Things You Need to Know Before a Hardwood Floor Installation
- 1). Consult your floor manufacturer's instructions before beginning any work on your hardwood floor installation. These instructions will provide you details such as the type of subfloor that can be used, any need for underlayment and other information.
- 2). Inspect your subfloor to be sure it is one of the approved materials for your hardwood floor installation. Softwood, carpet and in some cases tile must be completely removed before installing a hardwood floor.
- 3). Run a level over the subfloor and mark off any areas where the level in the floor fluctuates more than 1/8 inch. These areas must be leveled with a floor grinder or leveling compound. All hardwood floors must be installed over completely flat substrates.
- 4). Check the subfloor for any stains or discolored areas to determine whether the floor is clean. Subfloors must be devoid of all dirt, dust, grease, wax, oil and paint, or else the hardwood floor could be uneven or the contaminants can ruin the bond if you are using glue.
- 5). Apply a moisture test to your floor if you are installing over a concrete subfloor. This test, often included with your installation kit, will advise how much moisture the concrete will pass into the hardwood flooring above. This will help determine if you can install the hardwood at all and if you need a moisture barrier or underlayment between the subfloor and hardwood.
- 6). Decide what type of hardwood you want to install. The tongue-and-groove installation is the easiest if you are performing the task yourself; gluing and nailing are often left to professionals. The type of flooring you need will also vary depending on how long you can stay off of the floor to allow for installation and finishing.
