Specific steps have to be taken to install hardwood floors correctly. You must also prepare the following.
Required Tools and Materials
Pneumatic and standard staple guns
Pencil or chalk
Hammer
Red rosin paper
Pliers or pry bar
Nails
Tape measure
Prefinished hardwood floor boards
Glue dissolver
Oriented strand board
Preparations
Remove the carpet. If you used soft flooring, pull it up too. You will have to use a pry bar or pliers to take them off. Next, remove the tack bar. This is around the room’s perimeter. Be sure you have removed all the carpet tacks on the floor.
Pliers will be needed to take them off. Take care you do not hurt yourself. If the carpet has been glued, you have to use the glue remover or dissolver.
Install an OSB
Before you install hardwood floors, sweep the floor. Proceed only if the floor is clean. Next, apply oriented strand board (OSB). This is a cheaper but no less effective alternative to plywood.
You can attach this on the sub floor with a standard staple gun.
After the OSB is in place, put the red rosin sheets on top of it. This can be attached by a staple gun.
Step 1
Mark the area where the joists are.
Step 2
Measure 3/8 of an inch off the baseboard. Make a line there. This is the area where the flooring has to end. The reason is, hardwood will expand or contract depending on the weather.
Step 3
Start at the longest wall in the room. Get the board and place it at the line you just made. Be certain the plank and floor joist are perpendicular. This is necessary to give support to the floor.
Step 4
Hammer the board’s end into the joist. Keep adding the boards in the same manner. Ensure the groove ends and tongue match.
Step 5
Attach the flooring with the pneumatic stapler. Make sure you put in enough stapler and nails. Put some every 12 ft or so.
Tips and Warnings
Buy 10% to 15% more than what you need. In case you make a mistake, you don’t have to go back to the store to buy more supplies. Before you put the boards in place, set them down so you know what they look like. The boards ought to look random, instead of being the same size.
If you are going to install hardwood floors, check the sub floor. Make sure the OSB has been set properly.
