A guide to hardwood flooring installation

Installing a hardwood floor to any of the rooms of your home will add a fresh look to any room it is installed into. It is a fairly easy DIY project for most home improvement enthusiasts, when using pre-finished boards that easily slot together. To learn how to install oak flooring or similar, read the guide below.

Preparing the sub-floor

Removing the existing flooring material
You should begin with the removal of the existing carpet or material from your floor, and ensure that any carpet staples are removed. If the carpet had been glued into place, all the glue residue must be removed. For the best results, use a glue-dissolving solvent. These are available from your DIY store. Smooth and even surface
Ensure that you have a smooth and even surface. Any bumps or lumps will have to be removed, and any depressions or holes must be filled in in order to ensure that you have a flat even surface to lay your floating wood floor onto. Sweep the floor to ensure that the surface is free of dust and dirt. Underlay
Use an underlay suitable for laminate wood floors. Begin in the corner that you will start laying the floor, and only place the underlay in position as the boards are laid. The boards will help to keep the underlay in place.

Laying the flooring

The first row
Begin at your chosen point (a long straight wall is an ideal starting point) and lay the first row of interlocking boards. Ensure that this row is flush with the skirting board. Using a light mallet, gently tap each board into place so that they are firmly locked into place. The second row
The first piece of flooring to be positioned for the second row should not be of a full length. This is to ensure the stability and strength to your floor. Ideally, you should have a section of floor removed from the final piece of the previous row in order to complete that row. This can then be your first piece of the next row. Continuing across the floor
As you reach the edge of the first piece of underlay, you can place the second sheet ensuring that the edges are close together. You can tape them together to initially hold the piece into position. Continue laying the floor while ensuring that the tongue and groove joints are interlocking and fully closed.
Final row
The final row may require lots of cutting before it can be installed as this will probably not constitute a full width. Measure carefully in order to ensure a good finish.