Two floors can be made from the same wood, but one can look much better than the other. The overall, final appearance of a wood floor is as dependent on the installation process as it is on the quality of the wood itself. So, how can you install wood floors so that they look absolutely top-notch? Here are some tips to get you started.
Draw Out Your Layout on Craft Paper
Before you cut any of the wood for the floor, put down a piece of craft paper on the subfloor. Use this craft paper to draw out the placement of each board. In doing this, you will likely find areas where you have to work around a floor vent, a joist, or a doorframe. You can plan how you'll cut the boards to best fit these projections. If you don't like a certain layout, you can erase it and draw a different one. Drawing the layouts on craft paper lets you experiment a little without wasting wood. When you do finally cut the wood, you'll be confident you're cutting it in the best orientation.
Let the Wood Acclimate
Have you ever seen a wood floor where some of the boards seem bent, or where there are gaps between the boards? Chances are, the installers did not let the wood acclimate before screwing it down. Wood will absorb or give off moisture according to the surrounding humidity, and it may bend slightly in the process. Let it sit and adapt to the humidity level in your home for a couple of days before you cut or install it.
Make Sure the Room Is Square
If the room is not perfectly square, you will need to cut the edge off one or more boards to fit the room accurately. You'll discover whether the room is square or not when you draw your layout on your craft paper. If the room is not square, the best solution is to cut one board on one side to square the room off. Then, you can line all of your other boards up with this cut board and get a consistent, even appearance.
Hardwood floors can be strikingly beautiful. Their beauty depends, in part, on how the floor is installed. If you follow the tips above, you will get better results and a more beautiful floor. Talk to a flooring installer, such as Temple Johnson Flooring Co, if you have any questions or would prefer to have this job done by a professional.
You don't always appreciate walking on a smooth, flat surface until you've spent time walking on one that is rough and bumpy. You can try this yourself. Go outside and walk on some gravel, and then come inside and walk over your hardwood floors. You'll enjoy your hardwood floors in a whole new way. In fact, this experiment might inspire you to learn more about flooring. If so, you've come to the right place. This is a blog about flooring, and if you are someone who walks on floors, we promise you'll like the content here. We'll address flooring of many different types.