Instructions for Installing Hardwood Flooring At least 72 hours before you start your installation, bring the wood planks into the room so that they can acclimatize to the room temperature and humidity. This will reduce the likelihood you will have problems with moisture, such as warping.

1. Sweep and vacuum the subfloor to make sure that it is clean before installing the hardwood flooring.
2. Install the moisture barrier and underlay according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually this means rolling out the underlay in the same direction that the wood will be installed. Extend the underlay a few inches up the wall; you will trim it to fit later.
3. Find the straightest boards and lay the first row of flooring along the guideline you have made. The tongue side should be facing the room. Use a tapping block so you don’t damage the flooring’s tongue and groove system.
4. Put spacers between the floor and the wall to allow for expansion. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the appropriate size of the expansion gap.
5. Face-nail the first row of boards in place with a hammer and nail set. Pre-drill the nail holes every six inches starting 1-3 inches from the ends of the planks and about 1/2″ from the groove. Once the nails are hammered in, use your nail set to countersink them.
6. For the second row, fit the groove onto the tongue of the second row. Using a dead blow hammer, gently tap the tapping block against the flooring to ensure that you have a tight fit. Be sure that you position the second row so that the ends are at least six inches apart from the first one. This type of staggered look is more attractive than having all the planks with a uniform appearance. Face-nail the second row in the same manner as the first one.

  How to Cut the Hardwood Flooring If you need to cut the flooring to get a staggered look, lay the plank on its face, and cut it with a circular saw. Be sure you are using the right blade for cutting hardwood flooring. Do allow for the extension gap close to the wall.   Blind-nailing the Hardwood Floor Planks The rest of the floor can be finished by blind-nailing it with a pneumatic nailer. This tool will make the process run a lot smoother than nailing the tongue of each plank by hand. Space the nails 1-3″ from the ends and every 6-8″ along the tongue side of the plank. When you get close to the last few rows of the hardwood when the pneumatic nailer won’t fit, go back to the technique you used at the beginning of the room. For the very last row, subtract the amount for the expansion gap and cut the wood. Place a piece of scrap wood against the wall and fit the boards together using a pry bar before face-nailing the last row in place. Next, install transition pieces and remove spacers. Trim the underlay and install baseboards. Attach the trim to the walls, not the floor.   If you would prefer not to tackle installing hardwood flooring as a DIY project, contact Tony’s Flooring Centre. We offer professional installation service; you can leave the details to our team of qualified in-house contractors.]]>