Hardwood flooring is growing in popularity and is one of the most long-lasting options — particularly when selecting a pre-finished hardwood floor to install. Several pre-finished hardwood flooring goes with a 50-year manufacturer’s warranty. With some fundamental carpentry skills and numerous tips, installing a hardwood floor is a comparatively easy do-it-yourself task.

A hardwood floor not only can contribute an aesthetic fresh look to any room, it can as well add value to your house. Nevertheless before you starts to install hardwood flooring in their house there are a number of considerations or preparations that you need to take:

a. Before installing wood flooring, heap it indoors for a few days to allow the wood time to adjust to your home’s humidity level. The relative humidity of a concrete floor without a moisture barrier essentially is less than 60% and with a moisture barrier, less than 80%. Plan to install the flooring straight to the floor joists. Unfortunately whenever this is not executed then the wood may well warp and buckle after it has been placed and this will result in you having to take it out then placing new flooring in its place.

b. Mark the positions of the joists along a wall for reference and wrap up the sub floor with a layer of 15-pound asphalt felt, this will protect against moisture penetration as well as keeping out the flooring from squeaking. Mark the centerline of the room.

c. One time you start to install your hardwood flooring you will find it useful if you range some rows of the boards first. Staggering them so no end joint is closer than 6 inches to an end joint in the next row. When you install the strips, cut pieces for at least 8 inches long to fit at the end of each row; let a 1/2-inch gap at the wall.

d. As you demand to cut any of the boards you had better use a radial arm or power miter saw only. When blind-nailing with a hammer and finishing nails, do not try to drive the nails even or the indents will show. Leave each nail head projecting up about 1/8 inch Instead, and then place a nail set sideways over it along the upper edge of the tongue and drive the nail home by tapping the nail set with your hammer. Then ensure that the nails are fully flush with the wood is to apply the tip of the nail set.

Easy Installation Steps:

1. Choose the hardwood species and board widths for the room installation. There are different choices for width and grades. There are fundamentally three grades:
   a. Choose red oak, which is a top grade hardwood. This is 2-3/4″ wide. It commonly has very small knots and little color variation. There are wide selections of different species and widths and a number of choices besides oak. The cost of the choice is approximately five dollars per square foot.

   b. The next is natural maple and it has more color variation and small knots anywhere. The piece here is 3-1/4″ wide and you can purchase it in 4″, 5″ or 6″ wide. It is 12 percent stronger than red oak and people use in on gym floors or bowling alleys. The cost for the natural grade is about four dollars per square foot.

   c. Last, there’s the rustic ash, which has larger knots and color variation. It still makes a good floor and is lower in price. The cost is around three dollars per square foot. It is a less formal wood and would be suitable in a family room, etc.

2. Measure the width and length of the room and multiply for the square footage. While ordering hardwood flooring, provide 10-15 percent extra for irregular boards and any cutting mistake.
3. Pick out the longest or widest boards for the first row. Near the wall, where the nail heads will be covered by a base shoe, drill pilot holes for 1 1/2-inch finishing nails, then face-nail the first row through the plywood sub flooring to the floor joists or sleepers. Use a nail set to recess the nails below the surface.
4. Blind-nail it and the next two rows by hand. Drill holes at a 45-to-50-degree angle through the tongues, centered on each joist or crosstie, at the ends and every 10 inches along the lengths. Tighten with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. Use a nail set to finish driving each nail.
5. As installing the second and next rows, move a short piece of flooring along the edge and give it a sharp knock with a mallet to fasten the new row against the previous row before nailing.
6. End joints in two next rows should not be closer than 6 inches; end joints ought also not to align over a joint in the sub floor. If you’re installing a wide-plank floor, some manufacturers commend leaving a crack the width of a putty-knife blade between boards for enlargement.
7. Utilize a flooring nailer once you have installed the first three rows If it is over a large area. Slip it onto the board’s tongue and, strike the plunger to beat back 2 inch nails using a heavy rubber beetle or staples by the tongue into each joist and into the sub floor center between joists. Be aware to void scratching or otherwise damaging the flooring.
8. Reach the final row; apply a block and a pry to stick the last boards tightly into position. Drill holes and face-nail boards where base shoe or baseboard forming will cover, utilizing the reference marks along the wall to locate the joists. Set the nail heads beneath the surface using a hammer and nail set.
9. Establish a reducer strip for a smooth transition if your new floor makes a change of level to a hallway or adjoining room. This strip fits onto the tongue of an adjoining board or the ends of straight boards.