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THE HARDWOOD FLOORING NAIL DOWN INSTALLATION
PROCESS
Preparation:
The subfloor must be even before hardwood flooring can be installed. All nails
or tacks left behind from the previous flooring must be removed and the subfloor has to be clean and free of debris. ... Acclimation:
Wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. To
prevent cupping or warping, hardwood flooring must be acclimated before it can be sanded and finished. For installation
of hardwood flooring in large areas, we prefer to install the wood and let it acclimate in place for at least 5 days before
sanding and finishing. Felt Paper Underlayment: Felt
Paper Underlayment lessens moisture migration from below to prevent moisture-related cracking, cupping and warping in solid
hardwood finished floors. It also reduces noise and squeaks. Nail Down Solid Hardwood Installation:
Strips or planks are nailed to the subfloor perpendicular to the flooring joists.
The installer uses a nailer gun to nail the flooring at the sides of the boards so the nails are not visible.
.. Glue Down Engineered or solid
strip Installation: Thin strips of engineered flooring or solid strip hardwood
flooring are glued to a concrete slab using a glue manfactured specifically for adhering wood
to concrete. Upon drying, this adhesive is a moisture barrier, protecting the wood from
moisture that up through the concrete. ADVISEMENT: Use of the wrong adhesive, cheap adhesives or the application
of adhesive to thinly may compromise your flooring. Spend the extra money to have the floor installed correctly! The
most durable adhesives are expensive.
Shoe moulding or Quarter round moulding: Space is left
between the hardwood flooring and the wall or baseboard to allow for seasonal expansion of the wood. Additionally, the
boards closest to the wall have face nails, or nails on top of the boards. Shoe moulding or quarter round moulding is
nailed to the bottom of the baseboard to hide these characteristics.
UNFINISHED and PREFINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORS  Unfinished wood is installed first, then sanded, stained and finished with polyurethane in the home. It has
a more natural appearance than most prefinished flooring. The entire process - installation and finishing can take
between two to three days, depending on the size of the installation. Having unfinished wood installed is generally less expensive
than installing prefinished wood. Prefinished wood is stained and finished at a factory. It
is then installed and ready to walk on immediately. Prefinished solid wood
may have a bevel or micro-bevel on the sides of each plank to offset the slight variation in the thickness of the
boards. As many as ten thin coats of finish are sprayed onto the boards at the factory for a flawless finish. Prefinished
flooring is now available with aluminum oxide or ceramic finishes that are incredibly durable.
HARDWOOD FLOORING GRADES
All hardwood flooring is catagorized by grade. Hardwoods that are uniform in color and have longer
board lengths in the bundle are graded higher than boards with varying colors and shorter boards. Higher grade hardwoods
are more expensive than lower grade hardwoods. For a more detailed Hardwood flooring grade descriptions please
go to the NWFA site http://www.nofma.org/gradingrules.htm   
Common Grading NamesPrefinished Hardwood Flooring |  | Unfinished Wood Flooring | Clear
Grade - Most uniform in color, longer lengths, virtually no blemishes or knots.
Select & Better
- Very uniform in color, longer lengths virtually no blemishes or knots.
Country or Exclusive Grades
- Boards starting to show the natural character such as lighter and darker boards, shorter board average, small pinholes and
tiny knots possible.
Traditional, Antique, Character Grades - Boards show a lot of natural character
such as light and dark boards, pinholes and knots possible, small checks allowed. Overall board lengths are shorter.
Tavern
or Cabin Grade - Boards show a lot of character such as light and dark boards, lengths of boards are shorter approx
24" average. Pinholes and knots can be quite evident. | | Clear Grade - Most uniform in color, longer, lengths, virtually no blemishes or knots.
Select & Better - Very uniform in color, longer lengths, virtually no blemishes or knots.
#1
Common - Board starting to show the natural character such as lighter and darker boards, shorter board average, pinholes
and knots are present.
#2 Common - Boards show a lot of natural Character such as light and dark boards,
larger knots and checks allowed. Over all board lengths are shorter.
Shorts - Boards show a lot of natural
character such as light and dark boards, lengths of boards are extremely short approx 16" average, knots and pinholes
are quite evident. |
ENGINEERED HARDWOOD FLOORING
 Engineered Wood, is manufactured by compressing several layers of hardwood together with a thin veneer
on top. The layers are criss-crossed to prevent the expansion and contraction due to changes in humidity levels. This
makes it possible for people to have hardwood flooring in basements or on top of concrete slabs. Engineered
flooring is thinner than solid hardwood flooring. It typically comes in 3/8" or 5/8" thickness. It
is installed using an adhesive that bonds wood to concrete. Once it is glued down, it cannot be pulled up for repairs.
Eventually, as the glue under the wood dries out (15 - 20 years) individual strips can come loose or give when walked on.
Engineered flooring is available either prefinished or unfinished.
 Hardwood flooring is the only flooring that increases the value of a home. Its timeless beauty will never
go out of style. Solid wood
strips or planks are milled from a single 3/4" thick piece of hardwood. It is available in widths of 2 1/4"
strips, 3 1/4"strips, 4" planks, 5"planks, and 6" planks. Solid 3/4"or 1/2"
thick hardwood is nailed onto a wooden subfloor that is at least 1/2" thick. Standard length, solid 3/4"
flooring cannot be glued down and should never be installed directly onto a concrete slab or concrete that is below grade
(basement). There is solid strip flooring that can be glued down to a concrete slab on or above grade, but never in
basements. This flooring is thinner (3/8" or 5/16" thickness) than the nailed down hardwood. Another option for
solid installation on concrete is shorts. Shorts are shorter strips of solid hardwood in standard, 3/4" thickness.
Most mills have discontinued the manufacturing of shorts.
Solid wood is available either "unfinished"
or "prefinished". Unfinished wood is installed first, then sanded, stained and finished with
polyurethane in the home. The entire process - installation and finishing can take between two to three days, depending
on the size of the installation. Prefinished wood is stained and finished at a factory. It is then installed and ready
to walk on immediately.
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atlanta,
alpharetta, sandy springs, duluth, brookhaven, vinings, east cobb, marietta, cumming, milton, johns creek, dunwoody, smyrna,
hardwood, hardwoods, installation of hardwoods, hardwood installation,
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