Do you know everything that you should about wood flooring and installation? You might think that you do, especially if you watch enough home improvement shows. However, you probably don’t know everything. We’ll go over everything that you need to know about wood flooring here.
What Is Wood Flooring?
This type of flooring is made out of wood (obviously). It is manufactured from trees that are grown in special sections of woodlands and then harvested. People all over the world prefer wood flooring because it is versatile, easy to refinish, and can last for a very long time. Most wood flooring is of the plank variety, but some consist of a single, very large piece of wood. These are called solid wooden floors.
What You Need To Know About the Installation Process
One thing that you need to remember while refreshing your memory on the wood flooring and installation process is that fact that wood tends to move around. You can’t just lay it on top of your subfloor and hope that it will stay in place. Instead, you need to fasten it to the subfloor. This will keep the planks in place for years to come. With that said, you also need to leave some space at the edges of your floors, where the boards meet the walls, to allow for expansion and contraction. The wood will swell in the summer when it’s humid and contract in cooler weather. If you don’t build in these expansion joints, then your wood floors will crack and buckle.
How to Install Your Wood Floors
You also must know the right ways to install those boards. You have two choices here – you can either lay the boards so that they are parallel to your floor joists, or perpendicular to them. You might want to consult with an installation expert to ensure that you are doing this in the right way.
Allow the Wood to Acclimate
Before you can start installing the boards, you need to let the wood acclimate. This means that it has to adjust to the environmental conditions in your home. In order to do this properly, bring in the wood while it is still in its boxes. Place them on the floor of the rooms that you are going to install it in, and then let it sit for 48 hours. After this time, the wood will be ready to install.
Begin and Then Complete the Installation Process
Always start installing your wood floors on one side of the room, preferably the one furthest from the door. Work your way outwards, trimming the boards as necessary. You should place one board on the subfloor (which should be properly prepped, no matter what it consists of) and then nail it into place. Then, move on to the next one. Don’t rush through the process. Instead, take your time. A rushed job may not turn out correctly. You do want your installation to go smoothly!
