Understand the Flooring Installation Process: How It Works

Preparations

Before you can begin the installation process, there are some preparations that you should make. There are some tools that you'll need, as well as certain conditions that the room should meet in order to properly layout your floor. Here are some preparations that you should make before beginning the hardwood floor installation process.

Tools to Have

There are some tools that you need for the flooring installation. These tools include:

• Hand saw
• Pencils
• Measuring Tape
• Wood to concrete glue for concrete subfloor
• Flooring nailer for wooden subfloor 

There are a few additional tools that you can use to make the job easier. These include, but are not limited to:

• Knee pads to avoid injury
• Moisture meter for wet or humid climates
• Electric chop saw in place of a hand saw
• Jigsaw

These additional tools will make it easier to avoid injuries caused by the flooring installation process and prevent mistakes while installing the flooring.

Site Conditions

If you aren't careful during the preparation process, you may leave yourself open to disasters while you install your flooring. Before you begin laying out the flooring, you should inspect the room itself to ensure it meets specific conditions. These conditions may depend on the type of flooring you are installing.

Wood flooring has a tendency to absorb moisture from its surroundings, making it warp and crack over time. This means that certain homes may not be adequate for wooden flooring. Take your moisture meter into the room and gauge how much humidity is in the air; once you determine that, you can decide whether or not to move forward with the installation process.

If the humidity is high but you still want to install wooden flooring, you may want to purchase a dehumidifier for the room. You should use proper maintenance strategies in order to avoid a need for repairs later on. 



You should also make sure that the subfloor is clean of debris and dust before preparing to install the new flooring. If it isn't clean, your wood flooring may break down over time.

Inspecting the Flooring

Once you've examined the room, you should inspect your new wooden floorboards. You'll want to be sure that the quality of the wood, finish, and the grating is what you purchased before the installation process. Otherwise, you may have to deal with an unnecessary and expensive removal process later on.



There is no one perfect wood flooring for every situation, so make sure it is to your specific liking. If you doubt the quality of the wood, you can always have it checked over by a professional. 

Acclimation

Acclimating your wood floor to your home's environment is important. This will help the wood adjust to the humidity levels in your home, which may help prevent damage later on. Without this acclimatization phase, your hardwood floor may shrink or warp after installation, meaning you'll need to spend money on repairs after.



Store the wood in packages in the installation room for at least 7 days to allow it for acclimation. Make sure that the boards are separated sufficiently between boxes to allow for airflow between the wood. 

Set Aside Time

Something that many people struggle with when it comes to floor installation is setting aside too little time for the project. They don't account for necessary acclimation time or underestimate how long the installation process will take. This lack of time will make you more likely to make mistakes during the installation.



Make sure that you have an appropriate amount of time set aside for your flooring installation. This will hopefully prevent unnecessary mistakes later on.

Flooring Installation Process

Once you've finished your prep work and feel ready to install your flooring, you can begin laying out your wooden boards. Here are some tips to help this process go smoothly.

Laying the Flooring

Layout the floor in the pattern that you want it before actively installing it onto the subfloor. You want to account for any measuring mistakes early on so that you can trim when needed; otherwise, you may have improper lengths of wood for the job.

Note that your wood flooring may change shape slightly as it acclimates. It may grow or shrink slightly after the acclimation process due to the humidity in the air. If necessary, you may choose to trim down the boards if the layout seems incorrect.

Take extra care while placing and installing the first row of flooring. This row will set the scale for each row after, making it important to get it right the first time.



If you have any doubts while laying the flooring, you should contact a flooring expert for assistance. This will prevent expensive repairs later on.

Install Your Beautiful New Floor Today

Now that you understand the flooring installation process, you can get to work installing your beautiful new wooden floor! Set plenty of time aside to make sure that your wood flooring installation goes smoothly, and when in doubt, don't be afraid to call in an expert for help.

Do you need help with your wood floor installation but don't know where to go?

We're here to help. Contact us today at Eagle Flooring West with any questions or concerns you have about wood floor installation and continue reading our blog for more information.