Disadvantages

• Knotty pine paneling is manufactured with a tongue and groove in the same way as flooring boards, but several factors mitigate against using it as flooring. The boards usually aren't as thick as flooring boards and are far more subject to warping in changing moisture conditions. Moreover, the boards are often milled with tapered edges, which create gaps on the floor into which dirt can settle. In general, knotty pine has a tendency to warp wherever there is a knot, and wide gaps may develop between the boards as a result. Pine paneling also splinters easily and may create a walking hazard.
  
  

Precautions

• Any type of hardwood flooring needs a moisture barrier underneath it to prevent warping, which is especially true for pine paneling. Whether you use tar paper, vinyl underlayment or plastic sheeting, you should lay a double layer and take special care to cover gaps and holes. Unpack the paneling before you lay it, spread it around the room and let it sit for at least 5 days to come into equilibrium with the moisture conditions in the room, which will minimize expansion and contraction of the boards after you lay them and prevent cupping and curling.
  
  

Laying the Flooring

• If the paneling has a tongue and groove, you can install it as you would conventional flooring by nailing each board through the tongue and fitting the next board over the tongue to hide the nails. Because of the tendency of the wood to warp around the knots, you may find fitting some boards together tightly difficult. A trick that flooring installers use is to drive a chisel or slot screwdriver into the subfloor next to a warped board and use it to pry it into the one next to it. Place scrap wood between the tool and the board to avoid damaging the edge.
  
  

Sanding and Finishing

• Pine is a very soft wood, so you have to sand it carefully. Don't use sandpaper coarser than 80 grit with a drum sander or edger, not only to avoid deep scratches, but also to avoid wearing away too much of the wood. Paneling is generally not as thick as flooring, and you may expose the nails by sanding too aggressively. Finish the floor with a conventional flooring finish, but add an extra coat or two for protection. Pine dents easily, so even with several coats of finish, it will become dented and gouged more quickly than hardwood. You may, however, find this distressed effect attractive.