Matching A Radius

TakePride

Hey guys I have a new question. I have a big custom hardwood flooring job I'm getting ready to do and wanted to see if anybody has any advice to give me. My customer is installing super wide plank hardwood floors (18-26"), and I have a large radius to match up. The radius is on the second level matching up with the stairs looking down to the main entrance. The stairs, handrail, and nosing which will be getting a different finish are already in place. The nosing is 3/4" and the flooring will match right up to it with no trim covering the transition. The radius is a little over 8' and there is no way to mark center and draw my line. I have much experience with high-end floors but I'm looking for an easier way to cut this radius. Short of making a template or setting up a mock radius in another room, I don't know what to do. Please let me know if you have any input. Thanks!

Bodger

Is there anyway to use a set of spread calipers and scribe the radius?

wallmaxx

I'm tired so I might be way off base. Is your radius on the second floor...like a curved balcony...and you want to match it below on the ground floor?

PLS laser (plumb dot) and make marks every 2"

If I'm off base...sorry to jump in. Carry on.

send_it_all

I agree with the scribing method. Just make sure you keep your calipers pointing the same direction throughout the arc. (North/South for instance) Don't turn them to follow the radius, or your radius will be off by the amount the calipers are opened. Hope that makes sense. I have no clue how to draw a diagram of what I mean.

wellbuilthome

If i was trying to match my flooring cuts to my stair nosing i would try to start at the stair and lay a piece of flooring down and scribe it to the nosing. You could get close and use a caliper.I have a flex guide that i could lay on the floor and mark.

tcleve4911

Make a template out of 1/4" luan. Just like a countertop, glue bits and pieces til you get a good fit & then transfer.

Some stuff we just have to do like our forefathers did. It ain't in a box store tool kit

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Bodger

Always the safest way to get it right, a good template.

genecarp

TEMPLATE, no shortcut as far as i know...

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KentWhitten

digital template would work good there also. call some local granite fabricators and see if they have digital template systems. they'll come out and template for a decent price. they usually can print out a mylar template, or you can find a local print shop to do it.

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TakePride

Hey thanks guys. The radius is on the second floor, like a balcony. I do think the best thing to do is to make a template. I appreciate all the input!

trades01

when i do a complicate job like so if at all possible i like to lay it out on my pole barn floor and take my time on the project so that it looks better and can take away theconfusion at the customers house.

not tim taylor

having problem picturing what arc length is going to be; is it just as wide as stairs? There is a way mathematically to precut each random width plank with the 8'+ radius.

JonM

Look at this weeks "Ask This Old House" they had a good explanation of cutting a Curved Stair Moldin....Will get that radius for you.

Snobnd

I use a 3/8 plywood strip, and my router to cut radius, Not sure what your running into...

Please post a picture when you are done...Then all will tell you how wrong you did it. LOL
(J K)

Bodger

That last post made me laugh like hell. We contractors are worse than lawyers when it comes to conflicting opinions. Thank God we aren't architects though.

Cdat

A luan or plywood template is the way I'd do it if I had the spec's..


You got one of these if you just want to match it to scale?


If you can measure from the center just cut it with a jig like this..


Or a self moving jig to cut larger areas..


Or you can make one of these thingies if you want to for same sized items..


But your best bet is to get one of those digital imaging measurement units as someone else stated and put down the little square tiles at all the different points and take the picture from above and send it into their site and they can reproduce the template on any material you desire, in any scale.