A few more install questions on the engineered hardwood

Hi again and thank you to all who have helped with previous questions about the floor install!

We have been laying the Ekowood Merbeau and it is looking great, except for a few little details. I have noticed that on 2 occassions, the edge of one board seems to slightly splinter under the surface of the wood (as best i can describe it), once the next row has been installed. Is this becuase we are tapping one too many times to tighten the gap between boards and have somehow damaged the previous board? We are using a sticking block throughout, so we are never hammering the board directly. Has anyone else run into this? It isn't that noticeable unless you are on your hands and knees, but I am concerned that over time, by walking on it, it is going to chip off. Is there anything I can put on it to seal it befoer that happens? (polyurathene???)

Second question is that a few of the boards got cut a little too short on the wall side, and the shoe mold will just miss them. Is it ok to fill that 1/8- 1/4" gap between the last board and the shoe (which hasn't been installed yet) with a small piece of board, or should i use a wood filler, or something else?

Thank you! Insatlling this ourselves is quite the learning process!

 

I prefer strap clamps to tapping for that reason. I would think, since the gap in question is so close to the wall and unlikely to see traffic, that, as long as it's glued in, it should be fine to fill it with the flooring material.

 

Ok, thanks. we borrowed strap clamps from someone, but this is a glue-together tongue and groove floating floor, and you definitely need to tap to get the boards tight together. I understood the straps to be more for at the end, when you want to hold it all together while it dries.

Is there anything i can do at this point about the minor buckling of the board? or just hope it doesn't splinter and leave it be? Is this a common issue?

Thanks again for your tips!

 

I use the strap clamps as I go instead of tapping. They draw the boards together in a less violent manner than forcing them together with a blow from a hammer and tend to get the joints tighter. If the issue will keep until the job is done, you can go back later and repair areas like that. I use aerosol contact cement like what is used to attach laminate to counter tops and it works well. I'll tape off the surrounding floor and the surface of the broken board leaving just the void visible. I'll pry the damaged area far enough apart to allow the adhesive to be sprayed into it and then leave it open until the adhesive sets up. Once it's set up, I'll step on it and it has always held well. I use the tape to keep the glue off any thing but where I want it.

 

I use strap clamps and blue tape. The strap clamps to pull things tight and the blue tape to hold it together, while I get another bite, after installing a couple 3 to 8 more rows.

 

I have three questions about this:

1) Does the width of the board matter when you consider how many rows to strap clamp at a time? My boards are 6" wide and I'm not sure how many to do at once.

2) How long do you leave the strap clamp on for a particular run before taking it off and continuing on?

3) Do you ever clamp your boards length-wise to minimize joint-gaps in that direction?

Thanks!