Installing a Hardwood Floor
Part 1 - Preparation

A word of caution before we begin our instructions. Tools aren’t the only requirement for this project. You should have moderate to advanced carpentry experience in order to take on this type of installation. Hardwood flooring is in essence carpentry on the floor. So, while it is a very rewarding project, it is not for the faint of heart.

For the do-it-yourselfer, pre-finished hardwood flooring is the easiest and quickest way to go. Pre-finished hardwood flooring has beveled edges where the strips or planks meet to hide any slight imperfections of the cutting and finishing process of the flooring. So, let’s get started.

First, let’s gather our tools and materials:

1. Hardwood flooring
2. Staple gun
3. Vapor barrier paper (15 pound tar paper of felt is optimal)
4. Variable speed drill and assorted drill bits
5. Hammer
6. Chalk line
7. Tape measure
8. Pry bar
9. Pneumatic Flooring Package (air compressor and hose, gun, mallet and staples)
   Note: This package can be rented at most rental centers. Make sure you get the correct staples for the gun. The staples may look alike, but it is important to get the proper gauge that fits the gun.
10. Chop saw
11. Table saw
12. Nail set
13. Hardwood flooring wood putty (make sure it matches your flooring)
14. Earplugs and safety goggles

Now that we have our tools and materials, let’s get to the preparation:

1. To get the square footage, measure the width and length of the room and multiply. Make sure you allow 10-15 percent for boards that may have damage and for cutting mistakes during installation.
2. Next, inspect the sub-floor. You must have a minimum ¾” plywood sub-floor to ensure proper installation. Also, if there are any squeaks in the sub-floor, screw a long drywall screw into the sub-floor and joist below where you find the squeak.
3. Then remove shoe moldings, and if necessary, the baseboards from the room and clean thoroughly.
4. Begin rolling out strips of the vapor barrier paper. Allow a minimum of 4” overlap and make sure the paper is stapled securely to the sub-floor.
5. Last, mark along the baseboards with a pencil where the joists are located. This is important as you flooring should be installed perpendicular to the joists below.

Tip: To help visualize the lengths, colors and wood grain of your flooring, lay out a box of the boards ahead of time. You never want ends of boards in adjacent rows to line up with each other. A good rule of thumb is to keep the lengths random and at least 6” in length.

In Part 2 will get down to the actual hardwood flooring installation process.