The installation of wood flooring can be time consuming and a difficult job to get just right; with the correct professional advice, appropriate tools, preparation and can-do attitude, the installing process is achievable and a great result can be obtained. The great part about having a wood floor is that its sheer natural beauty and durability are hard to beat, and a properly installed wood floor will often add value to your home too.
Choosing the wood carefully to complement your home’s decor is a good place to start. So many new wood choices are on offer these days; besides the humble rustic ash, there are red oak, natural maple, Brazilian cherry and teak, afzelia, camaru, ipe, santos mahogany and several others.
If you choose a pre-finished wood floor to install you will often save on a lot of hard work and the finished result will often be more impressive.
A great tip is to have the right equipment for the job before beginning. You’ll need: the wood flooring boards, hammer, tape measure, pry bar, staple gun, chalk line, vapor barrier paper, variable speed drill and drill bits, air compressor and hose, nail gun, saw, nail set, wood putty, safety goggles, earplugs, mallet and staples. Hiring (renting) instead of purchasing some tools is a great money-saving option.
Carefully measure the dimensions of the room where installing the wood flooring; when ordering the wood, purchase 10-15% extra to allow for cutting mistakes or imperfections in the wood boards.
Make sure the sub-floor is sound, at least 3/4″ plywood as a minimum requirement. Correct any squeaks and sweep and clean thoroughly. Cover with vapor barrier paper; it must be stapled securely.
Always begin the installation at the longest, unobstructed wall; when measuring allow for typical expansion and contraction during the seasons.
An important tip is to manually, face-nail the first row as a pneumatic nail won’t be practical. Keep length of board being laid random.
It is always wise to lay out the boards before installing so you can get the lengths, wood grains and colors right before fixing into place. Plan carefully at this stage because if you act in haste you shall repent at your leisure.
Don’t be too worried about evenly cut threshold edges as a circular saw can cut a neat, even finish.
If employing tongue and groove with the wood boards, be EXTRA careful when cutting to avoid ending up with big, unsightly gaps in the flooring. Take care to nail each board with at least two nails to ensure maximum stability.
If you want the best finish to your wood-flooring be very careful that you purchase a wood putty that matches the color of the boards. Always wipe off excess putty after filling any nail holes.
After installation, sweep the floor and spray on an alcohol-based floor cleaning product.
It does help to have sound carpentry skills before attempting the installation of wood flooring, however with the right levels of enthusiasm and initiative, a great result can be obtained by even an average handyman. Plan carefully, be thorough and consult an expert at any stage if needed; the end result of a beautiful wood floor is certainly worth the effort taken!
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