Tongue and Groove Hardwood Floor Installation at an Angle

Corner-to-Corner

• A corner-to-corner hardwood floor installation lies perpendicular to a line drawn from a corner to the diagonal corner of the room. The installation layout begins with a chalk-line snapped between the corners. The tongue and groove planks are laid perpendicular to the line and nailed to the floor. In a rectangular room, this installation has a non-symmetrical appearance because the planks meet the walls at different angles on each side and at each end of the room.

45-Degrees

• This installation is similar to corner-to-corner, but planks meet the walls at a 45-degree angle. The result is a symmetrical appearance even though the hardwood strips are set an an angle. Installation begins in one corner. Two marks on the adjoining walls placed the same distance from the corner mark position of the first plank. A line drawn between the marks provides a guide for the first plank and sets the angle to the wall at 45 degrees.

Narrow Angle

• The tongue-and-groove strips lie at an angle of 15 degrees or less between their long edge and the wall. This installation is striking in appearance because the eye cannot decide if the installation is symmetrical or non-symmetrical. After selecting an angle, a starting line is laid on the floor and the first planks are laid. The narrow angle makes long, tapered cuts necessary on the planks that meet the two walls, which are not quite parallel to the planks.

Angled Versus Parallel

• Every piece that meets a wall requires an angle cut on the end, adding to the installation time. A parallel install requires cutting the ends of just half the pieces.
  In corners, it becomes difficult to cut and fit the small pieces into place. Long, tapered cuts require a tapering jig with a table saw for accuracy, and the pieces are difficult to fit together and nail in place. Parallel installations sometimes require long straight cuts, and the boards are rarely difficult to fit into place. Hardwood flooring adds value to a home and setting it at an angle makes it stand out above the crowd, but requires additional time, patience and skill to install.