I'm thinking about running a simple 3-4 board border around my living room using the same boards as the main floor (red oak). The salesman asked if I wanted diagonal cuts in the corners. Is there another way to do the corners that would look better?

Any other suggestions for a simple room border to give my room some "WOW" would be appreciated. I dont want to mix woods tho, or do any fancy inlays.

Is it difficult to lay the boards diagonally within a square border?

Thanks for any ideas.

If you are going to go diagonal in the field,you should istall the entire field first and chop off your wild edges with a skilsaw. Then intall the border last. You should definitely english (log cabin)the corners. It will look goofy otherwise. When installing a diagonal field, you MUST start in the middle of the room and go each way.

I have a festool setup for chopping the edges clean,but you can do it with a skilsaw. I read a pretty neat article about how to make a straightedge to use with a regular skilsaw. It might be available online,but I doubt it.

After all sides are cut clean,you just run around the entire field with an easy groove router bit(they cost about 60 dollars.) Then insert splines in the groove you just made. Now you are ready to install the border pieces.

Believe it or not,you can install a room faster when you are installing a border. There is hardly any cutting to be done. You just let your material run wild at the edges. You need lines on the floor,of course.

As to "better looking" corners,I like english corners. They look attractive and they don't separate over time the way mitred corners tend to.

Another thing you can do with a diagonal field is drop in about 12in from the wall, lay a single board border and then finish to the wall with perpindicular skirting. The fan corners for the skirting would be tricky without some expensive tools,though. But then you don't actually have to fan the corners. It is the best looking way,though.

With a single species,it would only work with a diagonal field.

Yes, but the look is outstanding.

I've never been fond of 3-4 board borders--takes up too much space. I've always preferred the sizes Gary has shown in our photo gallery.



oops--didn't see "don't want to mix woods"

Although the pic below is probably out of context it does show how much space a wider border pattern takes.





Never heard it called that before Chuck. How about basket weave?

omg - this is great information! Thanks so much!

Those floors are drop dead gorgeous with the diagonal boards.

Hi Chuck,
I've been giving a lot of thought to your second suggestion about the 1 board border and skirting. I bet it would be beautiful. I'll also ask about the basketweave corners.

My floors are scheduled to be installed on Dec 6, so I might be calling the installer today to see if changes are possible. We didnt really discuss the layout pattern, so I hope more boards arn't required for a diagonal layout in the living room. I'm sure he measured for a straight layout. They will be doing the bedrooms also.

My hallway is L shaped and now I'm curious how the boards will lay down? Do they usually put them all in one direction, or turn where the two halls meet?

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone. The photo gallery is AWESOME! You guys do incredible work. I wish I would have seen all your photos before I started this BIG project.

Waiting is definitely the hardest part. This is my before pic.

Coleen, the guy better be pretty good.

I can do what I described pretty easily,but I carry a bunch of tools on my bus.

I don't think "basket weave" and "log cabin" are fungible terms.

Basket weave is what you see in traditional parquet. Log cabin is ,well......log cabin lookin'. (In a border ,it would come together just like herringbone .)

As to the hall question, It depends upon the length of each section of hallway. If they are equal in length, turning the floor at the corner might be worth the effort. If not,it will probably be less than beautiful.

A thought,
You might consider running the planks the length of each section of hallway and making a feature panel at the corner. A circular madallion would look awesome,but you could do a diagonal wrapped with a border and it would look really cool. It would be like building a miniature room out of space you already had. A couple of curio insets built into those walls and you would have an architechtural feature that money can't buy.


Just a thought.

geee. Am I bright or do I just have taste?

I think a diagonal field with a single board border then a perpendicular skirt would look too busy; especially in a tight area like a hallway. Choose your field direction first; staight lay or diagonal, then use the appropriate border arrangement. Also, you don't need to fan the corners when installing a skirt; just miter them.

I agree with you on the hall part. I don't think it would look busy in a largerroom ,though. Remember it is all one species.

I have done fans and mitres. Fans look mucho better.

I read that you want to stay with the same species for the border, but I really like the look of a single walnut strip with a 1/4" brass strip installed down the center of it. Looks like two narrow strips of walnut. I think that's what we are going to do in the lobby area of our new office.