Installing Hardwood Flooring - Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional
A lot of people find the job of installing hardwood flooring quite daunting though with the proper process and the right tools, you are just mere days away from getting a beautiful floor that is worth bragging about. One good way to start this project is to install hardwood flooring on the floor of a small room first, just to see if you would be satisfied with the result.
If you decide to forego the use of a professional installer and do the task yourself, starting small will get you prepared on the process and familiarize yourself with how to do it properly. Prepare your subfloor by cleaning it and patching up holes so it is level all throughout. Be sure to lay the appropriate underlay recommended by the hardwood flooring manufacturer. To prevent your flooring from expanding too much after installation, store them indoors several days before you do the project.
Tools Needed
Depending on the method you use in installing hardwood flooring, you will need several tools to help you achieve clean and beautiful result. You need a pencil and measuring implements to determine where you should start and how to go about laying the hardwood flooring while drilling equipment is also used in fastening end planks where floor stapler cannot be used. The floor stapler is the main tool used when you decide to staple the planks to subfloor, while nailing it would require hammer and appropriate nails. Adhesive is used when you just wish to glue the planks to each other and to the subfloor. A pry bar is also handy in setting the end of planks tightly against each other while a hammer and a tapping block is used to fit the sides snugly. For spaces needing only shorter scraps of wood, a hand saw is used to cut the planks to desired length.
Alignment is Important
When installing hardwood flooring, always remember to ensure the alignment of the planks. This is done by choosing the straightest and longest hardwood flooring as the first plank to be installed perpendicular to the floor joist and several centimeters away from the wall, to allow space for expansion. The second plank is then placed alongside the first one, tapping the outer edge with the use of a hammer and a tapping block to fit the tongue into the groove. Most professional installers would place the end joints six inches or more away from each other and it would be best to follow this rule. Make sure the no gap is visible between joints and use a pry bar to fit these ends snugly. The straight alignment and the snug fitting of the ends and edges ensure not only the beauty of your floor but also the prevention of water and liquids from seeping into the underlayment and damaging your flooring.
Tips for Good Result
Make sure that you use a tapping block all the time to prevent direct contact between the hammer and edges of your floor planks and causing damages. Have a dry rag handy when you are using glue, to wipe off excess glue immediately and preserve the appearance of your hardwood flooring. Also, use a nail set after driving in the nails so you don?t cause any indentation on your floor.
Find out more on the beauty of Brazilian cherry flooring by visiting http://www.thehardwoodfloorguide.com, a popular hardwood flooring website that specializes in tips for easily cleaning wood floors.
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