Wood Floor Guide

When you are planning to build a home, or renovate a room in your house, it is likely that you have pondered upon getting wood flooring for at least one of your rooms. I can even say for myself that it is undeniable for wooden floors to have that timeless elegance, and a classy warm feel which certainly defines a home. Installing a hardwood floor is not all that complicated, but there are a few things you need to know.

Hardwood, one of three basic wood flooring, is simply defined as a solid wood, with no additional materials added to it. It comes in either unfinished or prefinished, but I would suggest having a prefinished hardwood since it is readily usable right after installation. In comparison, unfinished hardwood needs immediate sanding, staining, and sealing after installation. Although prefinished hardwood is slightly more expensive than an unfinished one, it would strike as a more reliable and convenient choice.
Upon choosing your hardwood, please pay attention to the Janka hardness rating scale, which is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear, and what wood species you see fit for your home and budget. I have been cautious on hardwood flooring since it cannot be installed in wet or moist areas. So you can’t expect to have a bathroom or basement with wooden flooring. But one great advantage I can attest to you about hardwood flooring is that you can re-sand it again and again. Doing so, you would be restoring its natural beauty and extending its life much longer.

I recommend that you check the prefinished hardwood before purchasing by:

• Staying between 2 ¼ inch and 3 ¼ sizes
• Checking if the wood is well-milled and smooth
• Testing if the wood strips fit perfectly together, especially the side edges
• Check your sub floor, where you will install the hardwood, is flat and leveled.
• Check the finishing if it is scratch resistant.

A common test for wood finishing is to scrub it with an extra fine steel wool. I’m sure from where you’ll be buying your hardwood, there would be some cut off samples for you to test on. Aluminum oxide conversion and Polynium finishes are the best finishes that would resists the scrubbing of an extra fine steel wool. Remember, this wooden flooring will be exposed to everyday use, and scratches. After years of use, you might want to remove those dents and scratches by sanding and refinishing it.

If you have come to your choice and decided to buy the prefinished hardwood, I suggest you store them in the room where you will be installing it at least 2 weeks before the actual installment. This would expose the wood and give it a chance to contract or expand according to its humidity and temperature.

Okay, now let’s go through the installation step by step.

1. If you are replacing an old floor, make sure you strip it down the subfloor. The wooden floor boards you’re going to install should be cross perpendicular to the joists of the sub floor. Also remember that some walls may not be straight, note this carefully when installing the first few floor boards.
2. Now create a guide line across your sub floor. You can use a chalk to mark this line. Then measure the distance from the wall of one floor board and 1/4 inch expansion room.
3. Lay down the longest wooden floor board you have. This will be a basis for the other boards, so this has to be straight. Use a face nail and then angle nail for the first few boards you install.
4. As you continue on installing the other boards, check your work by using a square to verify your reference point.

Since you are installing a prefinished hardwood floor, you won’t have to go through sanding or sealing it. I’m sure the effort is pretty much well worth it because having a fine wooden floor gives your home strength and reliability.

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