Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular finish materials available today. This product adds warmth, beauty and character to the home, but it can be quite expensive. Engineered hardwood floors are a great alternative to traditional wood. With engineered flooring, thin slivers of real wood are bonded to a plywood or composite base. Because this is not solid wood, it is surprisingly affordable, though it looks quite similar to traditional wood floor planks. This material can be installed by the average homeowner in just a few days, with little or no experience required.
Step 1
Purchase your flooring material. Measure the length and width of the room to determine square footage, then add 10 percent to this number before making your purchase. The extra flooring material will cover any cutting mistakes, damaged planks or future repairs.
Step 2
Level your subfloor. If the surface is relatively even, you can simply remove any tacks, staples or nails that are visible. If it is uneven, lay a 1/4-inch layer of plywood over the floor before you begin. Staple the plywood into place using a floor stapler.
Step 3
Cover the surface with a layer of foam underlayment. This product comes in rolls and can be stapled or nailed to the subfloor. The foam will act as a sound barrier to cushion footsteps, but will also make the floor more comfortable to walk on.
Step 4
Start with the longest wall in the room and begin laying your engineered wood planks. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between the planks and the wall to allow for expansion.
Step 5
Continue to lay planks. Engineered floors are floating floors, meaning that they are not attached to the subfloor. Instead, they are snapped together via a tongue-and-groove connector. Snap the pieces together as you work and use a rubber mallet to tap them firmly into place.
Step 6
Use a jigsaw to cut the pieces as required, both at the end of the row and when you reach the opposite wall from where you started.
Step 7
Force the final planks into place using a pry bar, making sure to allow another 1/4-inch gap.
Step 8
Install toe boards or trim pieces to complete the project.
Skill: Moderately Easy
Ingredients:
- Tape measure
- Plywood
- Floor stapler
- Hammer and nails
- Foam underlayment
- Engineered wood
- Rubber mallet
- Pry bar
Tip: Engineered wood flooring can be sanded and refinished in the same way as solid wood. Laminate wood flooring, which is made of paper printed with wood grain, cannot be sanded.
Keyword: install engineered hardwood floors flooring
