Wooden flooring strip with enhanced flexibility and straightness

A wooden flooring strip, comprising:

• (a) a top surface having a decorative finish;
• (b) a base surface opposed to said top surface, said base surface having a multiplicity of closely spaced-apart scores extending into the flooring strip from the base surface transverse to the length of the flooring strip along substantially the entire length of the flooring strip to relieve stress and increase flexibility in the wood strip for more closely adhering to irregularities of a sub-floor;
• (c) said flooring strip having substantially longitudinally-extending wood fibers in an area of the flooring strip between the scores and to and including the top surface of the flooring strip which have been broken to an extent sufficient to relieve tension on the top surface of the flooring strip and to equalize tension on the wood fibers adjacent both the top surface and base surface of the flooring strip;
• (d) locking means extending along the length of said flooring strip on first and second opposed side edges for locking adjacent flooring strips together side-to-side to form an assembled wood floor, said locking means comprising a tongue formed on said first side edge of the flooring strip and a groove formed in the second side edge of the flooring strip, each of said tongue and groove for mating connection with complementary elements on adjacent flooring strips;
• (e) said flooring strips having opposing end portions, said end portions each having a single flat area encompassing the entire end portion surface area perpendicular to the plane of the flooring strip for abutting engagement with like flat areas on adjacent flooring strips;
• and
• (f) at least one strip of pressure sensitive adhesive-coated foam tape applied to the base surface for adhering said flooring strip to the subfloor, and including a protective cover covering said adhesive until removal just prior to installation to the subfloor.

A wooden flooring strip, comprising:

• (a) a top surface having a decorative finish;
• (b) a base surface opposed to said top surface;
• and
• (c) said flooring strip having substantially longitudinally-extending wood fibers in an area of the flooring strip between the base surface and to and including the top surface of the flooring strip which have been broken to an extent sufficient provide enhanced flexibility to said flooring strip and to equalize tension on the wood fibers adjacent both the top surface and base surface of the flooring strip, whereby the flooring strip lies flat without bowing and has an enhanced tendency to remain flat when bonded to a subfloor having surface irregularities.