black spruce for flooring

[Quebecnewf]

I am in the process of sawing some black spruce logs with the intent of using them to make a new flooring for my heated workshop.

Some details

There is a company in Newfoundland that makes a T & G unfinished flooring out of black spruce. I have seen it and it looks very good.

I plan to saw 1x5's boards .Dry in my kiln . Then straight line rip the edges . I am looking at a 4 1/2" finished size. My first plan was to plane and T&G but that is more work and fussier than I would like.
I am now looking at Shiplap as an option. Easier to do and not so fussy.
My first thought was to face nail with ring shank SS nails. This would work I am sure but you have tha nails showing.

I then thought of doing it the same as floating floor. Put down a layer of rosin paper then nail down the first row along the wall and after that each row would be glued to the other and wedged after a few rows until glue drys and then continue on . This way I have no nails showing and the floor is free to "come and go" with changes in humidity etc.

What are you thoughts and has anyone ever tried this approach before with wooded flooring

Quebecnewf

[red oaks lumber]

i would go with t&g over s.lap, the t&g gives good posative locking the edges won't lift. the little bit of wood waste i would saw 6'' wide that way after it dries and shrinks  you still have  some size to do your s.line ripping.
far as installing the floor put down resin paper and blind nail every row, go with t&g that really will give you the best floor for years to come.

[Quebecnewf]

I would like to saw 6" but the logs will only give 5" at most. Black is a small tree. The company in NFLD that makes it commercally makes widths only up to 3 1/2" for the same reason.

I know the T&G is the better option but much more work.

I will see

Quebecnewf

[red oaks lumber]

dont cut corners because its easier.look at the final result, to me the extra work is always worth it.

[Quebecnewf]

 

 
Here is a photo of a sleigh load of the black spruce as you can see they are not large logs

I have now sawed a few and they seem to saw really well very little movement

Quebecnewf

[isawlogs]

 You can, if you want to go the extra time, put some biscuits in with the ship lap to keep it from lifting or skip the ship lap and straight line edge it and use biscuits to glue  nail the edge. this way you have no nails showing and the edge that is not nailed is held from lifting with the biscuit.
  I have seen a black spruce floor, it can take a beating and looks great.  8)