how to start course of wood floor

1. Before measuring a starting point, lay red rosin paper over the subfloor. ...
2. Measure and mark the starting point for the first board. ...
3. Once you have several reference points for your starting line, snap a chalk line down your red rosin paper connecting the lines.
4. Place the first board on the chalk line, ensuring perfect alignment with the line. ...
5. Blind nail the first board into place, using shims or an assistant to ensure the board doesn’t move during blind nailing. ...
6. Work your way down the floor, ensuring boards stay square edge-to-edge and in line with the chalk line. ...
Install the second hardwood flooring row across the house. It is imperative that during this step you ensure the first row does not move. ...
Install the third row of hardwood flooring. If you’re using 2.25″ traditional boards, you’ll likely still have to blind nail as a hardwood flooring nailer will not fit ...

Full Answer

How do you prepare a floor for hardwood floors?

Nov 03, 2019 · Learn how to install solid hardwood flooring with a few simple tools! Hardwood floors are durable, beautiful, and a great DIY project. Thanks to Zoro.com for...

What is the best starting point for hardwood flooring?

This is unbiased information based on decades of experiences. And when you're through with this course, you'll be able to make smart informed decisions so you get the best floor for you... a floor you'll enjoy for many years to come. We've been teaching this course since 2009. Now, it's available to you in easy bite-size pieces.

Why are the first three boards of hardwood flooring so important?

1) Layout a straight line fully along the threshold area that will be at right angles to the flooring runs. This does not need to be exactly at the threshold edge but can be offsetted parallel to the threshold edge. It is beneficial is this line can be as long as …

How to install wood flooring in a square room?

Cut the last board of the row to fit, leaving a 3/4-inch expansion gap. Nail it in place. Put the first board of the new row in place. Cut it, if necessary, so the end is offset from the end of the board in the previous row by a minimum of 6-inches. Put the end against a 3/4-inch spacer and seat the edge snugly against its neighbor.

How do I start my hardwood flooring course first?

1:464:26Where to start installing your wood flooring | Tutorial by Pergo - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStart with a whole plank from the point you marked on the wall. Put spaces between your plank andMoreStart with a whole plank from the point you marked on the wall. Put spaces between your plank and the wall. This will give the floor room to expand.

Where do you start when hardwood flooring?

The goal is to make the boards start about 1/2″ from the exterior wall on both the back side and edge. Since the wall was out of square, this varied as much as 1/2″ along the perimeter. In every hardwood installation, you should leave 1/2″ expansion joints between the flooring surface and the exterior wall.Jun 30, 2010

How do you start hardwood in the middle of a room?

Often, the starting point is the longest, unbroken wall, however, using a spline allows you to start wherever you choose. We recommend starting in the centre of the room because this will reduce the pressure of the floor, as it won't all be pushing in one direction.Nov 17, 2017

Where do you start when doing flooring?

Always start hardwood flooring along the most prominent and noticeable wall in the room. This way, if the room is out of square, the crooked cut will be hidden under the cabinet's toe kick. In order to keep the floor straight and square, start laying the laminate away from the wall because the wall may not be straight.

How do you nail the first row of hardwood floors?

2:415:48I Like To Make Stuff - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI used a nail set to drive those nail heads down below the surface. And then came back later andMoreI used a nail set to drive those nail heads down below the surface. And then came back later and filled in the holes with wood filler. For the next layer to set them in place drill.

How do I make sure my first row of floor is straight?

8:0010:02How to install the first row of laminate flooring - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat's what i did and now i me to make sure that it stayed. Straight exactly where i want it so nowMoreThat's what i did and now i me to make sure that it stayed. Straight exactly where i want it so now if i go right inside the holes that i drilled it's not going to go anywhere.

Does the tongue or groove go against the wall?

Which side is the tongue, which the groove, and which goes first during installation? The tongue is the side that you will want to place against the wall as you start your laminate-flooring installation.

Does hardwood flooring have to be installed perpendicular to floor joists?

Solid 3/4″ hardwood flooring should be installed perpendicular to your floor joists.

Do floor boards run parallel to joists?

Floorboards are almost always laid at 90 degrees to the joists. The wall below must be running parallel with the joists meaning they cannot be sitting on it.

Which direction should you lay flooring?

The most common way to lay hardwood flooring is by aligning the planks parallel to the longest wall. Apart from a few exceptions like sagging joists, this is the preferred direction to lay wood floors because it aesthetically provides the best result.Dec 15, 2020

Which direction should I lay flooring?

0:443:59Determining the direction to lay/install Hardwood, Laminate, or ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe direction of the light in your home in most cases you'll want to run the flooring parallel toMoreThe direction of the light in your home in most cases you'll want to run the flooring parallel to the incoming.

How do you start the first row of laminate flooring?

1:092:48Installing Laminate Flooring--First Few Rows - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFlee down the first row with the tongue side of the laminate facing the wall. The tongue adds anMoreFlee down the first row with the tongue side of the laminate facing the wall. The tongue adds an eighth of an inch to the expansion gap. But with quarter inch spacers.

Your Instructor

After 25 years as a technology executive (and many years as an avid woodworker), I decided to purchase the assets to a Denver-based wood flooring business. I thought data mining, business intelligence, and simulation models were complex. Somehow, wood floors are even more complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.

Choose Your Install Method

The type of install method you choose will depend on your subfloor, budget, lifestyle and the type of wood flooring you select. For example, solid hardwood flooring is typically nailed down during installation while tongue and groove engineered flooring is usually clicked together or completely glued down.

General Tips for Installing Hardwood Floors

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when learning how to install hardwood floors:

Prep the Space

Given the variety of subfloor types, always refer to the installation guidelines for information specific to your hardwood flooring and subfloor type. These are the common steps to take when prepping for hardwood:

Glue-Down Install Method

A good choice for concrete floors, the glue-down install method doesn't require using an extra vapor barrier, which is good for most budgets. Here's how to install hardwood flooring using the glue-down method:

Nail-Down Install Method

When installing solid hardwood on a wood subfloor, the nail-down install method is used because it is usually cost-effective. Here's how to install hardwood floors using the nail-down method:

Click-Lock Install Method

One of the most popular choices for DIYers, installing click-lock floors, or a floating floor, is quick and easy. It only requires nails for the first row of boards. Here's how to install click-lock hardwood flooring:

How to measure gaps between boards?

Measure the gaps between boards at the edge of the floor an the wall with a tape measure . If the walls are angled with respect to the floor, take two measurements for each board, one at each end.

How big should a rip slip tongue be?

For most flooring boards, the spline dimensions should be roughly 1/2 by 1/2 inch.

How to make a chalkboard?

Set your chalk line on the 1-inch mark at the end of the final board. Stretch the line to the far end of the course, and put it right on the corner of the end of the last piece, on the side closest to the wall. Snap the line. The resulting line should run at an angle from your 1-inch mark at one end of the course, to the corner of the other end, crossing each of the boards that make up the course.

Who is Kevin McDermott?

Kevin McDermott is a professional newspaper journalist and landlord. He was born in Chicago and graduated Eastern Illinois University with a degree in journalism. He currently covers regional politics for a Midwestern newspaper. McDermott writes about home improvement for various websites.

How to make slip tongues?

Make your own slip tongues by ripping strips from the flooring that will fit snugly inside the grooves of the flooring boards and extend 1/4 inch from the edge. For most flooring, the dimensions of the strips should be roughly 1/4 inch thick by 1/2 inch wide.

What degree does Chris Deziel have?

Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. Related Articles.