Wood Floor Installation – Ask the Wood Flooring Guy

Squeaking due to particleboard subfloor

Q: My floors are squeaking badly, so I removed the carpet that was in my hallway and the tile that was laid down in the front foyer area just inside the front door, and I also removed the second layer of subfloor (which believe it or not was simply particle board) someone had nailed on top of the original subfloor before they laid both the carpet and the tile. I’m now down to the actual subfloor. The house was built in 1967. I’ve gone and purchased screws and screwed it into the joists every 6 inches and the thing is still squeaking badly.

Does this mean I have to rip up the original subfloor and replace that? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Uneven transitions from board to board in new install

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: I’ve installed hardwood in my living room. There are some uneven transitions from board to board. How can I fix this?

Continue reading Uneven transitions from board to board in new install

Harder woods like maple less stable

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: My maple wood floor has developed a hump in the middle. It does it every year but a humid summer has made it a real hazard this year. Is this due to initially poor fitting, not leaving enough room for expansion? How can I fix the floor?

Continue reading Harder woods like maple less stable

Removing glue on parquet and regluing elsewhere

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: I have a question that I was hoping you could help me with. I have removed a parquet floor from one room and want to install it in another room. This parquet is not T&G. It is 3/8″ single pieces. It all came up pretty easy with a thin layer of glue on them. Continue reading Removing glue on parquet and regluing elsewhere

Is thicker engineered hardwood better?

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: I am considering buying engineered hardwood. My house is built on a cement slab. There are several thicknesses to choose from. Is it better to go with thicker variety assuming there is sufficient clearance?

A: I would go with the one that has the thickest hardwood veneer surface. I have installed Mirage engineered several times and it is an excellent product. All the strips are perfect and it can be sanded up to 5 times.

Original / moved link https://faceliftfloors.com/q-and-a/veneer.php

Installing railing posts on a hardwood floor

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: How do I install the hardwood railing posts to a hardwood floor after the flooring installation is complete?

A: I wish I had a quick answer. Well, I do. You need a railing guy! Or, get a large dowel and sink it into the bottom of the post, and then bore a matching hole in the floor.

You will also need some long wood screws, which, after you bore holes near the bottom of the post, on the outside edges, drive the screws into the post on an angle toward and into the sub floor and hopefully floor joist if one is located beneath the post.

Don’t forget to use glue. I found some great polyurethane adhesive in a squeeze bottle at Home Depot made by Pro Bond.

Original / moved link https://faceliftfloors.com/q-and-a/installrailingposts.php

No heat in home where wood floor is being installed

Q: I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me and give a little guidance. I’m a tile installer 95% and on occasion I install some hardwood or laminate. I am heading out to Montana in late April to do all the tile and hardwood in a friends new cabin.

There isn’t going to be any heat or electric at the cabin while I’m installing besides a generator to run tools and a fireplace that I will use intermittently for heat. I’m concerned about temperature and moisture changes without the cabin being more finished. I’ll be installing refinished hardwood, he hasn’t picked a species yet. I’m guessing 3/4″.

Installing a multicolored floor

Q: I am looking for advice on how to lay a multicolored floor with three different colors of hardwood from the same brand. Any suggestions on how to make the pattern random?

Finishing a Douglas Fir floor

Q: We have a 1930s colonial revival home. Upstairs, in the bedrooms, we have what I believe are Douglas Fir wood floors. Two rooms were Previously finished when we bought the home. We are now in the process of removing the carpet in the other two. The floor appears to be in good shape, but still has a thin layer of wax finish on it and is otherwise rather raw. I am really leaning on cleaning them up, lightly sanding and rewaxing them. I’m drawn to the easy repairs and the ease of application, but mostly to the natural softness wax floors offer.

Need to have air conditioning installed before laying hardwood floors?

Q: Do you absolutely need to have air conditioning installed before laying hardwood floors? What if you have a dehumidifier and can keep the humidity in the acceptable range? Continue reading Need to have air conditioning installed before laying hardwood floors?