Are you considering installing hardwood flooring in your home? Hardwood floors add luxury and grandeur to any home, and you can also look forward to a high ROI with this option for home improvement.
Realtors agree that you could get as much as 80% of your installation cost back when you sell your home.
You'll benefit even more if you install the floors yourself. Check out these tips on how to install hardwood floors in Ottawa.
Prepare For Your Hardwood Floor Installation
A vital first step in any flooring project is securing the best quality hardwood flooring you can afford.
Once you've bought your planks, you should store them inside your room for a few days to acclimatize. If you skip this step, you could end up with buckled planks and gaps in your flooring.
Next, remove all the furniture, baseboard, and existing flooring from your room and sweep the subfloor thoroughly. Installing 2-inch deck screws into the joists and subfloor every 24 inches can help stop your floor squeaking after installation.
These are the tools you'll need for your DIY hardwood floor installation:
Pneumatic flooring nailer
Drill and drill bits
Hammer and nails
Nail set
Table saw and Miter saw
Fortunately, you don't need to buy all this expensive equipment; you can rent those items from specialized hardware stores.
Getting Started
You should always try to install your hardwood plank flooring perpendicular to your floor joists, so determine the direction of your joists first.
Next, install 15 lb. Kraft paper underlayment over the floor to act as a vapour barrier. Overlap the roll edges by 3 inches and use a utility knife to cut around any irregular shapes like door jambs.
Secure the Kraft paper with a few staples.
Laying Out Your Floor
Place the planks, ensuring you don't place joints too close to one another. Make sure they're at least 6 inches apart for best effect.
Always lay out your floor before you nail or staple the boards down. Take your time to ensure you get exactly the look you want.
It's best to leave about ¼ inch of space between the boards and the walls to prevent buckling. All species of hardwood expand and contract as temperatures fluctuate.
Use your table or Miter saw to make any necessary adjustments.
Securing Your Hardwood Floor
You can nail your floor down by hand, but a pneumatic stapler or nail gun works better.
Be sure to strike the pneumatic tool confidently, or you'll end up having to dig out misplaced staples or nails.
In tight spaces, you can use a brad nailer, adhesives, or face nails.
Once you've got all your boards secured, fill in any face nails with wood filler to match your hardwood floor, and install your new baseboards.
Need Help Installing Hardwood Floors in Ottawa?
If you're not confident enough to install your hardwood flooring yourself, our team of experts at Millennium Floor Coverings is happy to help.
We're the experts on installing hardwood floors in Ottawa and the surrounding areas. You can trust our experienced team to assist with all your flooring needs and we guarantee our installations for one year.
Get in touch today and you'll soon get to enjoy all the benefits of hardwood flooring in Ottawa.