Wood is natural timber! This is the first thing to consider long before the installation process begins. Hardwood needs some time to adapt to the new environment in terms of temperatures and moisture level.
This is one of the most vital things during installation and the reason why our hardwood floor contractor always match the humidity levels and overall temperatures of your place with the humidity and temperatures of wood.
If the contractor misses this critical step, your new wood floor will just expand or shrink with the smallest climatic change in the environment.
Our professionalism doesn’t let us make such mistakes. On the contrary, we consider the needs of the wood you have chosen and the special conditions at your property and make the perfect mix and match.
• Step 1 – Get the floor ready
• Once furniture is removed, the floor is cleaned and often removed. We remove carpets, for example, and often the existing baseboards. The floor underneath hardwood must be leveled and that’s why we level down high spots and filling with compounds low parts.
• Step 2 – Installation of Underlayment and / or Moisture Barrier
• The most important thing is controlling moisture and this is why we often use moisture barriers, especially if there is concrete on the floor. Our professionals check thoroughly the floor for the levels of moisture in order to follow the right installation procedure. We often install plywood or fix the existing one before hardwood installation and also place underlayment.
• Step 3 – Hardwood Installation
• Depending on the subfloor, hardwood will be installed in different ways.Wood is often glued on concrete and nailed on plywood although some timber comes in tongue and groove design.
• Step 4 – Installation of Transitions and Baseboards
Before we clean the entire new hardwood floor, we make sure the baseboards are installed and also transitions.
To make sure your hardwood floor stays undamaged and looking nice, being proactive about stopping any potential problems is the best way to go. Here some other simple tips to follow.
• Place mats and rugs in areas with lots of traffic and by any doors that lead outside. Doing this eliminates the risk of wearing down the floor over time. Make sure, however, that whatever you put down is made of a breathable material. If not, the mat can actually capture moisture beneath it and damage the wood.
• Place rubber stoppers under any furniture with narrow points or legs, such a couches and bookcases. Attempting to move a heavy couch can badly scratch the wood, but by placing stoppers underneath the points of contact with the floor, your floor will be in the clear.
• Do not use anything with ammonia in it to clean your wood floors. Stay away from wax based products, acrylic finishes, detergents, bleaches, polishes, oil soaps, and vinegar. Instead, just go to a hardware store and pick up some hardwood cleaning solution, spray it on a dust mop and give the floor a once over. Do this regularly to avoid accumulation of dust and dirt.
• Do not sand engineered floors. If you have a solid hardwood floor, go ahead and sand it as many times as you want, but make sure it’s not an Engineered floor first.
Engineered wood floors only have a thin layer of real wood on the top. The rest is plywood or fiberboard. Sanding your engineered floor will permanently damage it.
Step 1 Remove the Damaged Boards
Tools you will need to get the hardwood repair done: Circular Saw, Hammer, Cat’s Paw/Trim Pry Bar, Wood Chisel, Multi-Tool, Brad Nailer:
Pet stains or worn out boards will need to be replaces when they are beyond saving. First find the boards you will complete replace it.
• Mark the Boards – I mark the specific boards I will be removing very clearly along their entire length so there are no mistakes.
• Determine Thickness – You need to find out how thick they are (this is important!). You need to know how thick the boards are so you can set the depth of the cut on you circular saw properly. Most old wood floors are between 1/2″ and 1″. The best place to find the depth is to remove a floor heat register or pull up a threshold. The threshold is less fun.
• Set Saw Depth – Once you know the thickness of your flooring, set your circular saw to just a hair deeper than the thickness of the flooring (about 1/32″).
• Cut 2 Lines – Make 2 parallel plunge cuts into the floor board
along its length with the circular saw. Start and finish as close as you can to the ends without crossing into the next board. You’ll essentially be cutting the board into three slimmer boards. One piece will have the tongue, one piece the groove, and the middle piece will be free floating.
• Finish Cut With Multi-Tool – To finish the cut you need a multitool or chisel. Cut the small amount of wood remaining to the end of the board so that all three pieces of the board are completely independent of each other.
• Remove the Pieces – The middle piece should come out easily with a pry bar or even your fingers. The groove side will likely need a bit more coaxing with your pry bar. The tongue side will have been nailed down and so you’ll need to use the cat’s paw the either dig out the nails or simply tear the remaining piece out. This side usually breaks a few times on it’s way out.
• Clean Up – Vacuum out all the saw dust and make sure the tongue and groove of the remaining boards are clear of any remaining wood and in good shape.
Step 2 Install the replacement boards:
Cleaned up and free of any damaged boards next you will need to patch the floor with your replacement boards. (Find the exact thickness of the hardwood floor) Here is how to get a board into place properly.
• Measure & Cut to Length – Measure the length you need to replace and cut your replacement to size. It will need to be tight so if anything don’t cut it short. Cut it long and sneak up on it if you must.
To replace just a few boards:
• Remove the Groove – You’ll need to remove the bottom half of the groove on your replacement board. I usually use a table saw to cut it off cleanly, but a wood chisel or hand plane will work fine. It doesn’t have to be pretty, just don’t hurt the top of the board.
This is only to be done if you are replacing just a few boards. For larger sections see the instructions in the following section.
• Insert Tongue Side First – Insert the replacement piece tongue side first into the existing flooring.
It will require some force to get it into place, but don’t be too aggressive. Sometime a piece of scrap lumber can be used as a beater board so you can gently hammer the piece in place with scarring the surface.
• Face Nail in Place – Once the board is seated properly and flush with the existing floor you can nail it in place. I put two 1 1/2″ brads on each end and then every 16-24″ alternating sides.
Keep in mind that since we removed the bottom half of the groove, the only thing holding that side down in the nail. So you may need a couple more nails on the groove side if
Remove quarter round or baseboard, Take the underlayment and over the length of the room and cut to its size.
(Special note: plastic side down when laying the foam mat in place, tape the seams for a watertight seal)
Laminate may be laid in the full board in place and measure for when the cuts need to be made. Use a miter saw to make the cuts. (Caution, please use safety equipment suchas safety goggles, gloves and distractions or any on falling or tripping)
Laminate first raw in from the wall (note each product requires expansion space use spacers)
Laminate second row by interlocking the click locking system and using a wood board and a laminate wood mallet tap the floors in place, also for stability and for the right look start the second row of next plank with a half to third piece to give it more throughout look
Laminate third row and on with a stagger pattern
Finish Laminate with the right transition to finish the project (special note for do it yourselfers this is the are to take caution and order the right transition)
Gluedown Floors
Remove quarter round or baseboard.