Finally got through a whole week of installs without a single seam popping up on me

I had this one job in a big old house in Springfield with a tricky staircase, and after the third day, the homeowner said she couldn't even find where I started, which just made my whole month.

3 comments

3 Comments

ruby_wright8d ago

How do you even get that good on stairs? I still get nervous on the winders. That's the real sign of a clean job, when the owner can't spot the start. Makes all the prep work worth it. Sounds like you nailed it.

hannah_wells8d ago

Saw a video where they used a chalk line on the winders to keep the pattern straight. The guy said the trick is to dry fit every piece before any glue goes down. Takes forever but you don't get those weird gaps at the turn.

thomas8158d ago

Honestly that chalk line trick is a game changer for keeping things lined up. I read somewhere that a lot of pros will actually number each piece on the back during the dry fit too, so they know the exact order when the glue comes out. It sounds like overkill but it totally prevents mixing up two similar looking boards. Tbh I'd rather spend an extra hour fitting than have to fix a gap later when it's too late. That careful prep is what separates a good floor from a great one.