How to install Hardwood Flooring
The warmth and timeless beauty that hard wood floors add to a home is extraordinary and worth the amount of work required to install. Hard wood floors will also increase the overall value of your home and they have an overall appeal with homebuyers should you decide to put your home up for sale. Installation of hard wood floors is a fairly extensive and time consuming process but the following guidelines should help you through the process.
The first step of installing the classic look of hard wood floors is choosing the right color of wood for the room. The shade will set the entire atmosphere of the room for years to come. Darker colors will convey a more formal tone where as lighter shades appear more rustic and country cozy. Once a type and shade of wood has been selected make preparations for delivery. It is important to have a spot prepared within the room of installation to store the wood. It is crucial that the wood remain in this room for at least two weeks before the install to ensure it has time to adapt to the temperature and humidity of the space. Wood will expand or contract depending on these factors, by completing this step you will save yourself future problems. Finally be sure that all old flooring is stripped down all the way to the subfloor. Removing any imperfections such as nails and tacks will ensure you have the best base for installation.
When beginning the actual installation it is important to snap a chalk line one floor board plus ¼ to 1/8 inch from the wall as a guide. Beginning with your longest and straightest floor board, you can start laying the wood working along the longest wall in the room first. It is extremely important that these first few boards are perfectly straight to avoid the entire floor from appearing slanted. Using an electric nailer or finishing nailer face nail the first few rows. This will keep the floor boards straight throughout the installation process.
Continue to lay out the boards being diligent to stagger the boards by shade and keeping board ends 4-6" from prior boards end. By racking the boards in this manner it will help eliminate a major defect or knot being present in an obvious open area of the room. It is easy to hide these imperfections in less obvious locations later in the process. Once you have laid a large selection of boards you can begin using the floor nailer. Be sure to space the nails approximately eight to ten inches apart and remain at least 2" from each end. Continue to check you work as you proceed and square off whenever you have a good reference point. Continue with this process throughout the room using the racking procedure followed by floor nailing the boards. Once you reach the wall face nail the remaining boards. Finishing off the floor can be done with a jamb saw to cut the final pieces.
Installing hardwood floors is an extensive and time consuming process but one that will significantly increase the value and beauty of your home.