How to Install Hardwood Floors
Solid or engineered hardwood adds value and character no other floor can match. The pace is slower than laminate, but a careful install lasts decades.
Safety firstHardwood expands and contracts with moisture. Check moisture readings on both the subfloor and the wood, and leave a 1/2" expansion gap at every wall.
What You'll Need
- Flooring nailer + mallet
- Compressor (for pneumatic nailer)
- Miter saw
- Tape measure / chalk line
- Moisture meter
- Pry bar
- Tapping block
Step-by-Step
- Acclimate the woodStack the bundles in the install room for at least 5–7 days. Use a moisture meter to confirm the wood matches the subfloor.
- Prep the subfloorSweep, sink any proud nails, and check the floor for flatness. Lay 15-lb felt or rosin paper as a moisture barrier.
- Snap a starting lineMeasure out from the longest wall and snap a chalk line for the front of the first row, allowing the expansion gap.
- Face-nail the first rowPre-drill and face-nail the first row along the wall. This row anchors the entire field.
- Blind-nail with a flooring nailerLock the next boards into the tongue and drive cleats or staples through the tongue with the flooring nailer.
- Stagger and continueMix planks from different boxes for natural variation. Stagger end joints at least 6 inches and keep rows tight.
- Scribe the final rowsThe last few rows are tight against the wall — face-nail them, hand-fitting the final row with a pull bar.
- Install transitions and shoeAdd baseboards or shoe molding to cover the expansion gap, plus transition strips at doorways.
If you don't think you can do it, let our experts help.