What Purpose Do the Grooves on the Underside of Wood Flooring Serve?
April 7, 2008 Hi! This question is directed to Don Bollinger or anyone in your organization who can answer it. I’d like to know fairly quickly if possible. I purchased your book ‘Hardwood Floors: Laying, sanding and finishing” from Lee Valley in Canada. Well done, except I want to find out a bit of information I could not find in the book. Most of the strip and plank flooring in the book is pictured or drawn with channels milled into the underside of the wood, usually two or three, either in a V, semi-circle or straight cut. What purpose do they serve? Are they necessary or desirable? Do they permit air passage under the floor? I ask because I want to turn some Douglas-fir mill off-cuts (outside of the tree, clear, quite nice really but all sap wood) into flooring by milling it myself to tongue-and-groove. Thanks for your help. Donna L.
