Alright, folks, gather ’round! Today, I’m diving into a project that’s been on my to-do list for ages: installing wooden flooring. Specifically, I’m tackling the “keel dancing oak” style, which, let me tell you, sounds way fancier than it feels when you’re knee-deep in sawdust.

Getting Started (and Immediately Hitting a Snag)

First things first, I cleared out the room. This involved a lot of heavy lifting and convincing my significant other that, yes, we did need to temporarily relocate the sofa to the kitchen. We’ll see how long this takes!

Next up, preparing the subfloor. Now, my house is old. Like, really old. So, the floor was far from level. I spent a good chunk of time with a leveling compound, trying to get things as smooth as possible. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, I’m aiming for “charmingly rustic,” not “perfectly polished.”

Laying Down the Keel

This is where the “keel” part comes in. I’m using wooden battens to create a framework for the flooring. The idea is to provide a stable and level base. I measured and cut the battens, then laid them out in a grid pattern. This took some fiddling, making sure everything was spaced correctly and aligned.

Then came the fun part (note the sarcasm): nailing down the battens. I used a nail gun, which saved my arms a lot of work. The other methods I did not choose because the nail gun is what I have!

The “Dancing Oak” Begins

With the keel in place, it was time to start laying the actual flooring. I’d chosen this beautiful oak with a slightly wavy pattern – hence the “dancing” part, I guess. It is time to lay the floor!

I started in one corner, carefully placing the first board. It’s crucial to get this first row straight, as it sets the alignment for the entire floor.I did it!

Then, it was a matter of fitting the boards together. These planks had a tongue-and-groove system, so they slotted together fairly easily. I used a tapping block and a mallet to gently nudge them into place, making sure there were no gaps. Tap, tap, tap… it’s a surprisingly satisfying sound.

As I worked my way across the room, I had to make cuts to fit around doorways and corners. This involved a lot of measuring, marking, and careful sawing. Let’s just say I made a few “creative” cuts, but thankfully, they’re mostly hidden.

The Finish Line (and a Few Oops Moments)

Finally, after several days of work (and a few choice words muttered under my breath), I reached the last row. This was a bit tricky, as I had to rip the boards lengthwise to fit the remaining space. But, with a bit of patience, I got it done.

The last step was to install the baseboards, which cover the gap between the flooring and the wall. This is where I could hide some of my less-than-perfect cuts, so that was a relief!

• Clear the room.
• Level the floor.
• Install keel.
• Put the board.
• Install baseboards.

All in all, I’m pretty chuffed with how it turned out. It’s not perfect, but it’s my imperfect floor. And hey, I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. Ask me again in a few months, after my back has fully recovered.