You’ll need to answer two questions before installing any hardwood floor. The first step is to pick the kind of hardwood floor you want to go with. This will strongly influence the answer to the second question: Do-it-yourself or hire professional help? The best way to get started answering the first question is to look at the room you want to install the floor in. If it’s a high-traffic area, harder woods will normally be better choices. Your selection may also be determined by whether or not you plan to install a subfloor, and the type and condition of the current subfloor.
There are many varieties of wood that are both attractive and durable, and make an excellent choice for areas of the home where you expect people to come and go a lot. After all, if you use a softer type of wood in a high traffic area, remember – it only takes one person with hard heels or soles to create lasting damage. Using solid wood floors in rooms with high moisture levels, such as bathrooms, is not always recommended. However, there are great alternative products, such as certain types of laminate and engineered flooring, that are made for moist conditions.
Your options open up significantly if you are considering installing hardwood flooring in a room with little foot traffic. From soft woods such as bamboo, to hard woods such as Brazilian cherry, you have a wide range of choices. Installing hardwood floors, if foot traffic is not a concern, is more or a less a question of aesthetics. You will still need to decide if this is a do-it-yourself project, or if it is best to get a professional involved. Mostly this will be determined by the type of flooring you choose. Floor installation and its complexity are very much dependent upon the type of wood you use.
The first step in beginning any hardwood floor installation is letting the wood acclimate – it is recommended you store the wood in the room or rooms it will be installed in, for at least four days. The wood can actually change shape, and it is better that this occur before you lay down the floor. Before you nail the wood pieces down, you may or may not need to drill some pilot holes for the nails – the primary determining factor in this is the hardness of the type of wood used. You will also need to use different saws to cut the wood to fit around edges, measure precisely, and have some basic carpentry skills.
It might seem like installing a hardwood floor is very daunting, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be. Laminate floors aren’t really hardwood, but they do have a very similar appearance. It’s much easier to install this type of flooring than it is to install hardwood flooring. You will need more room to accommodate for expansion when installing a solid wood floor. There are certain tools that are also required. At the very least, you will need a hammer, nailer, and saws that can do rip cuts and crosscuts. If you enjoy home improvement, this can be a very fun project.
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