Hardwood Buyer's Guide

Installation Options

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Rating [on a scale of 1 to 5; 1 is the easiest]
4: Solid hardwood that installs with nails
3: 5/16" solid, or standard engineered hardwood that installs with glue or staples
3: Standard engineered hardwood that can be floated; requires glue
2: Interlocking floating engineered floors; no glue needed

The width, thickness and construction of hardwood boards determine how and where they can be installed. The following chart illustrates the choices.

Keep In Mind:

• Your new hardwood floor may be a different height than the floor it adjoins. Choosing a thin-profile wood (either solid or engineered) can help minimize this problem. Thinner profiles are also easier to install under existing moldings and appliances. Transition strips, which equalize the height difference between different floors, are another solution.
• A common mistake made in floor installations is installing the hardwood floor over concrete that has too much moisture. This occurs frequently in new home construction where the concrete has been power washed and/or when the new concrete hasn't sufficiently dried this results in buckling and gaps in the installed hardwood floor. Over time. Your hardwood manufacturer will recommend a maximum moisture emission level for the concrete subfloor prior to the installation of the hardwood floor. There are products that will help dry concrete subfloors prior to the hardwood floor's installation.
  
• Another common mistake is not leaving enough room for expansion around the perimeter of the room, which is a natural behavior of wood due to temperature and humidity changes. Follow your hardwood floor manufacturer's recommendations.