How to Mill Your Own Birch Flooring

Birch wood's light open grain makes beautiful flooring.

Wood flooring is a common choice with builders and decorators in recent years because of its durability. The cost of quality materials may prohibit some home owners from considering it as an option. Cabinet grade birch plywood can be used to create custom flooring at a reduced cost. The open, light grain and color make birch a good match for modern and minimalist decorating approaches with clean and uncluttered lines. It can be stained to any color and the even grain takes finish exceptionally well.

Things You'll Need

• 3/4-inch thick birch plywood
• Table saw
• Rabbet bit
• Router
• Router table
• Sander
• Stain and finish all-in-one
• Paint brush
• Pneumatic staple gun
• Staples
• Locking pliers
• Pin nail gun

Instructions

1. Use a table saw to cut your 4-by-8 plywood sheets into 12-inch squares. Make one square for every square foot of flooring required.

2. Install a 1/2-inch rabbet bit with a bearing into the router attached to the table. Use two wrenches to turn the outside nut counterclockwise, as you turn the inner nut clockwise to loosen the collet (chuck). Install the bit and tighten the collet, turning the nuts in the opposite directions. Release the height adjustment on the router and set the depth of the bit so that it cuts at 3/8-inch above the face of the table.

3. Start the router and run the squares against the fence over the router, cutting two adjoining edges of the back face first. Flip each piece over and run the remaining two uncut edges over the bit as well. This creates an overlapping joint along all four edges, so the squares fit together with neat seams.

4. Sand the squares with 150-grit sandpaper and apply two coats of all-in-one stain and finish to each piece with a soft bristle brush in long straight strokes with the grain. Spread the finish as evenly as possible to avoid drips and runs on the surface. Allow label-recommended drying time between coats and allow 24-hours for the finish to cure before installing.

5. Remove the base shoe or quarter round molding and sweep and mop the floor. Start in one corner to install the wood birch tiles. Position the first tile face up, with the two undercut edges against the wall so that the finished face runs up to the wall. Staple through the rabbeted edges into the floor beneath, using two 1.5 inch wide crown staples in each edge.

6. Fit the next piece overlapping the first, with one rabbeted edge aligned with the rabbeted edge of the first tile to provide a rabbeted "shelf" along one side of the row for the next row to overlap. Staple it in the same way. Continue adding full width tiles as far as possible. Measure and cut a square to fit between the last full square and wall at the far end.

7. Overlap the next row over the rabbeted edge of the first and install one tile at a time, as you did the first row, stapling each tile along the two rabbeted edges. Continue adding full width rows as far as possible. Measure from the last row to the wall and cut enough squares to fill the last row to width on the table saw. Staple them in place.

8. Pull the nails through the back of the quarter round molding with locking pliers to preserve its face and realign it on top of the new tile against the face of the baseboard to cover the seam around the floor. Use a pin nail gun to nail the molding in place, one nail every eight inches.

References

• "Wood Flooring": Dean Johnson; Hometime Publishing, 1988
• Inside Woodworking: Plywood
• Family Handyman: Router Basics