22 Aug Installing hardwood flooring
Although most of our customers take advantage of our professional installation services, at ACCL we understand that some people want to go the do-it-yourself route. Here are a few tips on installing a hardwood floor.
If your haven’t done your research on how to properly handle hardwood flooring, including acclimation and moisture testing, let a professional handle this project.
The subfloor needs to be properly prepared, clean, flat, free of squeaks, well screwed down and rigid enough for the hardwood you’ve chosen.
If the subfloor is not uniform, the hardwood flooring will not be either. Hardwood flooring must be installed perpendicular to the floor joists or on a diagonal for any single layer subfloor.
Select your starting point based on the most important element in the room and for this you need to consider stairways, hallways, fireplaces, cabinets, adjoining floors, transitions and the squareness of the room.
The longest, unbroken wall is usually the best starting point. Experts suggest starting in the centre of the room to reduce the pressure of the floor, so it won’t all be pushing in one direction.
If your choose to use a pneumatic nailer/stapler, the air pressure must be set so the fastener doesn’t drive in too deep and crack the tongue.
Check your straightness with a string or laser as you go along.
Never glue the last rows to the subfloor because this prevents hardwood floor from expanding.
Hardwood flooring is an investment you want to protect and a level of skill is necessary to properly install it. ACCL takes care of everything and the flooring and the installation are both under warrantee.
If the project is beyond your comfort level, an expert ACCL carpenter can offer his skills to make your dream backyard a reality. Visit us at www.acclgroup.com or check us out on Facebook.com.
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