I am currently installing about 900 sf of brazillian cherry hardwood in the first floor of my house and I am looking for a design that I can use as a border between the foyer and the dining room.
I am trying to implement a border for two reasons. First to define the space as being separate from the foyer and second to break up the install so that there will not be a continuous line of hardwood that goes the entire width of the house.
Without this border I will have to very carefully lay out the floor so that when it wraps around the staircase it will come back together perfectly in line, with the border in place it will allow for some small error if the boards don’t come around on the exact same line.
I would like the border to be 10.5 inches wide so that it will be as wide as the baseboard of 2 pilasters that flank the opening into the dining room. The opening is 10 feet wide. I am using 3.25 inch hardwood that I can use as a component of the border or I can purchase all new wood.
I guess I am primarily looking for a relatively simple design that I could put together either purchasing new wood or using some of the wood I already have. I was considering sanding the finish off of the cherry and staining it black to create a contrast or purchasing a darker wood, my only concern with a different wood is different expansion rates. I really like the french knot design that I have seen in a past issue of FHB but it doesn’t really work in this narrow of a format, but that is the kind of detail I am trying to use.
Thanks.
Replies
My first hardwood floor installation was in my own house. 3200 sqft of brazilian cherry, 1600' per floor, and another 900 sqft of bambo in my finished attic.
I had what I think is the same as you're describing, and man o man, was I thrilled when after installing around the perimeter of the central staircase on the first floor and the open foyer on the second, my flooring matched up when I got to the "other side."
Border inspiration? Try this site. Some busy designs, but a few simpler ones too.
What, no photos? That seems like something we'd all like to drool over.
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Thanks to all for the links, I think I will try to emulate one of the simpler designs. Here are a few pics of the house so far to give you an idea of what I've done so far and what I'm still up against.I've never posted pictures here before so I hope this works.The house has been very much inspired by FHB, alot of my bigger trim projects have been based on several articles from the magazine.There is no real way to take a picture that shows the whole area getting wood, but in the picture that shows the workbench you can see the staircase that I have to wrap around. Thanks again for the helpjeff
The latest JLC has a cool article on a very well done maple/cherry floor.
Try this site: http://www.premierinlays.com/hardwood_floor_borders_corners/hardwood_floor_borders_all.html
Or Google wood floor borders, you will get lots of hits.