Choose the hardwood species and board widths for the room installation. Measure the width and length of the room and multiply for the square footage. When ordering hardwood flooring, allow 10-15 percent extra for irregular boards and any cutting mistake.Minimum requirements are a 3/4" plywood sub-floor. Make sure there are no squeaks in the floor. If there's a squeak, screw a long drywall screw into the sub-floor and joist where the squeak occurs. Remove shoe-molding from the room and sweep and clean thoroughly. Roll out strips of vapor barrier paper, allowing at least a 4" overlap and staple securely to the sub-floor. Use 15 pound tar paper or felt. It is relatively inexpensive (it's approximately $12 a roll at a home improvement store). Mark with a pencil along the baseboards where the joists are located. Start the installation at the longest unobstructed wall. Remove the shoe molding, and snap a chalk line 3/8" out from the baseboard (this allows for expansion in the hot, humid weather and contraction in the colder, drier weather of the hardwood flooring).
Begin by selecting a long board to start the first row. Pick one that is straight. Align the edge of the board with the chalk line and drill pilot holes down through the hardwood plank and into the sub-floor and joist. Face-nail each board at the point of every joist and set the nail with a nail-set. Face-nail the entire first row and remember to keep the board lengths random. It is important to face-nail the first row because the pneumatic nail can't get down in there. It will hit the wall and the force would push the wood against the baseboard, which would lose the 3/8" expansion and contraction. It is important to lay the first boards perpendicular to the joists which are underneath. That is important because you want a nice solid anchor. Look at the subfloor to see which way the nails and seams ran. Try to go underneath the crawl space to see how they run. After the first few rows have been installed, drill pilot holes down into the tongue of each board and hand-nail the rolls until there is enough clearance for the pneumatic nail gun.
Tip: Lay out a box of hardwood boards ahead of the installation to visualize lengths, wood grain and colors of the boards. When laying out the boards, keep in mind to never have the ends of boards in adjacent rows line up with each other. Keep the lengths random and at least 6" in length. Using the pneumatic nail gun, place the gun lip over the edge of the board and strike firmly with the mallet, driving the staple into the tongue of the hardwood plank. When installing up to a threshold, it is not critical to make cuts exact. Come back later after the floor has been installed and use a circular saw to cut across for a precise cut. When cutting along the baseboards, select a piece that will fit in there and leave 10 or 12 inches more and cut it off. Use the other piece on the beginning of the next row. You don't always have to get it in there real close and throw out the end piece. That will save some time and waste. Be sensitive to the way the ends fit together.
One end has a tongue and the other end has a groove -- this is called end matched. Make sure to always cut the wall end of the wood so that you do not cut off the groove that fits to the tongue. If that happens, that would result in a pretty big gap. Find a piece and lay it alongside the hole and flip it over. Make sure when you make the mark to cut off the wall side, not the room side. When you make the mark, butt it up against the baseboard and then mark at the end of that tongue. That will leave a 3/8" gap for expansion and contraction when installing the piece. Note: Before nailing, make sure to put at least two nails in every board. The rule of thumb is to place a nail every 10" to 12". As you near the opposite wall, clearance for the pneumatic nail gun again becomes an issue. Drill pilot holes and hand-nail the boards until there is no longer clearance for the drill and hammer. At that point, drill pilot holes down into the top of the boards and face-nail the boards, remembering to set the nails with a nail-set.
Tip: Use a pry bar and a few extra scraps of flooring to firmly seat the hardwood plank as you nail. If there's a narrow gap for the last board, take a measurement and rip (cut length-wise) the last board to fit into place. Remember to leave a 3/8" gap at the end wall for expansion and contraction space. Replace shoe molding in the room and putty all of the nail holes that have been face-nailed. Be sure to get wood putty that matches the floor. Fill the hole and wipe off the excess. Maintenance is easy for a pre-finished hardwood floor -- keep grit off of the surface by sweeping regularly and use a flooring cleaning kit (alcohol-based) and spray on and wipe off with a damp cloth. Hardwood floors also help cut down on dust mites.If you just have a few planks that are damaged, we'll show you how to replace them. Learn about the different types and species of hardwood flooring. Our experts discuss the pros and cons of the 8 most popular types of flooring. Get expert tips, techniques and recipes for cleaning all types of floors, from ceramic tile to hardwood.
Types of Hardwood Flooring What You Need to Know About Hardwood Floor Refinishing A Wooden Floor in a Bathroom How to Care for Hardwood Flooring How to Clean Hardwood Floors All About Wood Floor Framing and Construction Tips Before You Start Installing Wood Flooring Unique Recycled Hardwood FloorsWhen a floor has reached its breaking point and simply cleaning or touching up won’t do the job, it may be time to consider replacing or repairing your flooring material. Whether you’re looking to repair the worn down wood flooring in your entryway, install new ceramic tiles in your kitchen, or replace your wall-to-wall carpeting, you may be thinking you want to save money by attempting to DIY. There are many things to factors to consider when deciding whether to DIY or hire a professional for your flooring project. Flooring materials come in a wide range of styles, materials, colors and price points. Before deciding upon a flooring material, it’s best to consider
Homeowners may choose to upgrade, replace or fix their flooring because the old flooring is worn out, they’ve added a new room to the home, or they simply want a change. Because of the massive amount of flooring options out there, it’s best to focus on what you and your family need first, then find a product that meets your budget and timeline. Here are some common tasks that are usually part of a flooring project: Money tends to have the biggest impact on home improvement project elements. Educate yourself with the cost drivers for flooring projects so prices don’t come unexpected. You may be thinking you can save some money by taking on this project yourself, but that depends on other things like your skill level and availability. It’s important to lay out all costs for your potential flooring project before taking action, so that you know what you’re getting yourself and your wallet into. Evaluate and compare costs for a DIY or hiring a professional flooring project.
The following are a few standard DIY costs that can be added to your budget if you were to do your project on your own: This list covers the payments you will need to make for hiring a flooring contractor to do the work for you: Hiring a flooring contractor can be expensive due to labor costs, but you have the opportunity to cut down fees by doing some of the DIY work on your own beforehand. Clearing furniture in the work area or prepping your floors prior to installation will help speed up the process, as well as save you some cash. But, spending the extra money to hire a professional will make sure you receive high-quality work that you are satisfied with, free of all the hassle a flooring project can entail. Taking on DIY projects may seem like the perfect time to learn new skills however, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort and commit to actually completing the task. If you don’t like getting your hands dirty or have no prior experience, then the DIY method may not be for you.
Here are a few things to ask yourself when it comes to your level of experience for a flooring project: If you answered no to some of these questions, then DIY may not be right for you. A contractor can take care of all job details, leaving you with only the job of making the payment, choosing the flooring, and staying communicated with him or her. A flooring contractor should be an expert in his or her field, providing your home with reliable and credible service. If you lack the knowledge when it comes to home improvement projects, let a professional install or repair your floors for you. Regardless of knowledge and prior experience, if you are determined to take some part in your flooring project there are a few steps you can take to better the process before your contractor jumps in. Gather the dimensions of a room or the total square footage in order to judge how much time and money will need to be put into the project according to size. Make out a scaled drawing on grid paper with the area in which you are going to be replacing the flooring.
This will help maintain balance through the project and can also give contractors an idea of what you want. Look at what people have done before you. Porch home inspiration pages can be the perfect place to start to look at other flooring projects completed in your area. Your research will help you gauge your project ambitions against your budget and commitment. This research can also give you a good perspective on what to look for in a flooring professional. Gather estimates from multiple contractors to get a general pricing on your potential project. Make sure to ask for references of contractors so that you can review and evaluate his or her work to get the best one possible. Make the goal match your budget and desire for the final result. The flooring materials and products you want for your project can be a major factor in planning the scope of your project as they will directly affect your budget. Be proactive about your project by planning ahead to keep your flooring contractor on schedule.
When meeting with contractors, make sure you fully understand what the quote you are given includes and also be sure he or she is just as aware of what you want. Use the resources available to you by your contractor, such as if he or she has access to materials at reduced or wholesale prices from local suppliers. Having a set plan for your flooring project before your contractor starts working will benefit the success of your project. Even an experienced flooring professional encounters improvement projects that require emergency fixes. It’s quite common that while ripping out old flooring, the sub-flooring may be deemed in bad condition and needs replacement. It’s also quite common that your new flooring may be too heavy for your joists, and extra support beams may need to be installed. Of course, not all flooring projects are complicated, some are quite straight-forward. Just be aware that a flooring project may be more involved than a simple replacement. Even if you’ve decided against hiring a contractor, consulting with one about your project will cost you very little or nothing at all, and could help you avoid pitfalls and problems you wouldn’t have anticipated.