How to Choose and Install Hardwood Floor?
Planning to renovate and add a hardwood floor to your house? That’s a really good idea. The hardwood floors do not just look good but are low maintenance and durable as well. Therefore, you should not have second thoughts about it. Grab your keys and go get the hardwood floor. Not sure how to choose and install a hardwood floor? Here’s the brief guide;
How to choose a hardwood floor?
Choosing the right hardwood floor is more crucial than the installation process. Therefore, you have to choose the hardwood floor very carefully. If you get successful in choosing the right hardwood floor, the rest of the job would get easier. While shopping for the hardwood floor, here are the few things you need to pay attention to;
Type
First, you must decide whether solid or engineered wood would suit your needs. Solid wood is an expensive and better option. However, the premium collection of engineered wood is more or less as durable and good-looking as solid wood. The hardwood flooring cost differs depending on location as well and the availability of wood in the area.
Wood species
Many types of wood are used in hardwood floors. Picking the right wood species is as important as deciding the ideal type. The wood species you might have to decide between would be Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, Walnut, Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Koa, and Cumaru. The harder wood species are more durable. Therefore, Maple, Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Koa, and Cumaru are the best options.
Color, grain pattern, and type of finish
Once you are done selecting the wood species, shift your focus to color and grain pattern. There are three different types of grain patterns; Plain Swan, Rift Swan, and Quarter Swan. The Plain Swan has a “very” traditional wood grain with patterns called cathedrals. The Rift Swan contains long, consistent grains and the Quarter Swan comes with irregular specs; somewhat like a 3D pattern. Examine and pick the one that had your heart at first sight.
Assoon as you finalize the color and style, decide whether you want your hardwood floor to be prefinished or unfinished. The prefinished floor is a better option as it’s easier to install.
How to install the hardwood floor?
If you have chosen the right hardwood floor, the installation process would not be a struggle. Here’s how you can install it to perfection;
- Leave the hardwood plank for a few weeks to adjust to the environment. The more time the wood gets to accumulate in the environment the easier it would get to turn it into a hardwood floor.
- Have necessary tools like a drill, drill bits, hammer, nails, pry bar, saw, and pneumatic flooring nailer to begin operation
- Prepare the area by placing the spacers and pre-drilling the nail holes
- Clean the subfloor properly, and make sure it is clean, flat, and dry before the installation begins
- Install the floor as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually, the solid wood is nailed and the engineered wood is glued to the subfloor.
- Trim the excess, and paint if you want your hardwood floor to look more attractive. You are done!
