With no special tools you can go from subfloor to breathtaking in as little as a day.
How to install hardwood flooring on wood subfloor.
Most wood flooring goes on a typical raised wood framed subfloor that is surfaced with plywood or osb oriented strand board subflooring panels.
Hardwood flooring is solid wood cut from the tree.
Laminate planks snap together and float above a subfloor which means tiny subfloor imperfections are okay although again a level subfloor will help prevent damage.
There are two common methods for this.
Level floors are critical for reducing gaps between the flooring material and substrate and preventing sagging and other structural complications.
Preparing subfloor for hardwood flooring.
Before you get started installing any hardwood or laminate flooring you ll first want to measure the room you re going to be installing the flooring into and then checking the flooring you re going to install to see what the square footage coverage is per box.
Before we get started with how to install hardwood floors let s cover a few basics.
To learn how to do this watch prepping plywood subfloors.
It is the responsibility of the flooring installer to assess and address substrate flatness before installation.
The first is to lay two layers of 3 8 inch plywood over the slab without fastening or gluing them to the slab.
Wood floor installation requires a level subfloor and that your hardwood flooring is acclimated to the room s humidity and temperature according to the manufacturer s guidelines.
Depending on the product you re installing you may need to install a wood subfloor over the slab.
Laminate is a budget friendly attractive alternative to hardwood flooring.
To level a subfloor for installing laminate follow the directions above to remove high and low spots.
The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor.
There are several methods including.
The type of installation you choose will depend on your subfloor budget lifestyle and the type of wood flooring you select.
Installation of a wood floor over the subfloor insinuates acceptance by the flooring installer.
Hardwood floors are beautiful last a lifetime and are easy to install.
For instance solid hardwood flooring is typically nailed down during installation while tongue and groove engineered flooring is usually clicked together or completely glued down.
When nailing down a wood floor the subfloor should be flat to within 1 4 in 10 or 3 16 in 6.
Whether you re going on to install hardwood ceramic tile or laminate one of the most important steps of any flooring project is making sure the subfloor foundation is level.
Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width.