Home Remodeling Tips

Hardwood flooring installation can be an arduous and sometimes complicated job, but if you feel confident giving it a try, you may potentially end up saving quite a bit of money.  Properly installed hardwoods can last for generations, even under wet and humid conditions, such as in a bathroom.  With a little planning and a step by step guide, as well as plenty of time, hardwood flooring installation can be accomplished without exorbitant professional services.  

Moisture is the number one enemy of hardwood flooring.  Moisture can gradually warp the surface of the wood as it expands and contracts.  This does not mean, however, that hardwood flooring cannot be used in wetter circumstances.  Hardwood flooring simply requires a little preventive care in order to function well under these conditions.  Installing hardwood with an asphalt felt should provide a great degree of protection against rotting and warping of the hardwood.  Take 15 pound asphalt felt, and put it over the subfloor in overlapping sections.  The felt should be secured with a staple gun.

Leave a small space, approximately half an inch, between the asphalt felt and the wall.  A baseboard or base shoe will be secured in these smaller spaces between the flooring and the wall.  The first three boards of the flooring should be placed by hand.  Board lengths are typically random, so segments of the flooring should be set out as a test before nailing down.  When the first boards are placed, the remainder can be set with a flooring nailer.  This will make it easier to do a good job of laying out the flooring.  

When the new flooring results in an uneven surface, you can use a reducer to create a level surface.  When preparing to put down a hardwood floor, be certain to safely store the wood.  Placing the wood outside where it can get damp will lead to warped and cracked flooring that does not fit together.  If the flooring must be stored outdoors, be sure to protect it with a waterproof tarp.  This can prevent any moisture from causing permanent damage.  Do not transport wood flooring in an open bed when weather conditions could give rise to rain or high humidity.

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