Install Hardwood Flooring

How to Install Hardwood Strip Flooring

1. 1 Cover Subfloor with Rosin Paper

   

   Staple the paper to the subfloor, overlapping edges by 4". Cut the paper with a utility knife to butt against the walls.

2. 2 Mark + Nail 8d Finish Nails

   

   Make a mark on the floor 1⁄2" from the starter wall at both ends of the wall. Snap a chalk line between the marks. Nail 8d finish nails every 2" to 3" along the chalk line to mark the location for your first row.

3. 3 Dry Run - Lay Out Flooring

   

   Lay out the first 8 rows of flooring in a dry run with the groove side facing the wall. Make sure the first row of boards is straight. Arrange the boards to get a good color and grain mix. Offset the ends by at least 6".

4. 4 Place Starter Row Against Nails on Chalk Line

   

   Drill pilot holes in the flooring every 6" to 8", about 1⁄2" from the groove edge. Face nail the first row until the nail heads are just above the boards, then sink them using a nail set. (Be careful not to hit the boards with your hammer or you’ll mark the surface.)

5. 5 Drill Pilot Holes at a 45° Angle

   

   Drill pilot holes every 6" to 8" directly above the tongue, keeping the drill at a 45° angle.

6. 6 Installing Crooked Boards Optional

   

   TIP: To install crooked boards, drill pilot holes above the tongue and insert nails. Fasten a scrap board to the subfloor using screws. Force the floor board straight using a pry bar and a scrap board placed in front of the flooring. With pressure on the floor board, blind nail it into place.

7. 7 Blind Nail a Nail into Each Pilot Hole

   

   Keep the nail heads 1⁄2" out, then set them just below the surface, using a nail set.

8. 8 Set Second Row of Boards in Place

   

   Set the second row of boards in place against the starter row, fitting together the tongue and groove connections. Use a scrap board and wood mallet to tap the floor boards together. Drill pilot holes and blind nail the boards. Do this for the next few rows.

9. 9 Place Tongue + Groove Joints Together

   

   To install the last board in a row, place the tongue and groove joints together, then place a flooring pull bar over the end of the board. Hit the end of the pull bar with a hammer until the board slides into place. Stay 1⁄2" away from the walls.

10. 10 Use Power Nailer after Several Rows of Installation

    

    Once you have several rows installed and have enough room, use a power nailer. Place the nailer lip over the edge of the board and strike it with a mallet. Drive a nail 2" from the end of each board and about every 8" in the field. Keep a few rows of flooring laid out ahead of you as you work, and keep the joints staggered.

11. 11 Drill Pilot Holes + Blind Nail Boards

    

    When you’re out of room for the power nailer, drill pilot holes and blind nail the boards. For the last rows, drill pilot holes in the top of the boards, 1⁄2" from the tongue, and face nail them. The last row may need to be ripped to size. Pull the last row into place using the flooring pull bar, leaving a 1⁄2" gap along the wall. Drill pilot holes and face nail.

12. 12 Install Reducer Strip/Transition Strip

    

    Install a reducer strip or transition strip between the wood floor and an adjoining room. Cut the strip to size. Fit the strip’s groove over the floor board’s tongue, then drill pilot holes and face nail. Set the nails with a nail set. Fill all visible nail holes with wood putty.

13. 13 Installing Around an Object Optional

    

    TIP: To install around an object, cut a notch in the board. For larger obstacles, cut 45° miters in boards so grooves face away from the object. Rip tongues off the boards. Set the boards against the object and flooring, fitting mitered ends together. Drill pilot holes and face nail in place. Apply silicone caulk between the floor and board edge.

14. 14 Reverse Direction of Doorway Tongue + Groove Optional

    

    TIP: To reverse directions of the tongue and groove for doorways, glue a spline into the groove of the board. Fit the groove of the next board onto the spline, then nail the board in place.