Hardwood flooring installation

Hardwood floors can be installed below, at and above ground level. Hardwood floors cannot be installed outside. Hardwood floors can be installed according to the following methods: glue down, floating, nail or staple down. The construction of the hardwood floor, as well as the type of subfloor will determine the method of installation.

Engineered hardwood floors can be floated, stapled or glued down. Refer to manufacturers specifications, as certain hardwood floors can be glued or stapled, but are not suitable for floating. Also some engineered floors can be glued but not stapled.

When installing hardwood over a concrete subfloor, your options are limited to an engineered hardwood floor, as solid hardwood floors can only be nailed down. In this instance your option is to glue the floor directly to concrete or float the floor. When using the glue down method, it is important that the subfloor does not have any undulations, as this will result in high and low spots. For uneven subfloors, it is necessary to float the subfloor first, thus negating the undulations. The other option is to use the floating floor method of installation. As a floating floor is not fixed to the subfloor, it is not affected by the undulations. Note however that subfloors containg large undulations still have to be floated.

Floating floors are the preferred method of installation not only for uneven subfloors, but also for concrete subfloors that contain a high level of moisture. In this instance, the use of a moisture barrier placed over the subfloor, prior to installation of the floating floor, will negate any moisture problems.

Acclimation is a very important aspect when it comes to hardwood floors. Hardwood floors must be acclimated for a minimum of 48 hours prior to installation. Acclimation is the process by which the hardwood adjusts to the temperature of the room in which it is being installed. The reason for this is that hardwood expands and contracts according to temperature and moisture levels. Not acclimating your floor can result in the floor boards peaking or gapping.

Hardwood flooring can be installed over existing tile or vinyl, however it is not recommended. When installing hardwood over tile, it is necessary to float the floor, thus evening out the grout lines with the surface of the rest of the floor. When installing over vinyl, one must first scuff the vinyl surface in order that the adhesive will adhere to the vinyl surface.
When it comes to installation of hardwood floors, it is always advisable to use a professional installer.