Wood floors give a distinct look to the house and set the stage for everything else around it. It looks more beautiful and makes the entire house more attractivel, and hence represents a better investment. Wood floors are more durable and easy to clean, plus they come in different colors and the planks come in different sizes.
You can even get custom made planks too or you can cut them to the length you may want. Every time you polish the floor it looks spanking new! The one disadvantage of wood is that you cannot leave wood for a long period of time in contact with water as it expands and contracts when it comes in touch with moisture. It might rot and is not reversible.
When buying the flooring, buy a pre-finished type so it is easy — it comes sanded and finished, alternatively you can buy laminated floorings, they are also easy to install and can be done without a contractor. Laminated floorings are less expensive so they can be renovated every few years if needed then Pre-finished floorings and easy to maintain.
Here is the procedure to install hardwood floors if you do not want professional help:-
Clean the flooring base, make it smooth and sound before you start laying the flooring. It might sound strange but buy the flooring and let them cure in your house, so they get used to the humidity levels in the house. Make all markings on the wall for reference. Cover the floor with 15-pound asphalt felt to provide moisture protection with a staple gun.
With a chalk highlight the first row of flooring. Leave around ½ inch gap between the floor and the wall. The baseboard or base shoe molding will cover it towards the end.
Start with the widest plank for the first row from one side of the room. Drill holes for 1 ½ inch nails towards the base shoe/ baseboard. Put the face- nail through the plywood in the first row. Use the nail set to recess the nail below.
Nail the first row with the next two rows by hand. Drill more holes at 45 degree angle, centered on each joist towards the ends and every 10″ towards the length. Clip with 1/12 inch nails with a nail set. Be careful because many a times you might scratch the wood while nailing.
Start installing the rows one after the other; tighten the new row with the previous row before nailing them together. Leave at least 6 inches between the two adjacent end joints.
Always leave some crack between the planks for expansion so the wood can breathe.
If you are covering a large are of the floor use a floor nailer after you have installed the first three rows. Staple each joist into the subfloor but be careful not to scratch or damage the floor.
Use a block and a bar to wedge the last board in its position. Again drill holes and face the nails where the base shoe/ baseboard is and make references on the wall set the nail heads below with a hammer and nail set. And at the end re-install the baseboard molding so one cannot see the nails and it looks clean and beautiful. Clean swipe the floor then you can see if any nail is hanging out or any row is not done right. The wood floor is as strong as any other floor but can also crack and damage. Proper care has to be taken as the wood is expensive, make sure that the proper cleaning material is always used. I prefer using laminated floor to the pre-finished floor as it is cheap and easy to maintain, and remember to always consider the costs (and time!) of doing it yourself versus hiring a professional contractor.
