• Estimate and order the materials you need. • Prepare the subfloor and fasten asphalt-laminated kraft paper flooring underlayment to it. • Deliver the materials to the site and allow them to acclimate to the room’s humidity. • Layout and mark the placement of flooring. Uh-60m Upgrade Program. • Attach the first flooring row to the subfloor. • Cut and fasten successive flooring strips.

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• Rip the final row of flooring and fasten it in place. • Sand and finish the floor (unfinished solid flooring only). Engineered vs. Solid Wood Flooring As discussed in the, the two main types of hardwood flooring—solid and engineered—differ significantly. A third type, laminate flooring, isn’t really wood—it’s a picture of wood glued onto a composite core; this is not the type we’re discussing here. For more about this, see.

Engineered wood flooring is often thinner than solid wood flooring. It is manufactured with a thin surface layer of hardwood and a core that’s more like plywood. If you intend to install the floor yourself, engineered-wood flooring is usually the best bet because it is pre-finished, eliminating the need for sanding and finishing the floor, which dramatically simplifies the job. In addition, because engineered-wood flooring is made from layers of wood sandwiched and bonded together, it is more stable than solid wood and resistant to changes caused by extreme temperatures and humidity. Engineered flooring, at best, can only be sanded and refinished once or twice because its finish layer is very thin (from 1/16″ to 3/16″). Engineered-wood flooring (or other flooring materials, such as tile or vinyl) may be installed above or below grade. HomeTips Pro Tip: Floor sanding is incredibly dusty work, and a drum sander can leave visible marks and ridges on the floor. If you are not experienced at this job, strongly consider installing a prefinished engineered-wood floor. Bathrooms and kitchens are another story.

Though moisture is present in both areas, you can protect the surface of a solid-wood floor with a sturdy, protective finish. For more comparisons, see. Preparing for Hardwood Flooring Because installing hardwood flooring is usually a major, expensive home improvement, it pays to ensure a quality, durable result. The key is proper preparation. This video is helpful for gathering the tools and materials you’ll need—including estimating the amount of flooring you will need. It also shows how to prepare a carpeted, suspended wood floor.

Solidworks 2014 Activator Only here. New wood flooring should be laid on a clean, smooth, level, structurally sound base. Depending on the particular flooring, this base may be a previous floor covering, an existing wood floor in good condition, a new plywood subfloor, or even a moisture-proofed concrete slab. By installing wood over an existing floor, you bypass the messy job of removing the old flooring, and you gain instant soundproofing and insulation from the old floor. A disadvantage to leaving old flooring in place is that you must correct any irregularities in it. Also, the new floor will raise the flooring level, making the transition to a hallway or an adjoining room awkward. Removing Doors and Base Molding Whether or not you’re installing over old flooring, the first step in preparing floors for hardwood is to remove doors and base shoe molding (remove baseboards only if there is no shoe molding). Number the molding pieces so you can easily replace them when you’re finished.

Make sure that the use and conditions of the room won’t have a negative impact on the flooring during installation. Too much foot traffic on a new floor or excessive temperature or humidity swings can diminish the quality of—and sometimes even ruin—wood flooring. Proper preparation techniques depend upon the type of flooring you’re installing and the conditions of the base that will be beneath it. Preparing Subfloor for Hardwood Flooring Most wood flooring goes on a typical raised, wood-framed subfloor that is surfaced with plywood or OSB (oriented-strand board) subflooring panels.

The subfloor must be clean, dry, flat, structurally sound, squeak-free, and clear of any surface bumps or fasteners. Use a long, straight board and a carpenter’s level to check for any dips or rises. Sand down bumps and fill dips with leveling compound. Reseat any raised fasteners and screw down any squeaky spots using 1 1/2-inch screws. To prevent ground moisture humidity from rising up into the room and negatively affecting the flooring, the crawlspace beneath a raised floor should be at least 18 inches high and properly vented with 1.5 square feet of vent area for every 100 square feet of crawlspace. Cover the entire ground area with 6-mil black polyethylene, overlapping the sheets and then taping them together. Extend the material 6 inches up the concrete foundation walls and tape it in place.