Hardwood Floor Installation Information
Fallen in love with hardwood floors? Ease to clean, durability and sheer beauty have made wood the dominant flooring material.
So, what's involved with hardwood floor installation? Is it a chore or a snap? Well, let's take a look.
While once wood floor boards had to be laid and nailed piece by piece and finished on site, technology has made the process easier. The introduction of quick-installation systems has helped make wood flooring more popular than ever. Many types come pre-finished with shines built to last so you won't have to strip and re-finish your floors every couple years, as they did in the not-to-distant past.
You can buy just about any kind of wood in ready to use form, from the old standbys like maple, oak and cherry, to harder to find exotic varieties. In the interest of the environment, be sure that you are considering wood that comes from a sustainable (environmentally friendly) source.
The most economical option, if you need to install a completely new floor, is to use softwood instead of hardwood and refinish it by painting or staining. Softwood is less expensive but it is not as durable as hardwood and can be easily dented. Because of the “soft” finish, softwood flooring is not advisable for use in high traffic areas.
Your first choice is to decide on the form of wood that you want to use, as this will determine the method of installation. Your choices include engineered board, solid board, or wood tile.
Engineered boards are the most popular choices. They are pre-finished boards that are laid as a floating floor. They are manufactured by fusing a hardwood layer to a softwood base (some have a thin plywood layer at the bottom to improve moisture resistance and stability). They are supplied with “tongue and groove” edges for gluing together. No nails required, thank you very much. Some engineered boards use a click system where the tongues and grooves simply click together. Engineered boards are usually pre-finished and need no further finishing.
Solid wood boards have tongue and groove edges that slot together before the boards are glued or nailed to the sub-floor. If you are laying down solid wood planks that do not have the tongue and groove feature such as with reclaimed wood, you will just glue the boards tightly to the sub-floor. The sub-floor is the flooring underneath the finished floor. Solid boards are often unfinished and you will need to finish them yourself after installation. Solid wood boards are heavier and nailing and laying them down is more difficult than laying a floating floor.
The third choice is wood tile. Wood tiles are thin strips of wood arranged in various patterns that are glued to a square of plywood. To install the tiles, you glue them to a sub-floor. Self stick stiles are also available.
Confused by some of the industry terms? Wondering what a floating floor is? (This term surfaces continually whether you are reading about engineered wood flooring or laminate.) Let's explain:
A resilient layer is sandwiched between the hard wood layer and the structural layer underneath it. The board is held down by its own weight and does not need to be glued or nailed to the sub-floor. A floating floor can be laid straight onto existing boards but a damp-proof membrane and cushioning foam is installed first. You can buy a combined under-lay composed of foam with a waterproof backing. This layer protects your wood layer from moisture and prevents the transmission of impact sound.
What does “click system” mean? The click system is an installation method in which the tongues and grooves on the side of the board are slotted together without gluing and simply click together. The development of these floating floors, with the tongue and groove set up has simplified the installation process and brought the installation of wood into everyone’s reach.
Source: The Flooring Handbook: The Complete Guide to Choosing and Installing Floors
Home Improvement Ideas Blog | Hardwood
Flooring Articles