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[I323]Installing Hardwood On Stairs

by Sarah Connor, Sar

One thing to emphasize when you are installing hardwood floors in your home is to have a trusted professional installer do it. Unlike laminate flooring, hardwood flooring takes a lot of skill and patience to install. So unless you have been doing it for the past five years or so, leave all the actual placement of wooden planks to someone whom you know will do it properly. However, you still need to have basic understanding on how it is done so you can judge for yourself if the person you hired knows what he is doing.

Methods of Installation

There are four ways on how to go about laying hardwood planks unto your floor. One way of installing hardwood floors is the floating technique, which is done by fastening the wooden planks to each other through an adhesive though the flooring is not anchored in any way to its underlayer. Another way of laying down your hardwood flooring is through the nail-down method, using appropriate nail sizes to arrange and hold down the flooring to its base. The staple-down technique has the same principle, though construction grade staples and stapler are used. The last method is glue-down method, using the adhesive recommended by the manufacturer to install hardwood flooring unto your floor.

Remove Obstacles

Before the real installation work commences, have the working surface cleaned and leveled. All furniture within the room should be taken out and properly stored in order to ensure fast and beautiful results. Have the wooden flooring acclimatized to indoor conditions by storing them inside the house for two days or more. If possible, remove all the previous flooring or carpeting you have so the professional installer have a clean surface to work on. Be aware that dirt and other debris can affect the end results of your hardwood floor.

Be There

Though you leave all the manual work in installing hardwood floors to the installer, make sure you or your decorator is present during the task. This way, you can personally monitor their progress and be around when the installer has some questions to ask. Besides, knowing how your hardwood flooring is installed will gain you some insight on dealing with some minor problems later on.

Subfloor is Important

If the professional recommends using your existing subfloor for the project, then make sure it is clean and level. However, it is still so much better if you install a fresh one for your hardwood flooring, as the quality of subfloor do influence the performance and lasting service of your flooring. If this is the case, consult your retailer and installer on the proper materials to install and invest on some good, quality ones that are sure to last for a long time.

Clean and Enjoy

When the professional is done installing hardwood floors in your house, take the time to have them cleaned and buffed, so you can enjoy them immediately. Do not forget to solicit information from the installer on the brand of cleaning solution to use and to ask for any special technique, if any, to maintain your hardwood flooring's beautiful appearance and ensure its durability.

While it is not necessarily the most inexpensive of the flooring options available on the market today, hardwood floors are certainly one of the simplest and most lovely options available. Wood matches just about everything, and you don' have to worry about vacuuming or those nasty smells that just won't seem to leave carpet. It is an effective option for floor covering and if you take care of your hardwood floors, they will last you a very long time.

However, having hardwood flooring in your home is about more than wishing it was there and deciding to have it. Here are the three things that you should know about installing hardwood flooring in your home.

DIY Is Not Always Cheaper

Hardwood floors are certainly something that those handy people out there in the world are able to take care of. Buying wood and laying it down as flooring in your home sounds a great deal easier than it is. There are many different kinds of wood that can be used for flooring in your home and depending on your needs; there are great deals of different styles to choose from. You want your flooring to resist nicks and scrapes, but you want it to be able to get some character as well.

There are all of these things and more to think about, and if you install your wood flooring all on your own, chances are that you will not be able to get the solid advice that you might wish you had later. You want your floor to last as long as possible and although you might be very willing and able to put in your new hardwood floor all by yourself, the costs down the line might make this not-so worth it. Do you want to end up having to have your floors redone because of an error on your, the amateur's, part?

Not All Wood is the Same

The more money that you spend the better quality of wood flooring you will be able to get as far as outward appearance goes; although a floor may not look as uniform and sleek as another type of wood floor it will probably last just as long. The quality and type of wood that you select for your floor has a lot to do with how you want your flooring to look when it's down. Do you want a smooth look or do you like the way that natural knotholes look in the wood? Do you prefer the way that wide planks look on the floor or do you prefer the look of thinner, smaller pieces of wood for your flooring?

Depending on what you are willing to spend, there are a great deal of different ways that you can go with the wood for your flooring. You can buy First, Second, or Third wood, which is a description of the type or quality of wood on the market ranked in order of quality. Clear is the finest wood that you will be able to get a hold of. It has little to no grain marks or knot holes in it, so if you want the best quality that is the way to go.

You Are In It for the Long Haul

While hardwood floors are a great option for the floor covering in your home, be sure that that is what you want to do, and that it is an acceptable long term solution for you and your home. While the hardwood floor will not have to be vacuumed, it has to be specially cleaned and probably swept constantly (unless you are a fan of dirty feet). Also, keep in mind that depending on the quality of wood that you purchase you may have to deal with some small repairs due to warping or splitting, or simply due to damage that is unsightly for your home. Either way, hardwood floors are much easier to maintain than they are to replace and although you will probably be thrilled to keep your floors for years to come, it will be rather difficult to do otherwise.

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Both Sarah Connor & My Dream Home Registry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Sarah Connor has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management. Learn more about by visiting. Sarah Connor's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.

My Dream Home Registry has sinced written about articles on various topics from Install Flooring, Home Management and Install Flooring. . My Dream Home Registry's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.