Knowing how to install hardwood floor is easier than most people think, yet it is still common for many to prefer hiring professionals to carry out the installation for them. This is probably because hardwood floor installation sounds like a difficult task, but it really is something anyone could do with the right tools and equipment.
Hardwood flooring that is available from hardware stores is usually accompanied by instructions on how to lay the planks. This already makes to job easy to do. The first thing to decide is what type of material you want the hardwood floor to be made of. The common types include oak, maple, rustic ash, and cherry. Oak is often the most expensive but it is reputably the best and most durable. However, maple or rustic ash are good alternatives if you are working under a tighter budget.
Once you have bought the hardwood flooring you will need a number of tools to complete the hardwood floor installation more easily. These include a pry bar, hammer, staple gun, tape measure, chalk line, a speed drill, and pneumatic flooring pack. If you don't know what a pneumatic pack is then it will typically include a nail gun, mallet, air compressor, and staples. Of course, you will also need the instruction booklet that your hardwood flooring might have come with.
It's a good idea to read through the instructions completely rather than in stages. This will help you understand the installation process, and save you having to stop every few minutes to check whether you are missing anything. When you are ready to start installing the hardwood floor don't forget to wear protective goggles and gloves, and a face mask if the wooden planks are dusty.
Before buying the hardwood floor you should have measured the flooring area and ordered planks that are slightly bigger than the surface so that you are left with room for errors. Although it may seem a bit challenging to get that first plank in place, it becomes easier as you go long and each piece of flooring can be lined up next to each other.
Make sure you nail down the planks securely to avoid any movement and squeaks from planks rubbing together. Also, leave extra space when cutting planks to size so that you can adjust the flooring to fit perfectly rather than have to fill awkward gaps from cutting to short.
Installing hardwood floor is easy with the right tools and can be done relatively quickly in most rooms. If you have purchased prefinished hardwood floor then the job is complete once you've laid that final plank. However, pure wooden floors should be finished afterwards with a sander, finishing tools, and hardwood floor wax to give the wood protection.
