You went out and bought the discounted solid wood flooring you’ve always wanted. Now, comes the fun part – installation. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t have to hire an expensive contractor to install your new wood floor but there is a reason hardwood flooring contractors charge for their years of experience. With a few tips, you might just be able to DIY your next floor.
1. Let the solid wood floor sit in your home for a week to adjust to its humidity level. Remember that wood expands and contracts with moisture.
2. Remove the old flooring and base molding.
3. Use underlayment paper to cover the sub-floor to help protect your beautiful wood floor from moisture and to reduce noise.
4. Make the appropriate measurements of the room and mark out the position of the floor joists, which are the wood planks that run parallel over the sub floor, because when in doubt you want to lay your wood perpendicular to the floor joists.
5. Some installers will pre-rack the entire floor to have a nice visual and avoid stops while working.
6. Start the first row with the longest or widest wood boards. Start at the wall or snap a line. Proceed by working your way to the other side.
7. If the wood floor is higher than the rest of the adjoining room’s floor or the hallway leading into the room then install a stair nosing or reducer.
8. Reinstall the base shoe.
By the point you’re probably pretty tired. If you’re still confused about how to properly install discounted solid wood flooring, then give us a call or reach out to your local installer. After all their years of experience might be worth more than you think.