How To Install Hardwood Floors

Feb 17
08:39

2010

Gavin Cruise

Gavin Cruise

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Besides being hard-wearing and beautiful, hardwood floors are also very easy to install, which makes a lot of people ask how to install hardwood floors by themselves.

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It's not surprising; hardwood floors offer a wide array of aesthetic options with varying options for hardwood floor finishes and their durability is a lot better than other flooring options. From the type of wood down to the hardwood floor finishes to the floor pattern design,How To Install Hardwood Floors Articles hardwood floors will definitely suit almost any preference, taste, and circumstance. If installing wood floors is one of your options, then you may want to read on to learn how to install hardwood floors. Prepare the materials and tools you need. These are finish nails, hammer, masking tape, measuring tape, notched trowel, hardwood flooring glue, tapping block, hardwood floor strops, pneumatic stapler, 1/4" lauan plywood underlayment, and safety glasses. Just a few notes before you start, remember that hardwood floors even those engineered and locking ones should not be installed in rooms that fall below grade. These areas have greater risks of moisture damage. Instead, these floorings should be installed over sturdy solid surfaces. If you are not sure about the installation of hardwood floors over your current flooring, check first with the manufacturer of the hardwood floor. But if you are, then you are ready to learn how to install hardwood flooring. Measure the square footage of the whole area where you want to install the hardwood floor. Do not forget to add 5% to the total amount to make up the scratched wood and other errors. It is also a good idea to prepare a diagram of the whole area. Open the flooring strips packages and allow them to adjust to the home temperature and humidity for at least 72 hours. Remove all appliances and furniture from the room. Give enough clearance to stationary appliances like dishwasher. If there are any gas appliances, it's better to hire a licensed plumber to disconnect them for you. Remove the shoe molding carefully because you can still reuse it after the installation is compete. You should also remove the doorway thresholds, if there is any. Cut away a portion of the doorjambs' bottom. Measure and cut plywood of 1/4" and use it as the floor's underlayment. Attach the plywood to the floor using nails or staples but a pneumatic stapler can make this task easier and faster. Inspect the flooring strips because some may have scratches, gouges, or broken areas. Measure and mark a 12-inch spot from the right and left side of the wall where you will start the installation. Dry fit flooring strips. Slide the flooring strips either forward or backward to allow a 1/2-inch expansion gap between the wall and the last strip. Nail support boards along the starting line on the side that is closest to the wall. You also have to install the floor planks towards the middle of the room because these boards will provide the needed support to tap the floor planks tightly. Spread glue along the starting line by using a notched trowel. The trowel should be at a 45-degree angle for an even and smooth coverage. Be sure you are using the correct glue because different wood floorings may use different glues. You may now install the floor planks. Do not install the floor planks with two ends close or next to each other. Tap the two sides of the floor planks using a tapping block and make sure the rows are tight. When you are ready to install the hardwood floor between the wall and the starting line, make sure to remove all the support blocks before applying glue to the floor. Finish the installation by attaching thresholds and replacing the shoe molding. The installation is now complete. Now that you have just learned how to install hardwood floors, you are now ready for a new elegant look of your flooring!