Hardwood flooring installation

can be an arduous and sometimes complicated job, but if you feel confident giving it a go personally, you may potentially end up saving quite a bit of money. Properly installed hardwoods can last for several years, even under wet and humid conditions, such as in a bathroom. With a little advice and a step by step plan, as well as plenty of time, hardwood flooring installation can be done without exorbitant professional services.

Moisture is the number one enemy of hardwood flooring. Moisture can gradually warp the surface of the wood as it expands and contracts. This does not imply, however, that hardwood flooring cannot be used in wetter conditions. Hardwood flooring simply requires a little maintenance in order to work well under these conditions.

Installing hardwood with an asphalt felt should provide a guarantee against rotting and warping of the hardwood. Take 15 pound asphalt felt, and put it over the subfloor in overlapping sections. The felt should be secured with a staple gun.

Leave a small gap, around half an inch, between the asphalt felt and the wall. A baseboard or base shoe will be placed in these smaller spaces between the flooring and the wall. The first three boards of the flooring should be placed by hand. Board lengths are normally random, so segments of the flooring should be set out as a test before nailing down. When the first boards are placed, the remainder can be put out with a flooring nailer. This will make it easier to do an accurate job of laying out the flooring.

When the new flooring creates an uneven surface, you can use a reducer to create a level surface. When getting ready to install a hardwood floor, be sure to safely store the wood. Storing the wood outside where it can get wet will lead to uneven flooring that does not fit together.

If the flooring must be stored outdoors, be sure to cover it with a waterproof tarp. This will reduce any possible damage from moisture, which can warp and bend expensive wood flooring very quickly. Do not transport wood flooring in an open bed when weather conditions could give rise to rain or high humidity.