Even with new technologies, textures and designs coming into the field, the idea of a natural and warm look of a hardwood floor still captures the minds of a lot of people. The authentic and close to nature feeling of hardwood floors are unmatched by most things even today. Before getting yourself a new hardwood floor, you should look not only at the costs but also at the weather conditions you live in. If you live in a place with a lot of moisture, you should not go for hardwood floors. Here is where you can get professional help so that you can do it yourself. It is not a very tough job but might need research and frequent advice besides patience and interest in the work.

If you are working with traditional strip or plank wood then it needs to be fastened down to the sub flooring then sanded and finished. However, the prefinished wood floorings can do without finishing. It is a better option to stick to the prefinished floorings unless you are well versed with sanding and finishing since it is dusty work and can be messy due to the marks left by the drum sander.

The wood flooring should have a clean leveled surface serving for its base. While the surface can be anything like old floor covering or a concrete slab, it should be free from any irregularities and moisture.

By not removing the old flooring altogether you do save yourself the trouble but fall under the risk of having to deal with an over raised floor and under the surface irregularities.

Wood subfloors or the underlayment must be nailed before the installation. For plywood on concrete slabs use asphalt felt or building paper and polythene film as a vapor barrier. For sleepers, polythene can be used as a vapor barrier.
Before installing the floor, it should be stored in the house for a few days so that it can adjust to the humidity levels of the house.

Once starting the installation, it should be kept in mind that the wood boards are to be laid perpendicular to the floor joints. To allow expansion space you should leave about half an inch gap between the floor and the wall. If the planks are different sizes or have marks on them then you should ensure that they are put together in a way so that they do not stand out distinctly but look pleasing.

While sanding the floor you must have dust masks and other instruments like applicator, brush, varnish and a floor scraper. For finishing, you can use oil based or water based polyurethane depending on your choice and requirement. While the oil base gives a traditional look, the water base is more popular since it does not get yellowish and dries clear. The finishing is perhaps the most difficult task, which needs not only skill but patience. It needs more than a couple of coats depending on the manufacturers’ instructions and you have to repeat the sanding process in order to get rid of the uneven bumps and bubbles left after applying the finish.