can we put them down even if there is small humbs on the floor? we now have carpet. & can we put it down ourselfs? how hard is ti to do?
2006-09-08 01:27:11 · 5 answers · asked by chevytrk1232000@yahoo.com 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Hardwood floors are like eveything else.....very easy to do if you read about it for 30 minutes.
I would advise spending the extra money and getting solid 3/4" T&G (find at lumber liquidators) You will need a Hardwood flooring gun (you can rent these at any home improvement store) Its a 45 degree gun that runs nails perfectly flush into the tongue. You hit the end of it with a hammer to drive the nails (its a pneumatic tool (need an air supply at about 70psi.
You will need to put down a 15# or 30# roofing felt underlayment. If there are any humps in your floor, stack up the underlayment in those areas to fill the voids.
Try this: go to Bob Villa's website....there are about 10 videos on installing hardwood floors. Also try the DIY network.
2006-09-08 15:39:06 · answer #1 · answered by rheins2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can also get hardwood flooring in tongue-and-groove sections that snap into place. It's very easy to lay it yourself. We did hardwood in our dining room, which doesn't get a lot of use, and laminate in the kitchen. Laminate (i.e. Pergo) is better for high use areas and easier to clean.
Subfloor is not smooth to begin with. You don't have to worry about small bumps, since the new flooring will work as a system and "float" over the subfloor. If your subfloor is very rough and bumpy, you will want to replace it beforehand. Otherwise your new hardwood won't lay flat.
Any home center like Lowe's or Home Depot will have step-by-step instructions on how to put in the floor. You will save at least 50% on overall cost doing it yourself.
2006-09-08 01:49:37 · answer #2 · answered by Doe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to get the existing floor smooth. It doesn't have to be great but noticeable bumps will be a problem.
After that try laminate flooring. It goes down as prefinished strips and doesn't need nailing or gluing. It looks like standard hardwood and comes in a bunch of wood colors at a fraction of the regular flooring price. You could do a room with it in a day or so.
2006-09-08 01:37:45 · answer #3 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not familiar with the term humbs, but it sounds like you need someone to at least help you putting new wood floors down. It's a big investment, so I wouldn't risk doing it yourself. I would visit Lowe's or Home Depot and ask their flooring specialist about any special challenges you have. If you look into local newspaper ads advertising handyman...get at least three quotes and ask for references. Good Luck!
2006-09-08 01:43:30 · answer #4 · answered by gardenpartygirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how small are the humps? If they're there due to settling, I'd level the floor first. Otherwise, can you beat them out? It's not very hard, especially if you get the prefinished kind. Get a simple book with pictures to get you started. The main thing is just getting the floor level, and then having a good plumb line for your first board. The rest is common sense. Good luck.
2006-09-08 04:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by belle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋