DIY Home Projects
Install Hardwood Flooring


BLACK+DECKER B+D Contributor 120 Projects
Tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring has always been popular with homeowners. It offers an attractive look, is one of the longest lasting floor coverings, and can be stripped and refinished to look like new. Oak has been the most common type of strip flooring because of its durability and wood graining, and it’s the species most people think of when hardwood is mentioned. Other woods, such as maple, cherry, and birch, are also becoming popular. Exotic species of wood from around the world are now finding their way into American homes as people want a premium strip or plank floor that is unique and stylish, and expresses their personalities. The more than sixty exotic hardwoods include Brazilian cherry, Australian cypress, Honduran mahogany, tobacco wood, teak, zebrawood, and bamboo—which is not really wood but a type of grass. This section describes how to install nailed down tongue-and-groove flooring, how to install a decorative medallion, and how to install tongue-and-groove strip flooring over troweled-on adhesive. Customizing your floor with borders, accents, and medallions is easier than you may think. A number of manufacturers produce a variety of decorative options made to match the thickness of your floor.