I want to install a glueless floor in a living room (I am looking at DuPont Real Touch Elite) but I don’t want to install it even with any wall as the instructions suggest. I want to run it a 45 degree angle across the room. It has to do with how it looks when it comes up against a different wood floor in the next room. This is an open floor plan and I don’t like the way it looks running parralel or perpendicular to the other floor – the transition looks goofy. If it comes into it at a 45 it looks much better. Is this possible or not worth the touble? Could I lay the first run at the desired angle across the middle of the floor and work out toward the walls from either side?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Replies
If it's glueless, does that mean it's click lock?
edit: I've worked with click loc once. Can't remember what edge goes down first, tongue or groove. If the tongue is what you mate to, you can put a spline in the other edge (groove) so you have a pc in the center of the run with tongues facing both ways. If it's groove out, you'd have to mill another groove in the tongue edge-a two groove pc.
Otherwise, do the layout and start small and go out from the corner.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 8/4/2006 5:36 pm ET by calvin
I don't think it "clicks" the instructions warn you not to put together and take apart more than three times. I suspect the groove gets too sloppy after that.
I think you are correct in working from a corner instead of the middle. Although it will be a bit strange starting out with such small runs. I think the reason for starting against a wall has to do with a need for the beginning run to be against something solid to that when you tap the corresponding runs into place the whole floor doesn't shift. I had thought about temporarily anchoring the middle run for that reason, but the more I think about it the more trouble it seems to be - running from a corner would be better.
Don't forget to shim the first pc away from the wall (for expansion) and constantly check registration as the tapping to join tends to move the flooring around. If you have to lift the outboard edge to get it to join, you might be limited in how high due to the side walls and the angle cut. Best of luck.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Can't think of any reason that you couldn't go diagonal. Layout would be somewhat critical. Maybe the reason for the instructions is to keep DIYs from wading into the deep end...dunno.
PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Why not???
I installed this floor (DuPont Real Touch Elite) for a customer.
Let me say that I've also installed more floors than I can count and this floor was by far the hardest floor I've ever installed.
Get two or three runs together and all the sudden the floor would come apart several runs back. Had to undo the floor a few times to put the separation back together.
A little over 600SF took almost three days to finish ouch. Even tried strapping it but that didn't work either.
I told my wife that I would shoot the next person who asked me to install one lol.
busta :0)
Well there's testimonial I'm glad I read.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Bustaduke:
Could you give me your opinion on other glueless floor systems? I was attracted to the DuPont product because of the thirty year warranty. I also have a $400 gift card for Home Depot I would like to use. Any other products they sell that you would recommend over the DuPont?
Also, I find that after I buy or install something they usually improve the product to fix some flaw that I am stuck with. Do you know if DuPont has made any changes to address the issues you encountered after your install?
Thanks for your advice!
if you wanted to start in the middle and go both ways, u could always (after layout) tack a temporary straight edge diagonally across the middle, which would hold the first strip where u want it as you beat the rest towards it...when u remove it to go the other way you'd have to make sure the outside edges are shimmed tightly to prevent movement ...i dunno how much that helps in the end, but starting with tiny pieces in the corner seems kinda strange...
different strokes...
my experience has been that most click floors only like to be installed one way. knocking them together from the wrong side will become an issue.
to install it at a 45. start in a square corner, and make a large triangular piece first. about enough rows till its about 2 panels long(end 2 end). then position it where you need it, shim or wedge it in place then away you go. use lots of layout lines to ensure its going in square. with regular t&g flooring you can cut wacky ends, place it in the grooves and slide it down into place. eg. undercut moulding, hearths, ect.... you wont be able to do that with click floors. you may have to cut off the back side of the click tounge then glue it to the previous piece. you will also have alot more waste. normaly if you cut a piece to fit and end, you can use the cut off on the other end. doing 45s means you have to recut it to fit the otherside.
good luck. lets see some picks when your done.
Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.