How to Put in a Hardwood Floor

Installing a hardwood floor is not that much harder than installing a hardwood laminate floor. One of the main differences is the manner in which the wood planks connect together. Hardwood planks require an adhesive when installed on a concrete subfloor and nails when installed on a wood subfloor. Laminate hardwood flooring planks interlock and do not require adhesives or nails. This article will focus on installing a hardwood floor on a wood subfloor.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hammer
• Flat bar
• Tape measure
• Rolled felt paper
• Box knife
• Compressor
• Staple gun
• Pencil
• Table saw
• Portamatic hardwood floor nailer
• Cleat nails

1. Use the hammer and flatbar to remove all baseboard and door trim in the room where the floor will be laid. Roll out a section of roofing paper starting at one wall and extending to the opposite wall. Cut off the section from the roll. Use the compressor and staple gun to staple the section of paper to the subfloor. Continue this pattern throughout the room until the entire subfloor is covered. Check the floor for staples that did not completely embed into the floor. Use the hammer to tap any raised staples down.

2. 
   Portamatic Hardwood Floor Nailer

   Begin laying the planks in one corner of the room. Each plank must be nailed to the floor. Place one plank on the floor 1/2 inch from the wall. Connect the hardwood floor nailer to the compressor. Hold the plank in place with your foot. Place the nailer up against the edge of the plank. Use the mallet that comes with the nailer to strike the plunger and drive the nail into the edge of the plank and into the floor. Nail along the edge of the plank approximately every 6 inches.

3. Lay another plank next to the one that you nailed to the floor. Use a shorter plank than the first one. Most cartons of hardwood flooring will have different length planks in them. Tap the planks together. Once the planks are interlocked, use the nailer on the edge of the second board.

4. Interlock another plank to the end of the first plank that you laid. Use the nailer to secure it to the floor. Continue to connect planks end to end to complete the first row. Move on to the second row using various length planks. Continue this pattern across the room. As you lay planks across the room, make sure that you leave a 1/2-inch space between the planks and each wall. This will allow the floor to expand without buckling.

5. Stop in each doorway no more than 1/2 inch from the edge of the floor in the next room. This will give you the space needed to install a floor divider strip. Cut the end of all planks that end in a doorway evenly. The last row of planks might need to be narrowed in order to fit. Use your table saw to cut the width needed.

Tips & Warnings

• It is not necessary to cover the subfloor with the roofing paper, but it will help to cushion the floor to reduce echo when it is walked upon. It also will provide a layer of protection for the subfloor should spills occur. Remove the screws from your threshold if you are laying the hardwood floor up to an exterior doorway. The edge of the plank that ends in the doorway will slide underneath the threshold. Re-screw the threshold. You will need to trim off the end of any door trim that you removed. The hardwood will raise your floor height at least 1/4 inch.
• Keep hands and feet clear of the nailer.

Resources

• Hardwood Floor Nailers

[samuelsmith10]

on 7/18/2009 If you are learning to install hardwood flooring, there is a very helpful website that I have bookmarked. It's www.oakfloorinstallation.com It provides great tips on pitfalls and problems you might face and talks about acclimation, undercutting the door jamb, preping the subfloor, testing moisture content, etc. It also has lots of pictures. Check it out!