Hardwood flooring is a popular and practical addition to the home. If you’re looking for advice on how to lay hardwood flooring, we’ve got some ideas for you. Here’s how to lay hardwood flooring so it looks great and lasts a long time.
How to Lay Hardwood Flooring?
The first step is to decide on the design of your hardwood floor. Is it a patterned floor, or plain? Then decide whether you want an underlayment, or if you prefer floating floors. You can do either one with different patterns, so be sure to choose wisely.
Once you’ve decided on the design, lay out your patterned flooring with a pencil. If you’re laying floating floors, make sure that all of the edges are smooth and square. Browse around this website to get special info about laying hardwood flooring.
For underlayment patterns, it’s best to put in one or two small pieces at a time. If you try to put in too much at once, it’s more likely that you’ll end up with a crooked floor. If your hardwood flooring is an underlayment pattern, then now is the time to start laying out the strips.
Ways to Laying Hardwood Flooring
There are a few different ways to lay hardwood flooring:
- Choose the Boards: If you’re choosing to use a floating floor, then now is the time to put in your first board. Make sure that the boards are perfectly straight and at least as wide as your joists.
- Measure the Room: Measure the length and width of your room. Measure from one wall to another, and then mark this line on your flooring boards. Then measure down the middle of this line with a pencil or chalk.
- Cut Your Boards: You’ll want to make sure that you have an even number of strips for your floor. If you’re using hardwood underlayment, then it’s best to cut your boards in half, or thirds. You can cut them into smaller pieces if you want a patterned floor that is uneven.
- Check for a Squeaky Floor: If you’re using a floating floor, then it’s best to check the boards before you put them down. You want to make sure that there are no warped or twisted boards.
- Start Installation: Once you’ve measured your room and cut your boards, it’s time to install the flooring. Lay the strips out in a grid pattern. Some procedures for installing:
- Place the Boards: Place the first board on the floor. Make sure that it’s flush with the room and nail down your strips as you go along.
- Nail Down: Nail down each strip, making sure to keep them tight together. It’s best to use a claw hammer for this job. Nail Down: Once you’ve nailed down all of your strips, it’s time to flip the floor over. Make sure that you’re using a heavy duty flooring nailer and start nailing down each strip in an alternating pattern.
- Staple the Boards: Staple down each strip with a staple gun. This will keep the flooring tight together and prevent it from moving around too much.
- Cutting the Baseboard: Cut the baseboard to fit your floor. You’ll want to cut it so that it’s slightly smaller than the thickness of your flooring.
- Finish Up: Now that you’ve nailed down all of your strips, you can flip the floor over again to make sure that everything is nice and flat. You can use a hand plane to do this.
- Install the Trim: Install your trim on top of the flooring. This will give it that finished look and make sure that you don’t have any gaps in between each board.
Advantages of Installing Hardwood Flooring
Some advantages of installing hardwood flooring:
- Cost: Hardwood flooring is generally cheaper than carpet or tile.
- Durability: Hardwood floors are made to last a long time and can be repaired if damaged.
- Scents: The wood’s natural oils help absorb scents, so you won’t have to worry about them lingering in your home.
The wood is made of soft materials, so it’s easy to clean and keep looking nice.
Conclusion
A hardwood floor is a beautiful and valuable addition to any home. It can add warmth and character to your home, while also providing the style you’ve been looking for. To get started on this process, we recommend that you take some time to read up on the different types of wood available and their benefits.