4 Different Ways Hardwood Floors Are Installed

Hardwood floors have been around for hundreds of years, and they are still just as popular as they ever were. Perhaps that is because they can provide an elegant beauty to your home that nothing else can touch. With a dark richness that can be almost breathtaking, the sheen of a properly maintained hardwood floor adds warmth, peace, and a magnificent presence to your home. Have you ever wondered how those floors are fitted, or if you have an option in the installation techniques? Here are four different ways hardwood floors are installed.

Direct Nailing

Home construction workers have nailed planks of hardwood to the sub floor of houses for hundreds of years. Applying a nail every eight or nine inches was standard practice to make sure the hardwood stayed where it was supposed to and didn’t creak or make cracking sounds a few years after installation. The floor boards are then sanded down to an even level, and a finish of the homeowner’s choice is applied.

Single Stapling

The single stapling of the hardwood floor construction with a pneumatic stapling machine results in a floor much like the direct nailing flooring. The wooden planks are put down on top of the sub floor and attached tightly with a staple about even 12 inches. Sometimes, the staples can cause squeaking boards after several years.

Messy Gluing

Gluing is a messy process and uses the substance to attach hardwood planks to concrete. Sadly, the flooring often fails because of humidity, loss of cohesion, or crumbling concrete.

Active Floating

Considered the simplest of all the hardwood floor installation methods, with most of the boards snapping together in a tongue and groove patter that allows the flooring to be put together like a puzzle and sit on top of the sub floor structure. A special mat is placed between the flooring and the subfloor to allow for the unevenness of the area.

Choosing to have hardwood floors installed can change the look and feel of your home. Select one of the four installation options above and contact a contractor today.