Guidelines for hardwood floor installation

Our installers will do their best to contain any mess created during the installation process. Please note that your access to the space will be limited during the installation, and you may also be asked to refrain from using the space for a period of time after the installation. Once our warehouse receives your order, an installation manager will call you to schedule the installation of your new flooring. During the ordering process, the estimator who visited your home will have already discussed the installation process including the layout of your new floor, removal of the existing floor, if needed, and the basics of making the installation process move smoothly and quickly including the following:.

Unfortunately, there are times we discover unforeseen issues or damage once we remove existing flooring. This means that you may notice gaps that appear and disappear in your floor as the seasons change. This is a normal condition that cannot be prevented. Laminate is a floating floor system. This sometimes can be more noticeable in some parts of the floor versus others. Your estimator will check to the best of their ability the levelness of your sub-floor this way you can make the best possible decision regarding the selected products for your new project.

For example, carpet tends to hid sub-floor issues in some instances. As noted above, if the installer discovers any issues with the subfloor when removing the existing flooring materials, they will bring it to your attention immediately and let you know of any additional charges that will be incurred to level the sub-floor.

Natural light will also impact its appearance. Depending on the species and grade of the wood you selected, there is always the possibility you will see knots, checks small cracks , and other minor imperfections. We strongly recommend customers be home when the installers first arrive. This allows the installers to review the materials with you and confirm installation areas.

The installers may also ask where they can set up a saw to make cuts. Our installers always use drop cloths to protect nearby furniture and delicate items. Rift-sawn boards, by comparison, feature a long, linear, consistent grain, without cathedrals. In most cases, hardwood flooring is sold as plain-sawn, or as rift- and quarter-sawn mixed together.

However, it is possible to source exclusively rift-sawn wood or quarter-sawn wood, if desired. In a more rustic property, we might use plain sawn; in the city, we might use quarter sawn to add a bit of life. Although there was a time when it seemed that almost all hardwood flooring was installed in two- to three-inch strips, many people now use wider planks. Pastrana cautions that nail or glue installations can be challenging even for homeowners with plenty of DIY experience.

Solid hardwood flooring needs time to acclimate to the climate of the room. Gather all the tools listed in the instructions and make sure the subfloor is clean, dry, and flat. If you are installing over an existing floor, make sure doors are still able to open and close and appliances are flush with countertops. Pastrana says to lay floor pieces parallel to the longest wall in the room. Boxes or bundles can differ slightly in color.

Decoration Renovation Conversation Shopping. Architectural Digest Clever. Place the second row so the tongue of the first row fits in the groove. Make sure points where plank ends butt together occur at least six or more inches from endpoints on the first row. If necessary, cut the planks. Tap plank edges with a mallet to tighten. That edge will be held down by the tongue-and-groove attachment to the first row. As before, drive nails at an angle and countersink. The flooring nailer will speed things up once you have room.

When space gets tight again near the opposite wall, go back to using the hammer. Once you have all the planks nailed down, install the transition pieces to adjacent flooring types. Re-install the baseboard and shoe molding pieces and nail them to the wall.

Fill any nail holes that show. Nailing through the tongue so nails are covered up by the next plank is called blind nailing. Using the blind nailing method means all nail holes in the planks will be invisible except for the ones along the edges. Hardwood flooring is durable and attractive and a great way to spruce up a room. You can likely install the flooring yourself. Click lock flooring is easiest to install, followed by glue-down flooring.

Nailing down flooring is the most durable way to attach planks. But it requires a wooden subfloor and some time, tools, and expertise. No matter what kind of hardwood flooring you select or how you install it, you can count on enjoying your floor for years to come. Andrew Helling is the founder and editor of REthority. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he obtained a Finance and Banking degree. As a formerly licensed real estate agent and property manager of single-family homes, Andrew knows real estate.

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