Cornerstone Wholesale Flooring Hardwood
When selecting hardwood
flooring, you must decide
between SOLID or ENGINEERED
hardwood.
flooring, you must decide
between SOLID or ENGINEERED
hardwood.
Solid hardwood, like it sounds, is milled from a single 3/4" thick piece of hardwood. Because of its
thickness, a solid hardwood floor can be sanded and refinished over several generations of use. One
of the characteristics of solid wood flooring is that it expands and contracts with changes in your
home's relative humidity. Normally, installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion
gap between the floor and the wall. Base molding or quarter round is traditionally used to hide the
extra space.
Engineered wood is actually produced with three to five layers of hardwood. Each layer is stacked in
a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under heat and pressure. As a result, engineered
wood flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in humidity and can be installed at all levels of
the home. Shaw Hardwood flooring offers two different engineered constructions:
Shaw Engineered with Hardwood Core
Shaw Engineered with High Density Fiberboard Core
Before deciding on Solid or Engineered hardwood flooring, consider these factors:
Location, Location, Location
The location of your hardwood flooring basically falls into three categories:
On Grade - at ground level
Above Grade - any second level or higher
Below Grade - any floor below ground level, including basements or sunken living rooms.
Traditional solid hardwood flooring is not well suited for high moisture areas such as bathrooms or
below-grade installations. The construction of an engineered hardwood gives it enhanced structural
stability and moisture resistance that allows it to be installed at any grade level.
What type of subfloor do you have?
If you plan to install over concrete, you must use an engineered product to ensure structural integrity.
Solid wood flooring or Engineered flooring may be used over plywood, wood, or OSB subfloors.
Will there be moisture in the room?
If so, you'll want to select an Engineered hardwood. The moisture resistance of an engineered
hardwood makes it suitable for rooms where moisture is a possibility, such as bathrooms.
thickness, a solid hardwood floor can be sanded and refinished over several generations of use. One
of the characteristics of solid wood flooring is that it expands and contracts with changes in your
home's relative humidity. Normally, installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion
gap between the floor and the wall. Base molding or quarter round is traditionally used to hide the
extra space.
Engineered wood is actually produced with three to five layers of hardwood. Each layer is stacked in
a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under heat and pressure. As a result, engineered
wood flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in humidity and can be installed at all levels of
the home. Shaw Hardwood flooring offers two different engineered constructions:
Shaw Engineered with Hardwood Core
Shaw Engineered with High Density Fiberboard Core
Before deciding on Solid or Engineered hardwood flooring, consider these factors:
Location, Location, Location
The location of your hardwood flooring basically falls into three categories:
On Grade - at ground level
Above Grade - any second level or higher
Below Grade - any floor below ground level, including basements or sunken living rooms.
Traditional solid hardwood flooring is not well suited for high moisture areas such as bathrooms or
below-grade installations. The construction of an engineered hardwood gives it enhanced structural
stability and moisture resistance that allows it to be installed at any grade level.
What type of subfloor do you have?
If you plan to install over concrete, you must use an engineered product to ensure structural integrity.
Solid wood flooring or Engineered flooring may be used over plywood, wood, or OSB subfloors.
Will there be moisture in the room?
If so, you'll want to select an Engineered hardwood. The moisture resistance of an engineered
hardwood makes it suitable for rooms where moisture is a possibility, such as bathrooms.
META NAME="description" CONTENT="Shaw Hardwood Flooring at wholesale flooring prices Tips on how to installing hardwood floors.">
Because wood expands and contracts with moisture--and can rot if it's left in contact with water for a
long period of time--many homeowners shy away from choosing wood flooring for bathrooms. Actually,
wood can be a warm, beautiful flooring option for bathrooms as long as it's given a sturdy, protective
finish and is dutifully maintained.
Traditional strip or plank wood flooring is fastened down to subflooring and then sanded and finished.
Newer prefinished wood floorings are fastened down the same way but do not require finishing. Unless
you're experienced in sanding and finishing wood floors, you'll do well to choose the latter type
because floor sanding is incredibly dusty work, and a drum sander, in the hands of an amateur, can
leave visible marks and ridges on the floor.
long period of time--many homeowners shy away from choosing wood flooring for bathrooms. Actually,
wood can be a warm, beautiful flooring option for bathrooms as long as it's given a sturdy, protective
finish and is dutifully maintained.
Traditional strip or plank wood flooring is fastened down to subflooring and then sanded and finished.
Newer prefinished wood floorings are fastened down the same way but do not require finishing. Unless
you're experienced in sanding and finishing wood floors, you'll do well to choose the latter type
because floor sanding is incredibly dusty work, and a drum sander, in the hands of an amateur, can
leave visible marks and ridges on the floor.
Tips On Installing Hardwood Flooring
A base for flooring
New wood flooring should be laid on a clean, smooth, level, structurally sound flooring base.
Installation steps
Before installing wood flooring, stack it indoors for a few days to allow the wood time to adjust to your
home's humidity level. Plan to install the flooring perpendicular to the floor joists. Mark the positions of
the joists along a wall for reference, as shown in step 2, and cover the subfloor with a layer of
15-pound asphalt felt to provide some moisture protection and minimize squeaks. Mark the centerline
of the room (as discussed in step 1).
If the room is seriously out of square, position the tongue of the first row parallel to the centerline and
rip the groove side at an angle parallel to the wall.
During installation, you'll find it's helpful to lay out several rows of boards, staggering them so no end
joint is closer than 6 inches to an end joint in the next row. As you install the strips, cut pieces (at least
8 inches long) to fit at the end of each row; allow a 1/2-inch gap at the wall.
Use a radial arm saw or power miter saw to cut the boards. When blind-nailing with a hammer and
finishing nails, don't try to drive the nails flush--the indentations will show. Instead, leave each nail
head projecting up about 1/8 inch, then place a nail set sideways over it along the upper edge of the
tongue and drive the nail home by tapping the nail set with your hammer. Finally, use the tip of the
nail set to recess the nail's head flush with the wood.
1.
Cover the subfloor with a layer of 15-pound asphalt felt, overlapping seams by about 3 inches. Tack
down with a staple gun. Measure the room's width at two or more points to establish an accurate
centerline, and snap a chalk line parallel to your starting wall. Working from the joist marks along the
walls, snap chalk lines to mark the locations of the support members.
2.
To indicate the edge of the first row of flooring, snap another chalk line about 1/2 inch from the
starting wall exactly parallel to your centerline. This 1/2-inch gap between the flooring and the wall will
allow for expansion; it will be covered by base shoe or baseboard molding.
3.
Choose the longest boards or widest planks for the first row. Near the wall, where the nail heads will
be covered by a base shoe, drill pilot holes for 1 1/2-inch finishing nails, then face-nail the first row
through the plywood subflooring to the floor joists or sleepers. Use a nail set to recess the nails below
the surface.
4.
Blind-nail this and the next two rows by hand. Drill pilot holes at a 45-to-50-degree angle through the
tongues, centered on each joist or sleeper, at the ends and every 10 inches along the lengths.
Fasten with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. Use a nail set to finish driving each nail.
5.
When installing the second row and every row thereafter, move a short piece of flooring along the
edge and give it a sharp rap with a mallet to tighten the new row against the previous row before
nailing. Remember that end joints in two adjacent rows should not be closer than 6 inches; end joints
should also not line up over a joint in the subfloor. If you're installing a wide-plank floor, some
manufacturers recommend leaving a crack the width of a putty-knife blade between planks for
expansion.
6.
If you're installing flooring over a large area, use a flooring nailer once you've installed the first three
rows. Slip it onto the board's tongue and, using a heavy rubber mallet, strike the plunger to drive
2-inch nails or staples through the tongue into each joist and into the subfloor midway between joists.
Be very careful to avoid scratching or otherwise damaging the flooring.
7.
When you reach the final row, use a block and a pry bar to wedge the last boards tightly into position.
Drill holes and face-nail boards where base shoe or baseboard molding will cover, using the
reference marks along the wall to locate the joists. Set the nail heads below the surface using a
hammer and nail set.
8.
If your new floor will cause a change of level to a hallway or adjoining room, install a reducer strip for
a smooth transition. This strip, milled with a rounded or beveled top, fits onto the tongue of an
adjacent board or the ends of perpendicular boards. It can also be butted against the edges or ends
of grooves. Face-nail the reducer strip at the edge of the floor, set the nail heads below the surface,
and fill with wood putty. Last, reinstall the base shoe or baseboard molding.
New wood flooring should be laid on a clean, smooth, level, structurally sound flooring base.
Installation steps
Before installing wood flooring, stack it indoors for a few days to allow the wood time to adjust to your
home's humidity level. Plan to install the flooring perpendicular to the floor joists. Mark the positions of
the joists along a wall for reference, as shown in step 2, and cover the subfloor with a layer of
15-pound asphalt felt to provide some moisture protection and minimize squeaks. Mark the centerline
of the room (as discussed in step 1).
If the room is seriously out of square, position the tongue of the first row parallel to the centerline and
rip the groove side at an angle parallel to the wall.
During installation, you'll find it's helpful to lay out several rows of boards, staggering them so no end
joint is closer than 6 inches to an end joint in the next row. As you install the strips, cut pieces (at least
8 inches long) to fit at the end of each row; allow a 1/2-inch gap at the wall.
Use a radial arm saw or power miter saw to cut the boards. When blind-nailing with a hammer and
finishing nails, don't try to drive the nails flush--the indentations will show. Instead, leave each nail
head projecting up about 1/8 inch, then place a nail set sideways over it along the upper edge of the
tongue and drive the nail home by tapping the nail set with your hammer. Finally, use the tip of the
nail set to recess the nail's head flush with the wood.
1.
Cover the subfloor with a layer of 15-pound asphalt felt, overlapping seams by about 3 inches. Tack
down with a staple gun. Measure the room's width at two or more points to establish an accurate
centerline, and snap a chalk line parallel to your starting wall. Working from the joist marks along the
walls, snap chalk lines to mark the locations of the support members.
2.
To indicate the edge of the first row of flooring, snap another chalk line about 1/2 inch from the
starting wall exactly parallel to your centerline. This 1/2-inch gap between the flooring and the wall will
allow for expansion; it will be covered by base shoe or baseboard molding.
3.
Choose the longest boards or widest planks for the first row. Near the wall, where the nail heads will
be covered by a base shoe, drill pilot holes for 1 1/2-inch finishing nails, then face-nail the first row
through the plywood subflooring to the floor joists or sleepers. Use a nail set to recess the nails below
the surface.
4.
Blind-nail this and the next two rows by hand. Drill pilot holes at a 45-to-50-degree angle through the
tongues, centered on each joist or sleeper, at the ends and every 10 inches along the lengths.
Fasten with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. Use a nail set to finish driving each nail.
5.
When installing the second row and every row thereafter, move a short piece of flooring along the
edge and give it a sharp rap with a mallet to tighten the new row against the previous row before
nailing. Remember that end joints in two adjacent rows should not be closer than 6 inches; end joints
should also not line up over a joint in the subfloor. If you're installing a wide-plank floor, some
manufacturers recommend leaving a crack the width of a putty-knife blade between planks for
expansion.
6.
If you're installing flooring over a large area, use a flooring nailer once you've installed the first three
rows. Slip it onto the board's tongue and, using a heavy rubber mallet, strike the plunger to drive
2-inch nails or staples through the tongue into each joist and into the subfloor midway between joists.
Be very careful to avoid scratching or otherwise damaging the flooring.
7.
When you reach the final row, use a block and a pry bar to wedge the last boards tightly into position.
Drill holes and face-nail boards where base shoe or baseboard molding will cover, using the
reference marks along the wall to locate the joists. Set the nail heads below the surface using a
hammer and nail set.
8.
If your new floor will cause a change of level to a hallway or adjoining room, install a reducer strip for
a smooth transition. This strip, milled with a rounded or beveled top, fits onto the tongue of an
adjacent board or the ends of perpendicular boards. It can also be butted against the edges or ends
of grooves. Face-nail the reducer strip at the edge of the floor, set the nail heads below the surface,
and fill with wood putty. Last, reinstall the base shoe or baseboard molding.
© Copyright 2002, CornerstoneWholesale, Inc
Toll Free 1-877-463-6299
Corporate Offices
5718 Corporation Circle
Fort Myers Florida 33905
Phone 239-265-0105
Fax 239-790-5121
Email Us
Corporate Offices
5718 Corporation Circle
Fort Myers Florida 33905
Phone 239-265-0105
Fax 239-790-5121
Email Us
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Best Quality Priced Flooring
Best Quality Priced Flooring
On The Internet! 239-265-0105
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