Without a knotted corner the look of plain bands is kind of flat. The first upgrade is a knotted corner with solid strips. Until around 1900 this was the only choice. Then triple bands came available (more power tools). And by 1925 there was a 5-stripe band. I like the triple stripe, especially with the center trip maple and dark wood on the outer strips. I have a spreadsheet that can calculate the piece sizes for the common knot.
Contents to Sections Below:
Single Loop
81
![Click image for full-size image (2016 × 1648 pixels). Floor border: P081](images/P081.jpg)
Crown Heights North II 1897
Inner square is 2" wide. Inner maple strip is 1/4" wide. The walnut side bands are 5/8" wide. This is lacking the second band. This knot needs a second band to look complete. Inner field is diagonal slats 1-3/8" wide. The planks in the outer field are mitered. This is usually not done.
230
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P230](images/P230.jpg)
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Year?
Stripes are 1/4" maple surrounded by 5/8" mahogany. Between and surrounding them is 2" oak. The inner square is also 2". Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with eight 1-3/8" slats and one 1-1/8" slat in a 12" square.
256
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P256](images/P256.jpg)
Crown Heights South circa 1901
46
![Click image for full-size image (2256 × 1696 pixels). Floor border: P046](images/P046.jpg)
Crown Heights North II 1897
Band width is 3/4" and inner square is 1-7/8". Oak slats alongside it are 2". Field is 1-1/2" wide slats in fingerblock.
89
![Click image for full-size image (2240 × 1648 pixels). Floor border: P089](images/P089.jpg)
Prospect Heights Historic District 1901
Very unusual. Strips are 7/8" wide. Inner square is 2". Inner field is fingerblock parquet with 2" wide slats in a 12" square.
Most Common
To get piece sizes, use common knot spreadsheet
127
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P127](images/P127.jpg)
Crown Heights North Historic District 1890
Bands are 1-3/8" wide. Inner square is 2-1/8". Strips around are (inside to out) 1-3/4" oak, 1/2" mahogany, 1-3/4" oak, 1-1/2" mahogany, 1-3/4" oak. Inner field is 1-3/4" slats diagonally.
213
![Click image for full-size image (2176 × 1736 pixels). Floor border: P213](images/P213.jpg)
Fiske Terrace 1905
It was dusty. 1-5/16" square and bands. 2" oak around. Middle mahogany band is 5/8". Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with 2" slats in 12" square.
80
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P080](images/P080.jpg)
Lefferts Manor 1906
Inner square is 1-3/8". Mahogany bands are 3/4" wide. Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with 2" wide slats in a 12" square.
250
![Click image for full-size image (2272 × 1712 pixels). Floor border: P250](images/P250.jpg)
Prospect-Lefferts Gardens Historic District 1909-1910
This has the unusual feature of multiple narrow strips between the knotted border stripe and the plain border stripe.
20
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1656 pixels). Floor border: P020](images/P020.jpg)
Lefferts Manor 1910
In spreadsheet enter 1.5 for diameter of inner square, 1.5 for width of inner strip, and 0 for width of outer strips.
158
![Click image for full-size image (2304 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P158](images/P158.jpg)
Prospect Park South Historic District 1906
233
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1704 pixels). Floor border: P233](images/P233.jpg)
Crown Heights North III Historic District c1896-1897
A small knot in the front hall. Knot width is 6". Band width is 3/4". Inner square is 1". Slats surrounding bands are 2" wide. Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with four 2" wide slats in an 8" square.
90
![Click image for full-size image (2144 × 1640 pixels). Floor border: P090](images/P090.jpg)
Prospect Heights Historic District 1901
It lacks an outer strip that you see on the others. In spreadsheet enter 1.5 for diameter of inner square, 1.5 for width of inner strip, and 0 for width of outer strips. Not sure what inner field is. Note lack of mitering in inner slat.
179
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P179](images/P179.jpg)
Stuyvesant Heights 1892
No measurements taken. Probably the same as #90.
50
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P050](images/P050.jpg)
Crown Heights North I 1894
In spreadsheet enter =1+3/16 for diameter of inner square, 0.875 for width of inner strip, and 0 for width of outer strips.
45
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P045](images/P045.jpg)
Crown Heights North II 1897
The inner oak border plank is missing a couple miters. In spreadsheet enter =1+1/16 for diameter of inner square, 1" for width of inner strip, and 0 for width of outer strips.
128
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P128](images/P128.jpg)
Bedford-Stuyvesant 1886
The inner oak border plank is missing a couple miters. Inner square is 1-1/8". Bands are 7/8" wide. Surrounding wood is 2" wide. Inner field is 2" slats diagonally.
29
![Click image for full-size image (2192 × 1616 pixels). Floor border: P029](images/P029.jpg)
Beverley Square West early 1900s
The inner oak border plank is missing a couple miters. Center square and mahogany strip are 1", making the knot 7" in diameter. This has a solid 2"×2" block in the lower left. Three pieces there is better.
114
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P114](images/P114.jpg)
Beverly Square West 1902
3/4" strips give a knot width of 5-1/4". Inner field is 1-3/4" slats in 12-1/4" fingerblock.
225
![Click image for full-size image (2304 × 1688 pixels). Floor border: P225](images/P225.jpg)
Park Slope Historic District c1899
Mahogany bands are 1/2" and oak is 1/4". Inner square is 1-1/4". Between and surrounding bands is 2" wide oak. Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with 1-1/2" slats in a 12" square.
314
![Click image for full-size image (2576 × 1968 pixels). Floor border: P314](images/P314.jpg)
Lefferts Manor c1901
stripes are composed if 1/2" wide maple with 1/4" mahogany pinstripe, making each multi-band stripe 1-1/2"; between stripes 2". Inner field is 2" slats in 12" fingerblock.
315
![Click image for full-size image (2624 × 1808 pixels). Floor border: P315](images/P315.jpg)
Lefferts Manor c1901
Mahogany pin stripes are 3/16", stripe's oak center band 3/4", making each five-band stripe 1-1/2"; between stripes 2". Inner field is 2" slats in 12" fingerblock.
3
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P003](images/P003.jpg)
Clinton Hill early 1900s
The house was built in 1872. This had to have been added later. Probably early 1900s. The ribbon appears to be cherry and maple. The knotted corner is 8-3/4". See
measured drawing. I have a
spreadsheet that calculates all piece sizes. (Input is: 1.25 for inner square, 0.25 for inner strip, and 0.5 for outer strips.) For a smaller room I could see having only one 2" strip between the cherry, instead of the two shown here.
133
![Click image for full-size image (2272 × 1720 pixels). Floor border: P133](images/P133.jpg)
Central Park Slope 1901?
Inner square is 1-1/4". Maple inner strip is 1/4". Mahogany side strips are 1/2". Surrounding strips are 2" wide. Inner field is 1-3/8" strip in 8-1/4" fingerblock.
19
![Click image for full-size image (2144 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P019](images/P019.jpg)
Lefferts Manor 1909
The darker wood is not as dark as the previous above. I prefer it darker. Note the interlace is backwards from the previous one. To get piece sizes, use
common knot spreadsheet and enter 1.625 for diameter of inner square, 0.25 for width of inner strip, and 0.46875 (11/32") for width of outer strips.
60
![Click image for full-size image (2288 × 1720 pixels). Floor border: P060](images/P060.jpg)
South Midwood 1927
My first five stripe band. Note late date. Sawing technology must have improved. The strip widths are 1/4", 1/4", 1/8", 1/4", 1/4". The center block is 2" square. Spreadsheet would need enhancing, but won't be. Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with 1" wide slats in a 12" square.
Flipped
Note the pattern is flipped from the way it was above. I prefer the above.
11
![Click image for full-size image (2144 × 1712 pixels). Floor border: P011](images/P011.jpg)
Windsor Terrace, Park Frontage 1911
Mahogany strips are 3/4" wide. The corner pictures as 6-7/8", but I only came up with 6-3/4". See
measured drawing. Inner square is 1-1/4" diameter. Width of inner strip is 3/4". Width of outer strips is 0. Field is 12" parquet squares diagonally.
263
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P263](images/P263.jpg)
Lefferts Manor 1897
142
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P142](images/P142.jpg)
Prospect Lefferts Gardens 1915
Inner block and strip width is 1-7/16". Surrounding is a 2" strip. Inner field is 1" strips in fingerblock.
264
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P264](images/P264.jpg)
Lefferts Manor 1897
62
![Click image for full-size image (2192 × 1720 pixels). Floor border: P062](images/P062.jpg)
Bedford-Stuyvesant 1899
Center square is 1-1/4". Mahogany strips are 3/4". Inner field fingerblock has 1" slats in 12" squares. Outer field is 2" slats.
175
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P175](images/P175.jpg)
Prospect Lefferts Gardens 1906
Bands and inner square are 1". Surrounding is 2" oak. Inner field is 2" slats laid diagonally.
199
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1720 pixels). Floor border: P199](images/P199.jpg)
Caton Park Year?
Bands are 7/8" wide. Inner square is 1-3/16" wide. Surrounding is 2" oak. Inner field is 2" slats laid diagonally.
39
![Click image for full-size image (2224 × 1536 pixels). Floor border: P039](images/P039.jpg)
Prospect Park South 1915
The inner square is 1-1/2". The mahogany is 1/2". The maple is 1/4". Overall knot diameter is 9-1/2". Is inverse of my spreadsheet.
71
![Click image for full-size image (2160 × 976 pixels). Floor border: P071](images/P071.jpg)
South Midwood 1910
My guess at dimensions: inner square is 2" diameter and mahogany bands are 1" wide. Inner field is fingerblock with eight 1-3/8" slats in an 11" block.
Bands Cross Over the Other
148
![Click image for full-size image (2288 × 1688 pixels). Floor border: P148](images/P148.jpg)
Park Slope Extension II 1896?
Mahogany bands are 7/8". Oak strips between are 1-5/8". That gives a pattern width of 5". Surrounding is 1-3/4" strips. Inner field diagonal fingerblock with 1-3/8" strips in a 12" square.
221
![Click image for full-size image (2336 × 1752 pixels). Floor border: P221](images/P221.jpg)
Crown Heights North II c1907
Mahogany bands are 1-1/2" wide. Oak between and around is 2" wide. Inner field is diagonal fingerblock with 2" slats in a 12" square. The floor had a wax finish.