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BB Hokie

Joined: 09/06/2010 Posts: 3161
Likes: 3006


Yes, I have done my entire house. You shouldn't have any problems...


If you have done the other stuff you listed, you will not have any trouble with the hardwood floors.

Off the top of my head, here are some tips...
-make sure the subfloor is flat and secured well. Walk around the floor, and if anything is loose, or if you hear squeaks, screw the plywood down there.
-use the moisture barrier paper (it's cheap, and I think it helps).
-take extra time to be absolutely sure that your first row of boards is straight. If that first row is crooked, it's difficult/impossible to get it straight after that.
-you will have to face nail the first row (or two), and you will need to hand nail the last few rows (because the pneumatic nailer has an angle and you won't be able to fit it against the wall). The end of the kitchen that you finish on will have more face nailing, so keep that in mind when you think about which end to start with (for example, if you are also putting in cabinets, finish on the side where the cabinets will go, that way you can "hide" that extra face nailing).
-like F4E said, make sure you keep every row as tight as possible against the previous one. If gaps start to form between rows, the rows will not be straight, and the gaps will grow with each row. If a board is too bent, cut it and use half to finish one row, and half to start the next row (or just toss it). a rubber mallet is great for this. (the pneumatic nailer should come with a rubber mallet for hitting the nailer, but you might want to have a separate one. I have always just used the same rubber mallet for both)
-I assume you have done molding before, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Overall, the two most important parts are (1) making sure the first row is straight, and (2) keeping each row as tight to the last one as possible (don't let any gaps form between rows).

Good luck and have fun!

(In response to this post by Tafkam Hokie)

Posted: 04/26/2016 at 10:07AM



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Current Thread:
  Splinters ** -- Newt 04/26/2016 10:23AM
  Same rule applies. ** -- thankbud 04/26/2016 2:19PM
  When you say moisture barrier paper -- Tafkam Hokie 04/26/2016 11:37AM
  This is the stuff I used... -- BB Hokie 04/26/2016 11:42AM
  TWSS ** -- EuroHokie 04/26/2016 10:04AM
  That's no problem. I'll just use my lumber stretcher. ** -- Tafkam Hokie 04/26/2016 09:57AM

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