The invention comprises, on the one hand, a fastening system for assembling a series of hardwood floor member and, on the other hand, to a hole making apparatus for creating proper apertures in hardwood flooring members. The fastening system utilizes interlocking fasteners that pass laterally through each board at set intervals, whereby a floating flooring system is created regardless of the substrate forming the flooring area. The hole making apparatus forms lateral bores at regular intervals in each board so that the fastening system can be applied to conventional hardwood pieces.