How close should end joints be in a 3/4″ x 2 ½” nail down strip floor?
“Rack the floor. Lay out seven or eight rows of flooring end to end in a staggered pattern with end joints at least 6″ apart . . . .” (From NOFMA’s Installing Hardwood Flooring manual) NOFMA does recommend that end joints be spaced 6″ or more along adjacent runs of flooring. However, an occasional end joint spacing of less than 6″ will not cause a floor to fail. Irregularities in flooring are covered in the NOFMA Installing Hardwood Flooring manual under Overall Appearance. End joints in this case can be equated with finishing irregularities for acceptance. The floor should be inspected from a standing position, and when viewed as described, the offending condition should not be prominent throughout the floor. If the condition is prominent the problem may need repairing. Normally, where 95% or more of the pieces are distributed properly, the floor would be acceptable. However, if all of the 5% problem joints are located in a small area that particular area should be repaired. If a grou
