How to Install Solid Wood Flooring?

Many people prefer wood flooring over other options. As well as being durable, hardwood renders an element of beauty and gives an inviting look to the overall area. For these reasons, many homeowners choose wood flooring. However, many individuals get stuck on the installation point. They don’t know how to install solid wood flooring. If you’re one such individual, read below and find out.

How to install solid wood flooring?

When it comes to installing wood floors, you’ve two choices. You may either follow a DIY route or depend on a professional installer. If you prefer a DIY approach, you need free time and some handiness with DIY projects. Here are the important tips on floor installation.

Choose the boards and measure the room

Wood boards come in all shapes, sizes, and designs. So, figure out your preferences to choose boards matching your interests. Next, measure the dimensions of the room. When ordering flooring boards, be sure to buy 10 to 15 percent extra for cutting mistakes and irregular boards.

Identify a squeaky floor

Check the floor for squeaks and do away with them. If you find any squeak, fasten a drywall screw in the sub-flooring and joist at the squeak. Now clean the area thoroughly.

Roll out the barrier paper

Now roll out the strips of vapor barrier paper, leaving around a 4-inch overlap and staple them securely to the sub-flooring. Next, use a felt or tar paper. Mark along the baseboards where joists reside.

Start insulation

Begin the insulation work at the longest wall (unobstructed one). After removing the shoe molding, snap a chalk line of 3/8 inches out from the baseboard. That finishes your insulation chore.

Place the board and nail the rolls

Pick a long straight board for the first row. Align the board’s edge with the chalk line. Drill holes through the hardwood plank and the sub-flooring and joist. Face-nail every board on the point of each joist; set the nail using a nail-set. Face-nail the first row and repeat the process for other rows. After completing this process, drill holes through the tongue of boards and nail the rolls, leaving clearance for a pneumatic nail gun.

Staple the boards

Keep the lip of the pneumatic gun over the edge’s board and hit firmly using the mallet, forcing the staple in the hardwood plank’s tongue. You may not make the exact cuts. Check the flaws after installing the floor and slice off the imperfections using a circular saw.

Cut the baseboard

Choose a board that will fit, leaving 10 to 13 inches more. Now cut it. Place the second board at the beginning of the subsequent row and repeat the process for other boards

Fill up the gaps and work out the clearance issue

Make sure that the ends fit properly – one end should have a groove and the other end must have a tongue. When you get close to the opposite wall, you encounter an issue with clearance for your pneumatic gun. To do away with this problem, drill holes and nail the boards, leaving no clearance for the hammer and the drill.

Fit the last board and fill up the holes

In some cases, there might be a narrow gap when working with the last board. To resolve this issue, cut the last board to fit perfectly. Leave around a 3/8 inch gap for contraction and expansion space. Finally, fill up the nail holes with wood putty and wipe out the excess.

Concluding words

Installing wood flooring need not be a chore, thanks to so many DIY tips. Just follow the above advice on how to install solid wood flooring. For more information, check thefloorgallery.sg.