Install a Prefinished Hardwood Floor

Want a great way to increase the value of your home? Install a hardwood floor! The following steps will remove the doubt and fears you may have of taking on this task by yourself. By doing it yourself you will not only save money but have the satisfaction of looking at a floor installed by you!

Steps

  1. Purchase some wood that will give you the right look for your space. Due to the large amount of different types of hardwood, choose one that fits your budget and appearance. Also be prepared for delivery of a very heavy large stack of wood if you are doing more than one room.
  2. Store the wood in the space you will be installing at least 2 weeks prior to actually starting the install. This give the wood a chance to expand and contract based on the humidity and temperature of the space. The amount of time that the wood needs to acclimate will vary from region to region; if you live in a dry region and the wood was properly stored at the warehouse, it may only take a couple of days.
  3. Remove the old floor down to the sub-floor. This will prevent having different "levels" of flooring across the space where you will be installing. Remove as many nails, tacks, etc. as possible for best results.
  4. Start by snapping a chalk line across your sub floor. Measure out from the wall the distance of one floor board plus {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} expansion room. You can use a scrap piece of lauan or other thin wood material against the wall to use as a spacer. (see image)
  5. Begin with the longest, most straight wall; using the longest, most straight floor boards you have. It is very important that the first few floor boards you lay down are perfectly straight across the room, this prevents your floor from looking crooked or slanted across the room.
  6. (Option 1) Face nail (using finish nails) then angle nail the first few rows of boards you install. (Option 2) Face nail (using electric brand nail gun or finish nail gun) the first few rows of boards you install. This will keep your very first rows straight where wall prevents the use of the floor nail gun.
  7. Racking the boards gives the chance to eliminate imperfect pieces and helps stagger board ends. Lay out the boards in a few rows and randomly stagger boards by shade, while staggering the board ends by 4-6" or more between adjacent rows. Boards with defects and large knots can be used in less conspicuous areas along the wall.
  8. When there is enough space to begin using the floor nail gun, space nails {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart (2-5 nails per board). Try not to nail boards less than 2" from either end.
  9. Check your work as you continue, use a square if you have a good reference point. Make sure each board end is at least 4-6" from the board ends in the previous row. Continue using the floor nail gun until you reach the far wall, then face nail the last remaining rows.
  10. Use a jamb saw to undercut trim pieces.



Tips

  • Pieces of carpet are useful to rest your tools (and knees)
  • A tapping block and/or a pull bar help align and fit boards without damaging the edges of the board.

Warnings

  • Check your sub floor condition. It should be level and free from rot and other major defects; you may need to use leveling compound to even your surface. As a rule of thumb, the floor boards you install should cross perpendicular to the joists under the sub floor. (If the sub floor above is more than 1 inch thick this rule can be bent in many cases)
  • Some walls may not be square or straight, make sure you keep this in mind when starting the first floor board.

Things You'll Need

  • Angle Nail gun (manual for one room project or pneumatic for large jobs)
  • Square
  • Chalk line
  • Hammer
  • Table saw
  • chop saw (mitre saw)
  • (optional) Nail Gun (electric or fuel cell) for face nailing.
  • (optional) Tapping block and pull bar

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