Hardwood Floor Installation is as Easy as 1, 2, 3

A nice hardwood floor installation can be a beautiful addition to your home, whether you're making any other changes to the house or not. You'll find that your friends remark on how incredible hardwood floors make your home look. When you opt to use hardwood flooring in your home, you can either install it yourself or enlist the help of a carpenter. Hardwood floors installation is really not very difficult. If you enjoy doing things yourself, you should have no problem. Here are a few tips for your hardwood floor installation.

Make sure that you fully remove all previous floor coverings. This should include the actual carpet and padding, any tacks and nails if you had carpet. If you currently have tile, parquet or other flooring, make sure you remove the flooring itself as well as any adhesive that was used to secure the flooring.

Get rid of your old flooring in the most environmentally friendly way possible. If you can recycle any of the materials, please do. Every little thing counts today. If you are removing existing hardwood flooring and it seems to be in good shape, see if any of your friends or family can use it. Remove all adhesive or nails that were used to hold your old flooring in position, down to the sub flooring.

You may need to treat the sub flooring with something before starting to install your new hardwood floors. Ask a flooring expert where you purchased your hardwood floor what you need to do to treat the sub flooring of your home first. Once you've prepared the sub floor, you're ready to start installing the boards, one by one.

Make sure you've looked at all of the boards you're going to use before you begin installing them. You'll want to use the longest, straightest board in the group as your first board. This will help you keep your new hardwood floor looking consistently straight as you work across the room. You'll want to make sure that you have everything you need with you before you attempt to lay the first board.

If you've forgotten something and are going to have to make another trip to the flooring store, do it before you remove the old floor. Hardwood floor installation is a big job and it's best to attack it and get it all done at once in one fell swoop. Get yourself a large rubber mallet if you don't already have one. You will use this to help get the boards' snugly together.

Snap down a chalk line for your first board. Apply the adhesive if that's what you are using to secure your new hardwood flooring. Lay the first board and tap it into place. Slide the next board in and tap it in so it fits snug against the first board.

Continue this process as you work your way from one side of the floor to the other. Use different sized boards randomly to keep the floor looking professional. Use the mallet to tap the boards in together, every few boards or after laying down each board. Before you know it, you'll be on the other side of the room, laying down the final board. Congratulations on a hardwood floor installation job well done. Now go enjoy your new hardwood flooring.