Wood floorings, commonly referred to as hardwood flooring are seeing a return to favor as viable flooring as there are newer ways to help maintain it being developed. Wood flooring installation can be quite a chore and should not be taken too lightly if you want a floor that is going to remain beautiful for many years.
Since wood flooring installation is actually done to the actual subfloor of a home, unlike laminate flooring that is a floating floor, making absolute sure that the subfloor is in excellent condition is imperative. Fix any cracks that might exist, level any areas that are not quite lever, and make sure the floor is very clean by sweeping, mopping and vacuuming it taking special care around the edges of the walls and corners.
During the wood flooring installation, strips or even planks of wood are attached to the subfloor one at a time. This is followed by a very thorough sanding and finishing. The sanding portion only produces a lot of dust and if you don't know how to use a drum sander, all the hard work you put into your flooring can quickly become marred beyond repair. Hiring a professional installer can eliminate the possibility of this happening. You can purchase pre-finished planks, but they require extra care during installation.
Before you can begin to put down the wood, you have to lay a layer of asphalt felt over the subfloor. This protects the wood from moisture damage later. Simply cut it to fit.
During the wood flooring installation, you may learn that your room is not exactly square. If this is true, you will have to rip boards in order to fix the problem. This requires a table saw of some form in order to keep the cut clean and even. Any circular saw will do for the cross cuts.
Lay several rows of boards before you begin tacking them done. This helps to ensure that the boards are properly staggered. Six inches between ends is a good minimal measurement to keep the harmony of the wood and not allow any of the planks to be too close to each other. Make sure that the planks at the end of each row are at least eight inches long for stability. Use spacers along the wall to maintain a half-inch space between the planks and the wall. You will have to be able to remove the spacer when you replace the baseboards.
Nailing the floor down requires great care in order to not mar the wood during a wood flooring installation. Do not pound the nails through the wood until they are flush, and do not miss the nail. Make every strike count. If you hit the wood, you will have a permanent indentation in the wood that will never come out and simply won't be as beautiful. Leave the nail head about a quarter of an inch out of the wood, use a nail set placed sideways to drive the nail in home. Use it again, this time the tip, to drive the nail flush.
An important tip to remember when doing a wood flooring installation is to tap each row of boards tight to the previous row before tacking it down with a small spare piece of flooring and a mallet. Simply lay the spare along the current plank and give it a sharp rap with the mallet. This keeps the planks tight against each other.
When you are completely done with your wood flooring installation, have the floor sanded and finished, then you replace the baseboards, stand, stretch, and admire your handiwork. This is a project that should take a weekend to have completed with a little help.
By keeping your measurements accurate, and preparing for the dust and to lose use of the room for a few days, you will have a beautiful wood floor to enjoy for years. If you choose to hire a professional team, the job won't take as long, usually less than a day, and the mess won't be quite as bad. After all, they've done this countless time before and know how to handle the project most efficiently. The cost is minimal compared to the time and possible equipment rentals you will have otherwise.
Shawn Hickman is the Search Marketing Manager for Sears Home Improvements
To get more information on Wood Flooring Installation, visit the Flooring section of our website.
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