2007-10-10 07:49:14 · 3 answers · asked by tmmybrian 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
Unless you're experienced at it, I wouldn't recommend you do it yourself. But, if you insist ...
On a concrete floor, you have to make sure the floor is completely flat (not necessarily level, just flat). If it's not flat (cracking or buckling of the slab), you have to lay down a float of concrete repair compound and smooth it over, as though you were laying new concrete. You then use this stuff called duck glue to glue the floorboards to the concrete.
If you're installing the floor on a wood subfloor, you have to remove all other flooring until you get down to the subfloor (including any existing nails from an old wood floor). If there are any areas that sag when you walk on them or that are rotting, you have to replace those areas with 3/4-inch plywood. If you have any areas that squeak, you have to screw those down in place to stop the squeaking. Once you have the subfloor prepared, set down a layer of about 30# tar paper for moisture resistance. Then you nail the floorboards into the subfloor.
Wood flooring has a tongue-and-groove on each board. The way the nails go in is at the top of the groove and at a 45-degree angle into the board. That way the nails aren't visible when the floor is installed and they don't interfere with the tongue-and-groove mating. Floor installers use a special pneumatic nail gun and nails for this where you place the board, push the gun up to the tongue, and rap the actuator to drive in the nail.
A couple other things you will definitely need are a table saw and a compound miter saw. The table saw is used for cutting the boards lengthwise, and the miter saw is for cutting the ends of the boards or for cutting notches to fit around obstructions.
Absolutely precise measurements and cuts are essential to a good flooring installation. Again, if you don't have the experience, I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. Professional flooring installers get anywhere from $2 to $2.50 a square foot and they are definitely worth it.
2007-10-10 08:12:46 · answer #1 · answered by Paul in San Diego 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Follow these simple techniques on how to install hardwood flooring used by veteran installers: http://www.proconstructionguide.com/how-to-install-hardwood-flooring/
2014-11-07 23:43:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to: http://www.hometips.com/articles/woodfloor.html there is a good step by step tutorial.
Good luck!
2007-10-10 15:13:58 · answer #3 · answered by Vilma S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋