How do you install hardwood floors?

Answer 1

There are many types of hardwood flooring, allowing for many possible installation methods. The most common is 3/4" solid hardwood. Before starting your installation a few things must be looked at. * Your floor is at least 3/4" plywood, OSB, or wood plank. It cannot be installed over particle board or a wood subfloor with a cement substrate that is closer than 24" from its bottom. * You must be installing at or above grade * Floor joist need to be 16" on center or closer * Level within an 1/8" in a 6' radius * Wood flooring is not recommended for bathrooms or other high moisture areas such as laundry rooms. Once you are sure your projects are within these guidelines you are ready to continue. * When purchasing flooring, you will need to add at least 5% waste to the total square footage. Also these floors are natural products and may have boards with small variations you will want to not lay. * All rooms need to be completed with doors and windows. All floors, paint, plaster, drywall, and wall coverings are completely dry as to not raise the humidity level of the room. * Heat and ventilation systems must be fully functional and room temperature 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and at 35% to 55% humidity. * The floor will need to be in the room to be installed, unopened, for 3 days prior to installation allowing it to acclimate to your rooms humidity. * Have your substrate checked for any moisture problems. The tools needed are not easily available to do it yourselfer's. You will also want to have the following supplies. * Tape measure * Chalk line * Broom * Rubber mallet * Pencil * Jam and band saw * Crow bar or plank puller * Hammer * Knee pads * Pneumatic floor nailer and corresponding nails Some manufactures require or recommend roofing felt or red rosin paper. You will want to lay this in advance if they do. Check to make sure if your room is square. It is not uncommon for a wall that is 10' wide to be 10'2 at the other end. By compensating for this at the beginning your boards will still look straight on the other side. Starting your boards counter to your floor joists you will be leaving at least 1/2" expansion gap from the wall. This will allow your floor to expand and contract with the different seasons of the year. The first few rows will be pre drilled and faced nailed into place. The nailer cannot fit that close to the wall. Later wood filler and light sanding will cover the holes. You will want to work from several boxes and "dry lay" the floor. Solid floors are normally random plank sizes, so you will want to have a good mix of sizes. This also allows you to mix natural color variations throughout the floor. You will need to make sure no board is smaller then 8" and that a seam does not meet closer then 6" within 3 boards in each direction. This is for both stability and aesthetics of your floor. Using the pneumatic nailer, begin laying the floor you have already laid out. Working your way down the boards, use the rubber mallet to tap the boards together. You will want to nail ever 8 to 10 inches with a minimum of 2 fasteners per board. At the ends of a row you will cut the board, but the remainder can be used to start another row later cutting down waste. At the end of a wall you will again pre drill and face nail the last few rows. You may need to use a crow bar to get the last row to pull together. The 1/2" to 3/4" expansion spaces will be covered with 3/4" quarter round or wallbase. Clean the floor well with an alcohol based cleaner. Remember to NEVER use water on your wood floor. Affix felt pads to the bottom of all your chairs and furniture to protect it from scratches.

Answer 2

You need to first Choose the Boards. Then Measure the Room, Check for a Squeaky Floor, Roll Out the Vapor Barrier Paper, Start Installation. Then you can, Place the Boards, hand-Nail the Rolls, Staple the Boards. Then start Cutting the Baseboard, Fill in the Gaps. Once you fit Last Board Into Place, Fill Holes With Wood Putty.