Finance Articles

Are you going to learn how to install hardwood flooring? First thing's first: You need to choose the flooring. From traditional hardwood flooring to flooring that just snaps together, you have dozens if not hundreds of different options.

If you decide to use laminates or snap-together hardwoods, you'll find that the kits come with their own instructions. For traditional hardwood flooring, there are several steps to follow.

First, you need to put down a flooring base. You want the subfloor to be dry, clean, and level. Before you begin, remove the baseboards.

You want the wood to get acclimated to your house first, so whether you pick up the flooring yourself or have it delivered, time it so that it all gets stacked somewhere in your house for a few days or so. Unless you let the wood adjust to your home environment, it won't fit properly. This is because wood reacts to different humidity levels and temperatures by expanding and contracting.

When you're considering how to install hardwood flooring, you must determine the direction in which the floor joists (supports) run, and mark their position at the base of the walls for reference. Obtain some 15-pound asphalt felt and put down a layer on top of the subfloor.

This does a few things for you: It protects the flooring from moisture and minimizes squeaking and creaking. If you're installing the hardwood floor in your bathroom or kitchen, this step is especially important.

To indicate the position for your first board, mark the centerline of your room. When installing, leave a 1/2-inch gap at the walls.

You'll want to use a nail set to finish hammering in each nail. This way, your hammer won't indent your wood. The first three boards or so should be nailed in by hand, even if you're using a pneumatic flooring nailer. This will keep them from shifting.

Learning how to install hardwood flooring isn't all that difficult. However, it takes time and requires precision.

Make sure to visit How to Install for more tips on everything from How to Install Laminate Flooring to How to Install a Sink.