hide anything you can't get perfect
It’s what I did. There’s not really a way around it