How to Install Bruce Hardwood Flooring

Bruce Hardwood Flooring installed in a home office.

Bruce hardwood flooring is a prefinished, solid wood product manufactured as a tongue and groove installation. Installed with a blind floor nailer, it makes a beautiful floor without the mess and fuss of products that need to be finished after installation.

Things You'll Need

• Bruce hardwood flooring
• Spline
• Vent / duct covers
• Color matched putty
• Flooring (Blind) nailer with mallet
• Flooring nails
• Air compressor
• Finish nailer
• Finish nails
• Jig saw and blades
• Miter saw
• Jamb Saw
• 30# Felt rolls or Rosin Paper
• Hammer Stapler and staples
• Utility knife
• Putty knife
• Pry bar
• Chalk line
• Compass for scribing

Instructions

Preparation

1. Depending on the type of existing flooring, it will probably have to be removed. Carpeting must be removed. Vinyl sheet and vinyl tiles can be left in place if well adhered.

2. Remove the baseboard and shoe moldings. If the baseboard will be reused, carefully pull finish nails out through the back and mark each piece's location on the back. Remove doors from doorways. Thoroughly clean the work area, first sweeping, then vacuuming.

3. Bring the flooring into the rooms it will be installed in. Allow the flooring to acclimate for three days prior to installation.

4. Determine if underlayment is needed and how thick it should be. If the hardwood floor will butt against a ceramic tile floor, lay a piece of hardwood next to it. If the top of the hardwood is 1/8 inch or more below the level of the tile, measure the difference and install plywood underlayment in that thickness.

5. Using a jamb saw, cut the bottom of any door jams away, using a short piece of hardwood flooring as a guide for thickness. You want the flooring to fit under the door jams, not against it.

6. Determine the direction you will lay the floor. Laying the floor parallel to the largest windows in the room will show off the wood better, while laying it perpendicular to the largest window will make the room appear deeper (larger).

Installing the Hardwood Floor

1. In most rooms, you will want to start parallel to the largest windows. Roll out the rosin paper or felt and tack it down with a few staples, keeping it smooth, against the floor and overlapping itself about six inches. Just staple enough to keep it from moving.

2. Snap chalk line the width of the room. The line should be parallel to your installation direction and a distance equal to the width of your flooring plus 1 inch from the starting wall. Measure for this line in at least two places at least two feet apart.

3. Open three boxes of flooring. Sort the pieces into long, medium and short pieces. This makes it easy to choose pieces while installing. Cut tongue ends off at the right side wall only.

4. Choose some long starter pieces and lay them along the chalk line with the tongue side facing away from the starting wall. Use the finish nailer to fasten the planks to the floor. Along the groove side, face nail beginning two inches from the plank end and every six inches. On the tongue side, blind nail into the tongue nailing pocket at a 45 degree angle every six to eight inches.

5. Note that with your back at the starting wall, the tongue end of the planks will be on your right. When planks abut the right and left wall, leave a 3/4 inch gap. If a piece is exactly the right length, cut off the tongue with the miter saw rather than leave it.

6. 

   Install the second and third row of planks much like the first, using the finish nailer. Be sure the joints on the first row are six or more inches from any joint in the second row. After the second or third row, you can use the floor nailer and just nail through the nailing pocket in the tongue.

7. 

   Continue installation until the final rows are reached. Avoid ladder stepping (see drawing) as you install more rows.

Installation Around Obstacles

1. Installation around obstacles such as pipes or door jams may require you to make special cuts. Install the flooring right up to the obstacle. For the piece to fit around it, lay the piece to be cut on top of the last piece, being sure it is in the right direction. Set the compass to narrowest gap width and scribe the piece. Cut it with a jig saw or band saw.

2. Installing around floor ducts vents is not complicated. Face nail the wooden covers into place and install the flooring right up to them. You'll have to measure carefully though, so be exact.

3. If the hardwood floor abuts a ceramic tiled area, be sure to leave the correct gap, 3/4 of an inch, for expansion. Use a T-mold to cover the gap. For carpeted areas, use a transition piece.

4. If you have to reverse direction, to get into a closet for instance, install a spline in the groove side of the plank already on the floor. Just install the flooring into the closet as usual, face nailing when you reach the wall and the flooring nailer won't fit.

Finishing Up

1. When you reach the opposite wall from the one you started, you're almost done. The last three planks will have to be nailed using the finish nailer.

2. The first two rows, just nail through the nailing pocket in the tongue at a 45 degree angle. Place nails about six to eight inches and begin about three inches from the end.

3. You will have to face nail the last row. Get the boards in place and seat them using a pry bar with a block against the wall. Face nail with the finishing nailer every six inches and a half inch from the front and back of the board.

4. If the last row leaves a gap over one inch wide, rip cut planks to fit and face nail them in place. Be sure to begin at least three inches from the end of each rip cut plank.

5. Fill any face nailed holes with colored putty that matches the color of the wood. Reinstall the baseboard molding, keeping the bottom even with the floor. Add shoe molding if necessary or desired.

Tips & Warnings

• When measuring prior to purchasing, add 10 percent to the square footage as you'll have cut off waste. Natural wood varies in color and grain. A few "gnarly" pieces will always be found. Either include them as any other piece or put them where no one will see them. Many people feel the odd pieces add character. Always work out of three boxes at a time. This keeps the varying shades of color well mixed. Near the end, you'll wait to open that last box or two until you're sure you need them. Opened boxes can be difficult to return. The expansion gap is very important. Don't forget to maintain that 3/4 inch gap around every obstacle and wall or your floor may buckle. Prior to installation of the floor or underlayment, walk the floor carefully and slowly. Fix any squeaks now, before the floor goes down. Even if your floor does not require underlayment to match up with tile or other floors, consider using a 3/8 inch underlayment to reinforce the sub floor. This reduces sagging, especially if the sub floor is older or thinner than usual. At the beginning, choose a short piece, cut it to about six inches and use it as a tapping block. Place the groove edge against the tongue and tap with the mallet. This prevents damage to the flooring. Keep half a box of planks, long, medium and short. If a plank needs repair later on, you'll have it. In rooms longer than 20 feet, you'll need extra expansion space. Instead of adding it at the wall, add it in the middle. Use dimes or small washers to create an almost imperceptible gap about every ten rows. Add two more rows and take them out. If you add more then two rows, it will be difficult to remove them. The gap won't show but it will add to the quality of the installation.

• All persons in the area should wear safety glasses or goggles. Finish nailers and Blind nailers will send nails flying if an obstacle is hit. Avoid losing an eye, wear safety goggles when using all power tools. Pneumatic nailers are dangerous. Always pay close attention and concentrate on your work while using them. Never bypass the safety mechanisms. Disconnect them from the air supply when not in use. Wood dust is dangerous to breath. Wear a NIOSH approved mask if dust levels are high and always while cutting wood.

References

• Bruce Flooring
• Hardwood flooring installation video