Installing Hardwood Flooring to Your Home

Do you currently have carpeting, tile or linoleum on your floors? Are you ready to make a change from dingy, cracked, or worn flooring to clean, shiny and durable? Wood is an excellent, resilient and long lasting flooring material; not to mention it is beautiful and inviting. Even the most neglected and worn hardwood can be restored, making it cost effective.

Years ago, hardwood floors were difficult and challenging to install. Without the proper knowledge the end result could be costly and disastrous. Although it is best to have a flooring professional install your wood floors, you can do it yourself. There are many “Do it yourself” books to guide you thru the process that you can find at any home improvement store.

In choosing your floors, you should consider your affordability as well as durability. You should match the style and color to the room where it is being installed. You can ask for a sample to take home for comparison. Take into consideration how much traffic flows thru that room also. If it is a high traffic area, such as your kitchen, you will want a more durable type of wood. There are several different types of wood, colors, styles and finishes. For example, solid wood flooring such as oak is susceptible to moisture damage. You need to store solid wood flooring indoors and keep it covered until you plan to install it. Wood swells when moisture is absorbed. Installing floors that are swollen will create gaps once the moisture evaporates.

Your flooring will need to have a level, flat, and clean surface to be installed. Be sure to prepare your floor for installation by removing the old flooring, adhesives, and nails. Fill any holes left from nails that were removed and remember to sand the area filled. Sweep any debris left from removal process. Also remove the baseboards prior to laying the wood floor. Insert a thin piece of scrap between the wall and your prying tool, as to not damage the wall when removing the baseboards. When installing the floor around the perimeter of the room, allow a gap for expansion (the baseboard will hide it).

Now that you are ready to install, begin by applying the recommended adhesive and flooring irregular shaped areas of the room, such as door ways. Using a chalk line can be helpful in keeping your floor boards straight and even. Some floors are made to interlock together, so the process is simplified and takes less time. You can find the entire process from start to finish in home improvement books and videos. Also ask your local home improvement store for any suggestions, they sometimes offer professional lessons for different projects.

If installed correctly, the end result will be worth it. Hard wood floors are gorgeous, affordable, and long lasting. Hardwood floors add value to your home, increasing as your home does. It will give your home a refreshed look and is low maintenance. The change will be drastically noticeable and you will be glad you made it.