Hardwood Flooring Installation

Condo owners nowadays prefer to use engineered wood flooring because of its design flexibility and durability.

An important consideration for any condo installation is getting the right underlayment to reduce the amount of noise transmitted to a downstairs neighbor. A 6mm cork underlayment works best, same as rubber. Be sure to check your condo by-laws and building code prior to installing any hard surface floor.

Among the Reasons to Choose Wood Are:

• Wood floors tie a room together, yet complement virtually any furniture, artwork, or overall style.
• The wide range of species, colors, and patterns offer endless design possibilities.
• Wood floors are easy to clean. They’re ideal for people with allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems, because dust particles, pollen, and dust mites stay on the surface where they can be thoroughly wiped out.
• For the price of a high-quality carpet installation, a well-maintained hardwood floor can easily last beyond a 30-year mortgage, while carpets are replaced an average of three times in that same time span.

Before Considering Wood, Consider What’s Under It

Before looking into the merits of various wood floor types, wood species, finishes, and all other considerations, it’s extremely important to talk about the floor under the floor. Or, stated more simply: a wood floor is only as good as the subfloor.

Most solid hardwood flooring will need to be nailed or stapled through the face or blind-nailed through the tongue. The subfloor must be able to hold the nail or staple. For that reason, concrete won’t work. It’s also not a good idea to install a wood floor over particleboard because it doesn’t hold a nail well. And even if it does initially, it will soon work loose, leaving you where you started.

Plywood, OSB, or tongue-and-groove decking products over joists are recommended for most installations.

Vinyl floors, glued-down carpets, and other existing flooring types are not suitable as subflooring and must be removed. Before installing solid wood flooring, get down to the solid, flat, and dry subfloor. Remember (and, yes, we’re being repetitious), a wood floor is only as good as the subfloor.

On-Grade, Above-Grade, Below-Grade

Most appropriate installations are considered “on-grade,” meaning that the floor is level with the height of the exterior grounds with joists or post-and-beam construction supporting the floor. When installing on-grade, it’s important that the crawlspace or basement under the subfloor is well-ventilated. If ventilation is inadequate, moisture will likely result in the cupping or warping of the hardwood months after installation.

“Above-grade,” meaning upper floors of a multi-floor house or building may be appropriate for solid wood flooring if the subfloor is wood. Another consideration is the amount of flex on the floor prior to installation. While all floors have (and need) some flexibility, a more rigid floor is necessary for strip solid wood floors.

“Below-grade” situations, such as basements with cement floors, limit your choices considerably. Some parquets, as well as the solid wood Natural Reflections Line from Bruce can be installed over cement using a direct glue method. In general, though, cement floors mean moisture, which spells disaster for hardwood.

Your best bet would be to install an engineered wood floor over a moisture barrier using the floating installation technique.

Hardwood Finishes

Among the wood flooring we sell, there are many finish choices available. Here’s a bit of general information about some of them:

Wood Flooring Types

Prefinished vs. Unfinished

Prefinished wood is excellent for people who want to do the installation themselves, but without the sanding and the exhaustive finishing process. Price is generally not an advantage. For the cost of a very high-quality prefinished floor, you can probably find a local contractor to install, sand, and finish a floor cheaper.

However, prefinished flooring offers a much cleaner, clearer finish than a floor finished in your home. Because the wood is finished in carefully controlled factory conditions, it does not have the dust, dirt, and other particles that are visible in almost any floor that’s finished on site. You also don’t have to move out when the finish is applied.

Prefinished also offers more variety than standard unfinished flooring. The extra choices give you the opportunity to install interesting African hardwood species like Purple Heart or to use contrasting species as accent pieces.

For our purposes, we’re discussing only the four prefinished wood choices offered here:

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is the type most consumers recognize because it has been available longer. This flooring is comprised of wood strips nailed side by side. It provides excellent insulation and adds substantial strength to a home’s structure.

Many people feel solid wood flooring is the most aesthetically pleasing, especially considering the wide range of species and colors available.

In addition to the many choices we have, we also offer several brands of “handscraped” hardwoods. These are more expensive because each board has been hand-altered by craftsmen to give the flooring an overall burnished, timeworn appearance. The marks on the floor are unique and intentional, and the flooring gives a room a comfortable, timeless look. These floors also have excellent finishes that lock the qualities in place.

Because solid wood floors expand and contract with temperature variation and moisture, they should only be installed in homes that are climate-controlled all year round. If there is a high degree temperature variation or humidity present, the floor is likely to experience cupping, warping, or gaping. These conditions are not related to the installation and are generally not covered by warranties as they are with other wood flooring options. If you’re choosing wood flooring for a summerhouse or a cottage that’s often left unattended, unheated and uncooled, then nailed-down solid wood probably isn’t the right choice.