Replace Floorboard

Tools:

folding table
scrap lumber
C-clamp
towel
toothbrush
bar clamps
circular saw
router
pencil
spring clamps
drill
hot glue gun with glue
cat’s paw pry bar
file
hammer
5-in-1 painter’s tool
carpenter’s square
safety glasses
dust mask
lumber
plywood sheet for under layment
liquid glue
old toothbrush
ring shank nails

1. To replace a board wider than 12-inches, a composite piece will need to be made by joining two pieces of lumber.

2. Pick two pieces of plank lumber and place them side-by-side and match the grain. Connect them temporarily by gluing scrap pieces of wood (cleats) to the bottom using the hot glue gun (figure A).

3. Mill the joint between the two pieces with a plunge router to assure you have perfectly square joints to connect. Set up a folding table as a work surface. Flip the boards over and place on the thick piece of plywood you're using for an under layment.

4. Set up another board as a straight edge and clamp everything together. Put on safety glasses and a dust mask and run the router down the seam between the two boards (figure B).

5. Set the router depth to 1/4-inch and run it along the straight edge. This will cut the board edges to exact parallels (figure C).

6. Remove the cleats and scrape off the hot glue. Use a file to smooth the edges to be joined (figure D).

7. Run a bead of glue along the edges. Spread the glue and rub it into the wood using an old toothbrush. Clamp the boards together with bar clamps and allow the glue to dry (figure E).

8. While the boards are drying, cut out the section of the old board that needs to be replaced. Remove the nails holding the board to the floor joist and cut the board at the midpoint of the joist. Use a combination square to mark your cut line.

9. Temporarily hot glue a scrap piece to the floor to act as a guide for your router and make the cut (figure F).

10. Pry off the guide rail, remove any remaining nails and pry out the old piece (figure G).

11. Cut the new board to the correct size to replace the old section. Use a circular saw to cut it to length, and then make a rip cut to cut the width (figure H). Remember to wear your dust mask and safety glasses when using power tools.

12. Test fit the new board. If it's a good fit, pre-drill pilot holes through the board and into the floor joists and nail the board down using ring shank nails (figure I).

13. Admire your handiwork (figure J).