Whether you are installing your first floor or have done it numerous times, this article can help you. Floor installation is not as easy as the directions on the package may make it seem. Sometimes, you will need to consult with a professional to get the job done right. With a little bit of information, you will be able to have your Floors installed correctly and look as good as the day you had them installed.
First, you must have the proper equipment before you begin installing. The most essential equipment that you must have before beginning is a trowel. It is recommended that you use a trowel with a non-slip grip so that you don’t damage your floor when using it. To create an acceptable job site conditions, you should provide a clean work surface with at least an inch of room around the edge of the trowel. If your floor is laminate or wood, you should also have at least three feet of distance from the trowel to the edge of the floor.
Once you have completed all of these steps, the next step in flooring installation is to prepare the installation area. You will need two to four feet of clear area around the installation area, along with the side and rear of the trowel. The room that you provide should have at least three inches of room in the front and three inches behind the installation area. The last thing that you need is moisture getting behind your hardwood flooring. If the room is too small for the chalk line that is usually provided by the installation company, you can use a marker to draw a line down the center of the hardwood floor.
When you have marked the center of the hardwood floor, you will want to make certain that the chalk line is at the very bottom. You should always start your installation by nailing the first row of boards to the floor. Once the first row of boards is nailing, you should then proceed to the second. Continue in this fashion until the last board is properly nailing, which should be the third row of boards. You will want to make sure that you are following your nailing schedule in order to ensure that you have a smooth beginning and an even end.
When it comes to the second and third rows of boards, you should follow the same installation process as you did with the first. After all of the boards are properly installed, you will then want to move on to the next part of the installation process and that is the nailing of the subfloor. In most cases, you should already have a pneumatic or electric subfloor pump in your home. This type of equipment will make it easy for you to nail down the subfloor and you will even be able to select a specific model based upon the type of subflooring that you have installed. If you do not have a subflooring pump, then you can also go to a home improvement store and find one.
After the subfloor has been nailed properly, you will then want to begin to carefully sand the floor. This is especially important if you live in an area that experiences high winds, heavy snow, or extremely cold temperatures. While you may think that the installation is over, you need to realize that there is still a certain amount of squeaking that can occur. The key to keeping the noise down is to plan out the placement of the planks before you begin the installation process so that you are aware of where the moisture will be coming from in the event that you experience any squeaking issues.
One of the main reasons that installation tends to squeak is because when you are trying to nail down the planks into the subfloor, it is easy to apply the planks incorrectly and create a tongue. When you use a tongue in your project, you will see that it will run the full length of the plank and will curve at the ends. To prevent your tongue from being crooked, you will want to plan out your boards and mark the straight edge on the planks as well as the centerline on the floor. With these two points, you can easily determine where you will be cutting the wood and straightening your tongue so that your new installation begins to run parallel to the floor.
Once you have the straight edge and mark your new centerline, you will then want to begin gluing the planks to the end wall. Depending on the type of floor that you have, this may include gluing the planks to the end studs, nailing in the planks to the wall, or using an adhesive that is able to adhere to both the planks and the end wall. After the glue dries, you will then be ready to finish your installation by nailing the floor to the next row.