How To Install Hardwood Floors In Kitchen

How to install hardwood flooring yourself in a nutshell.

How to install hardwood floors in kitchen.

3 4 inch cdx plywood is preferred and 3 4 inch osb is acceptable. Most engineered flooring can be installed using staples full spread adhesive or a floating method over an approved subfloor. Make sure you have a sturdy subfloor. There s a lot of pounding and placement that goes into installing hardwood flooring.

Engineered wood a sandwich of wood veneer on top and high grade plywood below is slightly thinner than solid hardwood. If you install the floating kitchen floor over. The hardwood will simply flow underneath. As long as the surface is smooth and level technically you can install hardwood floor over your existing flooring.

Running the hardwood boards perpendicular to floor joists prevents them from sagging in the future. Hardwood flooring installation is a big project but you can install solid hardwood floors yourself to save money with this step by step video. However it may be best to completely remove the old kitchen floor covering and expose the subfloor. Use fold and lock laminate floor.

Layout hardwood planks to get a feel for your layout. Seal hardwood floors in the kitchen after installation site finished vs. It s also safer on your cabinets. Leave a 3 8 inch gap between the walls and the flooring to aid in installation.

Set the boxes of flooring in the kitchen at least 48 to 72 hours before installation so they can acclimatize to the room s humidity and temperature. Most 3 4 inch solid hardwood flooring can be installed using nails or staples over an approved subfloor. Consider an oil based polyurethane sealer because it will allow the wood to breathe releasing moisture. You won t have to try and fit pieces around corners or worry about how flush it is with appliances.

Make sure not to stack the boxes and run the a c or heat normally. With the subfloor sufficiently leveled acclimate the hardwoods in the space where they will be installed. When to install flooring before cabinets. An underlayment adds another 1 4 inch to 1 2 inch to the total flooring thickness.

Installing your flooring first also gives you your cleanest look. Lay the finish flooring straight onto the subfloor with no additional underlayment. Leave the hardwoods in this location for 7 10 days. Secure the plywood subfloor jump around and find squeaky spots mark them then go back and screw nice long screws in each spot.

Factory finished hardwood so that a layer or two of sealer bridges the gaps between planks to prevent moisture from seeping between them.