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Fit Flooring Around a Radiator Pipe Without Gluing a Loose Patch Back In
Technique: Fit Flooring Around a Pipe
The Problem
Fitting a floor plank around a pipe usually means drilling a hole, cutting a V-shaped notch from the plank's edge to that hole so the plank can slide into place around the pipe, and then gluing the cut-out V piece back in afterward. That glued-in piece rarely sits perfectly flush or aligned, and it's an extra step every time.
The Technique
- Drill a hole for the pipe at the correct spot on the plank, same as you normally would.
- Instead of one straight cut from the plank's edge to the hole, cut two slits forming a narrow V from the edge to the hole, splitting that section of the plank into two separate flaps.
- Slide the plank into place, opening the two flaps around the pipe as you go.
- Tap the plank fully home with a hammer and a block to protect the edge.
- Close the two flaps back down around the pipe — they hinge shut since they're still part of the same plank, so there's no separate piece to align or glue back in.
Pro tip: Because the flaps are still attached to the plank rather than a separate cut-out piece, there's nothing to shift out of alignment later — the traditional glued-in V-piece can work loose or drift slightly out of place over time, and this method removes that failure point entirely.
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