We all love the look and feel of hardwood flooring and if you have set your sights on replacing your old flooring with solid hardwood, installation is a critical aspect of the project. Many homeowners have the tools and the know-how to self-install, which can save you a considerable amount, with the rising cost of professional labour.
Regular Or Pre-Finished Timber
When looking at solid timber flooring, you can buy regular or pre-finished hardwood planks; the regular boards must be sanded after installation, while the pre-finished units are ready for protective coatings. With solid hardwood flooring, you have at least 3mm that can be sanded over the years, while the pre-finished planks have a little less and do not really need to be sanded down.
Choosing A Fixing Method
If the substrate is concrete or screed, you could install the hardwood on top of an underlay, or plywood sheets that are nailed to the substrate. Another method is to fix timber struts onto the substrate and nail the hardwood planks to the struts, which should be around 600mm apart and joints should be staggered. A flat substrate allows you to glue the hardwood flooring. In case, you are unsure as to the best way to install the flooring, talk to timber flooring suppliers Melbourne or your city has. They would be able to recommend the best solution.
Wet Rooms
Solid hardwood flooring is not suitable for the kitchen or bathroom; the best alternative if you want a timber-grain finish is luxury vinyl, which is waterproof and extremely durable and there are so many wood-grain finishes, which means you can find a match for the living room hardwood floor.
Timber Acclimatisation
Unfortunately, it isn’t a question of installing the timber planks as soon as they arrive, rather the planks should be stored in the same room of the installation for at least 3 days; leave the open packs on the floor, with the timber sitting on timber struts to keep them off the ground. Once the timber has acclimatised to the room climate, it is ready for installation and missing out this step could cause serious movement after the installation, which is never good.
YouTube Videos
There are many ‘how to’ videos that show hardwood floors being installed, which is a great help if you have no experience and prior to starting the project, you should create a list of essential tools and materials that you will need. If you are sure of the installation method you are going to use, have everything you need and the hardwood has been acclimatised, then you are ready to go.
The Benefits Of A Professional Installation
Imagine having to call in a professional flooring contractor to finish an unsuccessful project! This would be more than a little embarrassing and in order to avoid such a scenario, you could ask the supplier to carry out the installation, which would give you a better warranty than if you installed the flooring yourself.