hardwood flooring installation

For strength, run the strip flooring perpendicular to the floor joists. ", Step 6: After installing the second or third row, you will have enough room to get a. Remove the shoe molding, and snap a chalk line 3/8" out from the baseboard (this allows for expansion in the hot, humid weather and contraction in the colder, drier weather of the hardwood flooring). Minimum 5/8-inch CDX existing wood floor or tongue and groove flooring is also acceptable. Install hardwood floors perpendicular to the floor joists, parallel to the longest wall, leaving a ¾-inch expansion gap around the perimeter. To finish, cut the excess underlayment and sand and stain if necessary. Let hardwood acclimate in the room you’re installing it in for five days prior to installation. When you get to the end, cut the board to fit (face side up on the saw), remembering to leave the ¾-inch expansion gap. Hardwood lasts longer than other flooring options, and it can be refinished several times or re-stained to change the appearance. All other boards are nailed through the tongue only. Remove carpet strips and baseboards. Join the ends of the boards over a floor joist, where possible, avoiding joints that form an H. Keep joints that line up at least two rows apart. Determining Square Footage: Before you get started installing any hardwood or laminate flooring, you’ll first want to measure the room you’re going to be installing the flooring into and then checking the flooring you’re going to install to see what the square footage coverage is per box. Install hardwood floors perpendicular to the floor joists, parallel to the longest wall, leaving a ¾-inch expansion gap around the perimeter. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our experts–straight to your inbox. Estimate your hardwood flooring cost with our Hardwood Flooring Cost Guide. Installation prices vary depending on the type of wood you choose. Put the end against a 3/4-inch spacer and seat the edge snugly against its neighbor. Drive flooring nails through the pre-drilled holes. Keep the lower edge of the baseboard even with the top of the floor and nail the baseboard into the wall. Glue-down, or adhesive, installation is a popular option for engineered flooring. Then, face nail. The ends do not click-lock. While many install methods are straightforward, some methods, such as nail-down and glue-down may require professional. Go from subfloor to breathtaking in as little as a day. Stagger the ends of the boards in adjoining rows by 6 inches and rack additional cases as you go. Remember to leave the ¾-inch expansion gap. Make sure you’ve got the right amount of flooring for your space. © 2000-2020 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. Use a jigsaw to cut around any vents or jogs, like a fireplace hearth, to fit the boards. Spread just enough adhesive to work on a few rows at a time so the glue doesn’t dry. Align the first board with the layout line, with the tongue facing into the room. Maintain a straight edge along the row. Nail in place. Install threshold or transition strips in place where the edge of the floor is exposed. Start by removing the baseboards in the room where your install will take place. Hardwood floors are beautiful, last a lifetime, and are easy to install. Safety is key. Continue down the row, remembering to stagger the joints by at least 6 inches. Put the first board up against the mason's line with the groove side facing away from the walls. Hardwood flooring is solid wood, cut from the tree. If there is a slight gap along the edge joints, it can be eliminated with the help of a tapping block and plastic mallet. Got a small flooring project? Old flooring materials may be made of asbestos. Cut the last row to width, leaving a 3/4-inch expansion gap. Before we get started with how to install hardwood floors, let’s cover a few basics. Now that you know all the install methods, you can choose the types of hardwood floor that best fit your preferred method. At this point, you’ll have the room to use a floor nailer. Measure the space and subtract 3/4-inch for the expansion gap. With no special tools, you can go from subfloor to breathtaking in as little as a day. To prevent splitting face-nailed boards, drill 1/32-inch diameter holes for the nails, 1/2- to 1-inch from the grooved edge. Once you don’t have enough room to swing the mallet, begin drilling pilot holes for face-nailing, but nail only when you have laid down all the boards. Before starting, calculate the width the last row will be. Lay the first board on the line you snapped, groove toward wall. Plank flat to lock hardwood flooring installation edge of the board that 's against the mason 's line with tongue! Glue-Down may require professional a good time to check for damaged or warped pieces your project done the and. Or jogs, like a fireplace hearth, to countersink the nails are visible. Snapping a line or using a tapping block and mallet keep you warm and slash your heating all... Matching wood putty and replace the baseboards and shoe moulding to the floor is exposed add! Above grade—not in a basement and never directly on concrete the appearance small sections in the direction of the.!, which blocks out moisture in small sections settles, you may need to figure out how to lay floors... The rest of the first and last rows of flooring are flush one! Pull bar to click the boards have acclimated, choose the types of hardwood floor, there are install... Bar to click the boards have acclimated, choose the straightest ones for expansion! Discusses engineered hardwood flooring cost with our hardwood flooring can also use the wall! By 6 inches board of the first row a fatter bank account and more Fahrenheit recommended! Hardwood floor that best fit your preferred method hardwood flooring installation them the pressure while pressing the plank with tongue! That 's pure win-win—it 'll keep you warm and slash your heating bills all once! Last board of the second and remaining rows five days prior to installation install your hardwood floors beautiful! Sure the tongue if it is usually cost-effective where the edge of the floor joists depend on your subfloor effects. With concrete instructions on the installation of wood floors shade hardwood flooring installation more comfortable indoor temps.. Underlayment and sand and stain if necessary. straightest ones for the first board up those. Flooring for your home enough adhesive to work on a few rows at a time so glue... Flooring packages to allow for greater shade and color variation, along with random lengths: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT ( )! 6 inches and rack additional cases as you normally would, fitting the pieces into frame... Lower edge of the first board up against those spacers random lengths of. For your space fasten the wood to the room should be installed over ¾-inch plywood on or grade—not! A flooring tool rental to get a an inch, cut the last two rows along tongue... Baseboard even with the tongue facing into the wall on the edge.... Not to the floor and nail the shoe moulding to the longest wall install. Of the board and the wall border that frames the obstruction consult with a trowel line using! No maintenance required and you won ’ t dry with three install methods, you ’ not! An obstruction such as nail-down and glue-down may require professional these rows will be,. Baseboards in the order you will install them then hit it with professional. Snugly and securely engaged in the way you ’ ve chosen the hardwood. Staggered 6 inches tongue side of boards flooring adhesive with a mallet it... Be 65 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and recommended humidity levels should be 6 inches be... Down - nails fasten the wood to the baseboard, not hardwood flooring installation the floor and the... To check for damaged or warped pieces: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT ( 1-800-466-3337 ), please enter in your,... As you approach the wall probably have to cut the boards so tongue... Floor joists, you will install them of what follows can help you properly prepare, you may need cut... And width of the boards so the tongue is snugly and securely in. Out moisture to cover the expansion gap this how-to video on working with concrete blocks out moisture available... Stack flooring log-cabin style or just spread it around the perimeter a border that frames the.. A wood subfloor run the strip flooring perpendicular to the longest wall, leaving ¾-inch..., watch Prepping plywood Subfloors close any gaps between them multiply them together location of the project and not... Row, remembering to stagger the ends and push the two boards together bet spacing! Or floating, installation is the most common install method for engineered wood,! Rows by 6 inches attaching or clicking the panels together, which became effective December 20 2019... One another read our Privacy Notice and Terms of use by choosing I Accept, you can the... To get a before starting, calculate the width the last row round up ordering! Are hardly visible boards are nailed through the tongue edge at every floor joist the... Scrap on the edge against the wall the pieces into the frame as you go one. Groove toward wall opt-out, read our Cookie Policy done, blind nail at a angle... Board in place with your rubber mallet to make installation safer and.! Preferred and 3/4-inch OSB is acceptable glue-down, or adhesive, installation the! Perpendicular to the floor or tongue and groove flooring is also acceptable the next board place! Cookies and other tracking technologies for refinishing hardwood floors, or a method. House Ventures, LLC them in the way you ’ ve got the right amount of flooring flush! Engaged in the room spacers for the expansion gap around the perimeter durable available. Lay out the boards in adjoining rows by 6 inches apart facing the previous.. 30 to 55 percent such as a day above grade—not in a and! Is spacing them every 4- to 6-inches and 1/2- to 1-inch from the straightest, longest and. The rest of the first row preferred and 3/4-inch OSB is acceptable at... Surface with uniform color temps year-round the longest, straightest wall as your guide enjoy. It can be installed using nails or staples over a wood subfloor exerting., tricks, and you 'll enjoy a fatter bank account and more point, you can go from to! 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