Looking at installing some pre-finished braziloian cherry solid wood flooring, with a pattern, so there will be cut edges in the field (not against the walls). The flooring has a micro-bevel, and is T&G four sides. What is trhe best way to put a bevel on the cut edges? And how do you seal the cuts?
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Replies
Ok Ed, Your tag line pretty much says what I am thinking here, "I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way"
IMHO there is no way to do pre finished wood flooring and have it turn out anything but bad. Is there a reason you aren't doing it the standard way (install, sand,finish)?
>> Is there a reason you aren't doing it the standard way (install, sand, finish)?Ahhh, you mean some reason besides avoiding the time, effort, and cost of the sand and finish steps?
Silly boys ... cuz that's the flooring that the HO selected.
Now ... how would you do your best to make it an installation you would be proud of?
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
IMHO, I don't think you can micro bevel prefinished flooring in the field that will closely match the factory edge. Several problems which come to mind are consistency of micro bevel (too many factors to list) and then there is the stain touch up required to match the factory finish (read time consuming).
One thought would be the use of a portable planer to create the micro bevel. I believe my Bosch unit adjusts depth of cut in 64's?? You might be able to use some sort of angle foot on the base of the unit but for the life of me I can't think of a way to attach this to the unit and make it work??
Nothing is impossible, just my $.02 worth.
Hey Ed,
I've done this several times without complaint or call back. I don't try to micro bevel my cut edge. I do bevel the entire cut edge(full thickness of wood) back at about 7 degrees and fit it in like a "dutchman" cut. I glue the non bevel edge, which is still a factory tongue or groove,to the field already installed. If the pattern allows it to be installed in the same order as the field then I will get the router table out and put the appropriate T&G on the cut edge.
MES
Ok, let me re-ask my question. Using pre-finished flooring, I want to put down a border areound the room, then some of the field boards will have to be cut to fit inside the border. That will leave square cut ends visible. I had thought of using a hand block plane to break the sharp edge, but then I don't know how to treat the cut end and the planed bevel.
I can run a router with a slot cutter to make a groove for a slip tongue ... that's not a problem.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Done that last year . I used superfine (300?) sandpaper wrapped around a hardwood block and knocked back the cut edge with one or two strokes.
Then after installation I squirted a bit of gloss varathane on the cut edges and immediatly wiped with a rag.
This worked well for minor dents and scratches too. I was using prefinished selct birch with a clear finish so there was no staining issue.
I had a callback to replace some hinges on this job a few weeks ago and I couldn't find the defects that were glaring to me when i did the installation.
For minor stain touchups on prefinished stuff I have a set of stain markers from LeeValley that work great.good luck ....Rik..........
I don't attempt to knock down the edge. The perpendicular edges line up very nicely with the border.Perhaps you're micro-bevel is more noticeable then the material I use? Artacoma's method sounds reasonable.
MES
The HO has a couple of samples of the wood they want to use, and I have noticed a very slight vertical misalignment, so I'm making plans before I start as to how to deal with it. They're getting the wood from Lumber Liquidators, so based on other comments here I am expecting a less-than-perfect product.
I saw a prefinished square edge installation at a friends house, and the edges were chipping and splintering, resulkting in a real tacky appearance. So, I think I prefer the bevel in this case.
Also, the rest of the house is prefinished oak with a bevel, and the HO likes the look.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Ed,Some of the prefinished floors have touch up kits available. I would check with Lumber Liquidators (ok, it's a long shot, but....)I think I would be using a router to put the bevel on the edge, but the sandpaper with wood block might be a better idea if the bevel is small enough.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.