I would like to install hardwood in my house? Any suggestions, precautions I should be aware of?

Answer 1

Don't do it yourself. Hire someone to install it for you. There is so much that goes into installing a hardwood floor that you must have experience to know, so you don't make simple mistakes that could ruin the job.

Also, don't scrimp on the materials. Get a solid hardwood plank instead of engineered flooring. Engineered flooring has a total thickness of about 1/2 inch and a wear layer of about 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Solid wood planks at 3/4 inch have a wear surface of 1/4 inch. So, they can be refinished many more times than engineered floors and virtually last a lifetime.

Also, consider having the planks installed unfinished, and then sanded and finished. If there are any gaps or cracks between planks, the sanding and subsequent application of sealant will fill the cracks, making them more moisture-resistant than prefinished planks. You also get to choose exactly what color the stain will be instead of choosing from what's available.

If you're installing these floors on a wood subfloor, remove all previous flooring down to the subfloor. Then walk the floor looking for squeaks. If you find squeaks, run a coupla-few deck screws through the subfloor and into the floor joists to stop the squeaking.

Also, have the installers set about a 30# felt tarpaper before installing the planks. This provides a moisture barrier, slight cusioning, and sound dampening.

Choose an installer before you buy the flooring and ask about quarter-sawn planks. These have a different look from standard cut planks and you can get a truly random look by going with about 50% regular cut planks and 50% quarter-sawn.

A wood floor is an investment where you should not take any shortcuts. You don't want to replace it any time soon - if ever - and what you do up front will make a huge difference in how long it will last. Spending a couple thousand more now will save you tens of thousands over the lifetime of the floor.

Figure that good unfinished planks (3/4 inch red oak, 3-1/2 inch wide) are about $3.50 a square foot, $4 a square foot for quarter-sawn. Installation should be $2 to $2.50 a square foot. And, refinishing should be about $4 to $4.50 a square foot. So, you can have beautiful hardwood floors in the color you want that will last a lifetime for about $10 a square foot.

Or, you can do it yourself for about $4-$5 a square foot and never really be satisfied with the work. And, they probably won't last more than 15 years or so.

Answer 2

Check with the building office in your area first to see if you'll need a permit. Other than that, be prepared for 1) The cost of the wood as it can get spendy. 2) Make sure the sub-flooring is sound. If not, then replace it with good water(bathroom type preferred) proof plywood. 3) If it's REAL hard-wood, then get a good 1/2 sheet & 1/4 sheet & a mouse(black and decker) sanders. A good shop vacuum and some tack cloth too. Then get at least two gallons of water-based sanding sealer, three gallons of semi-gloss polyurethane finish and a lot of time and patience to make it look marvelous!

Answer 3

Yes, get someone with experience, and a solid reputation (references) to install it. Unbundle the planks and let the wood acclimate to the home environment for a minimum of 3 weeks prior to installation.

Do not rent a cheap sander and do it yourself unless you don't mind the look of swirls and dish outs.