Hardwood floors are a beautiful and stylish addition to a home. Installing hardwood floors can be a challenging task, but the reward of having elegant flooring make it worth the task. People can install this type of floor themselves as long as they follow the proper steps.
1. The first thing you have to do is decide what type of wood flooring you will use. There are a number of different styles of wood flooring available. You can pick from a variety of widths and thickness. The most common type of wood is Oak. There are also different grades such as Clear (contains very little marks), Select (a light grain with little marks), Number 1 Common (various hues and a few marks), and Number 2 Common (a number of marks, knots, and discoloring). Maple and Birch are also popular wood for flooring.
2. Once you have chosen the hardwood flooring, you have to measure the room. Gather the necessary installation tools such as a nail gun, chalk and pencils, tar paper, spacers, and a pry bar. Lay out the pieces to make sure you have enough flooring. Measure the room to create a center line and mark it with chalk.
3. Insert spacers around the edge of the area to create a slight space.
4. Choose the boards (planks) for the first row. Place the first set of planks while making sure the groove side is next to the wall. The flooring is typically placed parallel to the longest wall. Lay the longest pieces at the doorways and use the shortest pieces for the rest of the room. Nail the boards into the floor joists and set the nails. After completing the first row, continue by placing planks using a floor nail gun. Place the edges over one another, roughly 4 to 6 inches apart, and glue the seams down.
5. Use spacers between the planks for the boards to get larger and smaller naturally. Angle a nail over the tongue every 6 inches for planks. Tap the planks into place.
6. Use a pry bar to snap the last board into place when you arrive at the last row.
The hardwood floor installation process can take some time, but when done properly, you will be pleased with the results.
