Patent ID: 6148884
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: B23D,B27B,B27G,B27M,B28D

Abstract:
A hardwood flooring product made according to a method comprising the steps of:(a) processing a strip of raw wood into a blank having a predetermined thickness and width defined by top and bottom surfaces and opposing side edge surfaces which reside in parallel planes relative to each other;(b) planing said top and bottom surfaces of said blank;(c) planing said side edge surfaces of the blank;(d) splitting the blank along the width of the blank from one side to the other to form two low profile flooring strips having the same width as the blank and a thickness less than one-half the thickness of the blank;(e) molding interlocking tongue and grooves into first and second longitudinally-extending side edges of the flooring strips for securing together like flooring strips placed side-to-side to form a floor, said tongue and grooves formed perpendicular to and adjacent the top and bottom side edge surfaces; and(f) performing the steps of (b), (c), (d) and (e), said steps comprising sequential automatic steps without intermediate handling to thereby provide enhanced dimensional tolerances to the flooring strip.