- 1). Measure the space to determine how much Yeager flooring you will need to purchase. Multiply the length and width of the room to calculate square footage.
- 2). Purchase your material from the Yeager store, or at the company's website. Add about 10 percent to the square footage you calculated in Step 1 to account for planks with discolorations or high color variation. Extra material will also be useful for any repairs that are needed in the future.
- 3). Remove toe boards or baseboards from the perimeter of the room. You can put these pieces aside to be reused or dispose of them if you plan to buy new trim.
- 4). Clean the floor thoroughly. Start by sweeping or vacuuming to remove dirt and debris. Chisel away any large concrete bumps and remove any loose nails or staples from wood subfloors to create a level surface.
- 5). Prepare your subfloor for installation. If the subfloor is wood, you can install flooring directly over top. If it is concrete or any other material, cover the surface with a 1/4-inch layer of plywood. The plywood should be nailed down using concrete nails, and sheets should touch but not overlap.
- 6). Begin laying your Yeager flooring along the longest wall in the room. Place the grooved side of the wood toward the wall. Leave a 1/4- gap between the flooring and the wall to allow the wood to expand in the future. Hammer flooring nails every 6 inches, but no closer than 2 inches to the ends of the plank.
- 7). Continue laying your planks adjacent to one another. Use a rubber mallet to tap the side of each plank as you work to ensure it is tight to the one next to it. Use flooring nails and a hammer to attach the first few rows of flooring.
- 8). Use a floor nailer to fasten the flooring planks beyond the first few rows. A hammer and nails are used on the rows close to the wall because a floor nailer will not fit here, but the floor nailer should be used as much as possible, because it provides a strong and even nailing pattern. This tool can be rented or purchased at your local home improvement store.
- 9). Cut the hardwood floor planks as necessary using a miter saw. Discard any pieces shorter than 1 foot to give your floor a professional look.
- 10
Force the last row of material into place using a pry bar, if necessary. Leave another 1/4-inch gap at the base of this wall for expansion. - 11
Install baseboards on trim around the perimeter of the room to cover expansion joints and complete the project. These pieces are fastened by placing finish nails every 6 to 8 inches.
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