FMX---You do have to notch the hardwood boards. The stainless strip fits down into the notch on two adjacent boards and holds them together, and this also lets the stainless strip set down much closer to the surface of the wooden floor so that the stainless strips don't get all banged up from sticking up higher than the wooden floor. The bolt holes are half in one board and half in the board next to it. You cut the full length notches with a standard table saw blade and a rip fence to guide the board and make sure that the sawcut is straight.