Do It Yourself: Nailing Down a Wood Floor

Preparation

• An adequate subfloor is necessary for a wood floor to last and be free of squeaks. A subfloor must have enough depth for the nails or staples to penetrate and hold securely.
  
  Check the recommendations of the flooring supplier to determine if an underlayment of felt paper or other type of underlayment is required under the wood flooring. Install according to the directions furnished with the underlayment.
  
  Lay a piece of the flooring adjacent to door jambs to check for clearance for the flooring to slide beneath. Trim if necessary with a hand saw. It is simpler to slide the flooring beneath a doorjamb, than it is to make the complicated cuts necessary to fit the flooring around the jamb.
  
  Lay the flooring out loose on the subfloor to check for damage and to adjust for varying tones or grain in the flooring. This will prevent placing flooring with very light or dark shades all in the same area. This is "racking" the flooring.
  
  Take a few minutes to caulk around the area where the walls meet the subfloor. This prevents air leaks in any openings.
  
  

Installing

• Wood flooring needs to acclimate to the temperature and humidity of the area of installation. This prevents future gaps or buckling.
  
  Use a level along the wall where the installation is to begin to check that the wall is straight. Allow for a gap between the edge of the flooring and the wall. If possible begin the installation on an exterior wall; they are normally straighter than interior walls.
  
  The first row of wood flooring lies out along the starting wall with the tongue side into the room. Drill and face nail the flooring along the wall edge. These nails will be covered with the baseboard and will not show on the finished floor. Use the floor stapler to drive the fasteners along the tongue side every 12 to 14 inches. Floor staplers are designed to drive the staples or nails at the correct angle to secure the flooring and be invisible. Check again to be sure that the beginning row is straight.
  
  Stagger the butt ends of the flooring a minimum of 6 inches. This makes the wood floor stronger and more attractive. If the wood flooring has interlocking milled ends, engage this end before attempting to slide boards into place along the length. Use a tap block to get the long side of the flooring to close up. Do not hammer directly on the edge of the wood flooring; this can damage the tongues and grooves.
  
  

Finishing Touches

• Unfinished wood floors are ready to be sanded, stained and top coated when the installation is complete.
  
  Install baseboard and transition strips after the prefinished flooring is installed. Do not nail the baseboard to the flooring; this will help avoid buckling if the flooring expands.