What is the best installation method for hardwood floors?
Floating – This is the fastest and easiest method of installation. Floating floors are not attached to any subfloor, they simply float above it. Either adhesive is applied to the boards to keep them together, or the boards are made to simply snap together.
Do you nail the tongue or the groove on hardwood flooring?
The correct way to install hardwood flooring planks begins by positioning the first plank in one corner of your room along the longest wall and perpendicular to the floor joists. The groove of the plank should face the wall and the tongue should face outward.
What is the most common method of installing floors?
Nail-Down Flooring
Nail-Down Flooring (with Subfloor) Nail-down flooring is arguably the most common method of flooring installation.
How do you stagger a wooden floor plank?
The basic rule to remember for creating a strong stagger is that all planks should overlap by 6 inches or more. This means that the short joint between planks should be at least 6 inches away from the nearest joint in any adjacent row. This type of stagger will lock the flooring tightly together.
How far apart should you nail hardwood flooring?
Hardwood strips that are on the wider range, four to seven inches in width, will need nails four to six inches apart. Strips that are from three inches to less than four inches in width require nails every six to eight inches. Narrow strips of less than three inches wide need nails every eight to ten inches.
How do you stagger hardwood floors?
Should wood floors be horizontal or vertical?
Wood floors should always be laid perpendicular to floor joists—across rather that in between them. This will make the floors structurally sound and will help prevent the planks from separating, sagging or buckling. So, there is no right or wrong way to lay your wood flooring.
Should I glue or nail hardwood floor?
If you have a concrete subfloor, then you should glue your hardwood down, if you have a wooden subfloor then you can choose either method of installation. However, if you are planning on fitting your hardwood floor to joists, then you will need to secret nail them into place.
Should I remove baseboards when installing hardwood floors?
A: It is not absolutely necessary to remove baseboards to install new hardwoods, but remember that wood floors require an expansion gap of 1/2 inch along the surrounding walls to accommodate expansion and contraction with changes in moisture and humidity.
Which direction do you lay planks?
The most common way to lay hardwood flooring is by aligning the planks parallel to the longest wall. Apart from a few exceptions like sagging joists, this is the preferred direction to lay wood floors because it aesthetically provides the best result.
How far apart should flooring seams be?
Ideally, these joints should be spaced at least three inches apart from the joints of the new row being laid. There may be times when breaking this three-inch rule cannot be avoided and doing so will have little effect on your finished project. Avoid lining the joints up exactly within two or three consecutive rows.