Learn How To Install Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors are among the top amenities that home buyers look for when buying a new house. They are fashionable, easy to maintain and offer a rustic appearance. Having your newly bought hardwood flooring installed doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg and this brief guide will show you how to install hardwood floors on your own.
Step 1: Clean up the surface and get everything in place
Use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to get rid of any dust or dirt. Remove any furniture that may be in the way. If there are any water or gas pipes close to the floor, you will want to hire a licensed plumber to move your stove, sink or dishwasher. The flooring packages should be left open for about two to three days to adjust to the room temperature.
Step 2: Measure the room and mark down where the tiles should be
There is no need to jot down the exact position of each plank, but some rough guidelines should be used. You can, for example, a pencil to mark the position of each row.
Step 3: Place the planks
Start off in one corner of the room and apply tiles so that they are parallel to one of the floor joists. It may be that the corners of your room aren’t perfectly square, so you will have to cut some smaller triangular or trapezoidal pieces to fill in the gaps. Arrange the tiles so that the uneven edges are covered by furniture or other appliances.
Don’t overuse the glue. If this is your first time, you may want to watch a video on how to install hardwood floors to get a rough idea about how much you are supposed to use. You will have many tiles to install and the least you will want is to rush to rush to the store halfway though the job to get more glue.
Step 4: Clean up before taking a break
If you used glue to install your hardwood flooring, make sure you clean the tiles before it dries. Use a soft cloth and wipe gently. Only dip it on clear water, if needed, and don’t use any detergent because it may damage the wood. If water doesn’t suffice, you may use organic solvents like spirits or thinner. Depending on the size of your room and how long the whole process takes, you may want to clean up after, let’s say, you install a row.
If the procedure shown in this short tutorial on how to install hardwood floors seems too difficult to follow, you can always hire a professional to do it for you. Be prepared to spend something in the range of $60 an hour. You can do some of the above steps on your own to lower the bill – like the cleaning up, before and after the process, or removing furniture and obstacles.