First things first you have to take the proper measurements when installing hardwoord floors. What you should do is break everything down into squares. Looking at the layout of your project if it is more than a room you must break everything down into square’s when measuring then what you will do is lets say for example you have an L shape living room and a hall way to do you will have lets say 10X10 and 10X20 for the living room and the hallway could be 4X25.

You would multiply each section for example 10X10=100 and 10X20=200 and 4X25=100 then you add up all the numbers for example 100+200+100=400 square feet you then call your supply house and tell them you have to cover 400 square feet they will add on the waste factor depending on the material it could be 5% to 15% waste.

You must have the wood delivered at least two weeks before you install your wood. It must acclimate to the moisture in your house so you wont have any problems with swelling or shrinking after you install your hard wood.

After your wood has been at your house for two weeks you need to go over the install area and bang down any nails pull up any staple’s after removing the rug then sweep everything up. If you have tile you need to break everything up and take it off until you get to the sub floor.

If the sub floor is ok you can continue to install your hardwood floor, if not you should consider getting quarter inch plywood and nail or screw it down to your existing sub floor.

Also you should walk around and look for any squeaks as you step putting all your weight into every step and listen for any squeaks when you find it put some nails or screw’s in the sub floor to get rid of the squeaky sounds.

Next you need to roll out tar paper yes the same paper you use on your roof you put down over your sub floor for the moisture and then you find the longest straightest wall and your start from that point.

You mark a quarter inch off the wall to start your line and have your helper rip open the bundles looking for straight boards because if your rows of wood are not perfect they will mess up your whole job and it wont be straight. You need to chalk a line on the floor to use as a guide after you pick out a bunch of straight boards. Ok so you start your straight rows do about 2 rows and then drop a chalk line on it to see if it’s going straight.

You hold one end of the chalk line and your helper holds the other end and you see if you have to make any adjustments to line to keep it straight. If you have to pull the rows out then you need to use a pry bar to pull it off the wall or you take a piece of scrap wood and smash it into the row to nock the row into place then once it is straight you rack the whole area out meaning lie down all the boards and cut them to fit then you simply start nailing them in. Keep the seams at least 4 to 6 inches apart and you should be good to go.

Also you need to keep a quarter inch gap around the floor for expansion gaps and don’t forget to check once in a while to see if the rows are straight. Look out for my next article for the proper sanding of hardwood floors.