Hardwood Flooring Installation Guide
- 1). Prepare the sub floor. The sub floor must be as flat as possible. If you notice any squeaks while you are working on the sub floor, secure the area with a 2-inch drywall screws. Sand the sub floor to make it as smooth as possible.
- 2). Lay a sheet of vapor barrier paper on the sub floor. Staple it to the sub floor using a pneumatic stapler and flooring staples.
- 3). Begin laying the hardwood flooring planks 3/8 inch from the longest wall that is parallel to the direction you want the wood planks. The boards along the perimeter of the room are called edging boards. You should use a long board along the wall and use varying lengths as you work your way around the room.
- 4). Anchor the first edging board using anchor screws ¼ inch from the edge of the board. In most cases, the edging boards are the only boards which will have anchor screws.
- 5). Line up the tongue or groove on the edging board with the groove or tongue on the board which will be placed next to it. Snap the board into place. You may need to give the board a tap with a rubber mallet to ensure a proper fit.
- 6). Continue to line up boards side by side and end to end throughout the room. When you come upon a wall or other obstruction, make sure you keep 3/8-inch space between the obstruction and the board, which leaves room for the board to expand and contract.
- 7). Anchor the edging boards with anchor screws. Walk across the flooring. If you notice any loose planks, anchor them with a nail set and nail. Fill in the nail set hole with wood putty that matches the flooring.
- 8). Use a circular saw to even out edges around the doorways and other edges that are perpendicular to the boards. Sand the edges or use flooring guards to cover the ends of the planks.
- 9). Install baseboards if desired.
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