Typically old softwood floorboards will be warped and or cupped making the surface irregular and therefore not the best support for your investment.
How to lay solid oak flooring on floorboards.
How to lay solid wood flooring installation methods.
Snap a chalk line to demarcate the first row of flooring either down the middle of the room or against a wall.
If you re having trouble fitting the end piece into the floor because of the wall you might need to remove the second to last piece and lay down the final piece of flooring first.
While personal preference is a factor the direction in which you run hardwood flooring boards is governed by visual and structural guidelines.
There are basically two options you can consider.
The first consideration you will need to make is how you are going to attach your planks to the floor.
Lay the first row with its edge along the line and face nail the boards with.
Hardwood flooring installation is a big project but you can install solid hardwood floors yourself to save money with this step by step video.
Begin with the first row pre drilling holes.
Before installing a hardwood floor ensure that the existing wooden floor boards are flat level and dry.
The hardwood flooring should run perpendicular to the existing floor boards to provide maximum strength and stability.
Here s how to install flooring using the staple down method.
Next using your hammer insert a nail 1 inch from the wall and about every 4 inches along the board.
The first if the existing floor is not too uneven is laying the new solid wood floor over the existing boards at a 90 degree angle.
The correct direction for laying hardwood floors.
Hardwood flooring boards either solid wood flooring or engineered wood flooring can be fitted onto existing wooden floor boards.
Installing solid wood flooring onto concrete.
Solid wood can be installed onto 2 sub floor types.
Once the end piece is in position tight against the wall fit the second to last piece back in and attach the tongue to the groove.
Solid wood flooring is made from one single piece of wood and can be highly sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity as this can cause the wood to expand and contract.