How to Install Wooden Floor Planks
- 1). Remove the current flooring material with a pry bar to expose the subfloor. Inspect the subfloor and repair any dips or bows and to silence any squeaks.
- 2). Remove the baseboards and molding around the room, using a pry bar. Number the boards with a pencil to make replacement easier.
- 3). Cut the base of any vertical trim (such as around doors) with a hand saw, using a wood plank as a guide.
- 4). Draw straight lines 1/2 half inch from each wall, using the framing square and chalk line. Many walls are not perfectly straight and do not meet adjacent walls at 90-degree angles; using the chalk line and square ensures that the planks will be laid correctly. Any defects in the spacing will be covered by baseboards and toe molding.
- 5). Place the first row of planks along a chalk line and nail them into place with flooring nails and a hammer. Countersink the nails with a counter punch and use shims to keep the boards 1/2 inch from any wall.
- 6). Lay down three or four rows of planks to determine where you want to cut them so no two adjacent seams line up and the grain forms an attractive pattern.
- 7). Lay and fasten the second row of planks, using the power hammer and mallet. Continue to fasten the rows across the room, planning the seams and patterns until you reach the final row.
- 8). Ripsaw the final plank to the correct width with a table or circular saw, which allows for the 1/2-inch gap next to the wall. Nail this plank in place with the hammer and flooring nails, countersinking the nails. This gap allows the wood to expand and contract with the humidity.
- 9). Replace the baseboards and toe molding. Use wood filler to cover the nail holes in the first and last planks.
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