Surprisingly, there is a way in which the homeowners may deal with installing wood floors themselves and therefore offset the expense. Of course, it is done professionally. Listed below are some tips on how the engineered wood floors are laid out.
First Step
Calculations and Inventory
Estimation of the place in which the flooring needs to be done, in order to assess the quantity of planks can be bought accounting the square footage. It will be a good idea to do the length running to the longest wall structure since it makes the place look spacious. Having an inventory of the areas like stairways, cabinets, hearths and etc. is necessary. These are not covered while measuring the width and length.
Second Step
Prepare the sub floor:
Surfacing of the floor should be done. Moreover, fix the part of the floor which is loose or damaged as well. The depressions must be filled while the cracks need to be glued. Afterwards, check for the flatness of the surface by a flat, straight edge mechanism.
Third Step
Trim door castings and lay builder’s felt
Trimming of all the bottoms of door casings should be done so that the new flooring can slip beneath it. The entire floor must be vacuumed to remove the dust. The sub floor has to be covered with a builder’s felt. The felt’s edges should be butted together and hammered down as well. Moreover the felt needs to be trimmed alongside the walls to maybe about half an inch.
Fourth Step
Set the starter course
The floor should begin to be laid. Spacers should be placed alongside the walls, and the flooring needs to be set till the tongues are completely lined up with the straight edge. The tongue alignments must be constantly checked.
Fifth Step
Flooring to be toe nailed
After the putting the first course, it is necessary to be driving a one and a half inch board at a forty five degree angle which is through the flooring strip’s tongue and the sub floor. This is called toe-nailing. Then the second course has to be put tightly with the previous strips. It must be put flat and the strip should not be cut unless and until met with a wall or blockage. The strips need to be carefully nailed together.
Sixth Step
Nail down the floor
After placing all the courses together, all the ends should be fitted together. Furthermore, any of the courses that are too close to the wall needs to be toe nailed and not face nailed.
Seventh Step
Final fitting
Complete the laying process of the engineered wood floors with the last step that involves neatening and trimming all the extra edges of the flooring. A bit of space should be left between the final course and the wall. Finally all the spacers have to be removed and the floor has to be vacuumed. The face ailed holes must be filled with colored putty as well.
Tips and suggestions:
• It is essential to keep in mind the effect of moisture on wooden flooring. In summer due to excess moisture, the wooden flooring expands. Hence, provision should be ensured for such circumstances.
• Professional expertise can be considered for maintenance.
