Hardwood Flooring Basic Installation
Hardwood floor installation can seem daunting - but with a little bit of time, the right tools and expertise, anybody can have a floor that is both attractive and long-lasting.
And a good quality hardwood floor can be a major investment, adding significant value to your home.
Hardwood flooring services can install your floor for you - but there's nothing like doing it yourself.
Before you even install your first piece of wood, there are some decisions to make.
Wood flooring comes in two basic types - finished and unfinished.
Finished wood simply needs installing with little additional work; unfinished wood flooring will need to be sanded and finished after installing it.
New wood flooring should always be installed over a base or subfloor - this is usually an existing wooden or plywood floor.
The subfloor should be smooth, clean and level.
Ideally, a plywood subfloor should be between half and three quarters of an inch thick.
You can nail or staple a plywood subfloor to the floor.
It's important to ensure that the base or subfloor is level - if the subfloor isn't level, your new hardwood floor may squeak or have waves in it.
You can also put down a layer of Rosin paper on top of the subfloor to minimize any potential squeaks, once the new wood floor is installed.
A good rule of thumb when measuring the amount of wood you will need in hardwood floor installation is to add 5% to the total.
This will take into account any scratched wood and any errors in cutting.
And it may save you from going back to the store in a few days time.
If possible, stack wood flooring in your home for a few days in order for it to adjust to the humidity level in your home.
Any old flooring should be removed at this stage as well as the doors, baseboards and any base shoe molding.
You may want to mark or number the pieces so you can replace them easily.
Hardwood flooring can be installed in several different ways.
You can staple, nail or glue the pieces down.
The easiest method is to install what is known as a floating floor.
Floating floors are not secured - they simply sit on top of the subfloor - in fact they can be installed over any surface.
Some flooring is designed so that the edge of each piece locks into place with the other pieces The first floorboard you put down is the most important as all the other boards will line up with this one.
Measure carefully to make sure the first board is straight and flush with the wall, and regularly check subsequent boards as you put them down to make sure that everything is still straight.
From here it's simply a question of taking your time, making sure everything remains straight and is installed securely.
You may want to vary the length of different pieces to break up the pattern - it's also recommended to have a "dry run" and lay down the boards before you nail them into place.
There's no doubt about it - a hardwood floor is an asset for any house.
You may not be Bob Vila - but then again, who needs Bob Vila?
And a good quality hardwood floor can be a major investment, adding significant value to your home.
Hardwood flooring services can install your floor for you - but there's nothing like doing it yourself.
Before you even install your first piece of wood, there are some decisions to make.
Wood flooring comes in two basic types - finished and unfinished.
Finished wood simply needs installing with little additional work; unfinished wood flooring will need to be sanded and finished after installing it.
New wood flooring should always be installed over a base or subfloor - this is usually an existing wooden or plywood floor.
The subfloor should be smooth, clean and level.
Ideally, a plywood subfloor should be between half and three quarters of an inch thick.
You can nail or staple a plywood subfloor to the floor.
It's important to ensure that the base or subfloor is level - if the subfloor isn't level, your new hardwood floor may squeak or have waves in it.
You can also put down a layer of Rosin paper on top of the subfloor to minimize any potential squeaks, once the new wood floor is installed.
A good rule of thumb when measuring the amount of wood you will need in hardwood floor installation is to add 5% to the total.
This will take into account any scratched wood and any errors in cutting.
And it may save you from going back to the store in a few days time.
If possible, stack wood flooring in your home for a few days in order for it to adjust to the humidity level in your home.
Any old flooring should be removed at this stage as well as the doors, baseboards and any base shoe molding.
You may want to mark or number the pieces so you can replace them easily.
Hardwood flooring can be installed in several different ways.
You can staple, nail or glue the pieces down.
The easiest method is to install what is known as a floating floor.
Floating floors are not secured - they simply sit on top of the subfloor - in fact they can be installed over any surface.
Some flooring is designed so that the edge of each piece locks into place with the other pieces The first floorboard you put down is the most important as all the other boards will line up with this one.
Measure carefully to make sure the first board is straight and flush with the wall, and regularly check subsequent boards as you put them down to make sure that everything is still straight.
From here it's simply a question of taking your time, making sure everything remains straight and is installed securely.
You may want to vary the length of different pieces to break up the pattern - it's also recommended to have a "dry run" and lay down the boards before you nail them into place.
There's no doubt about it - a hardwood floor is an asset for any house.
You may not be Bob Vila - but then again, who needs Bob Vila?