The hardwood-floor tag has no wiki summary.
11
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9answers
22k views
When installing hardwood floors, should I use rosin paper, roofing felt, or nothing underneath? Why?
I've installed hardwood floors, over top of OSB subfloor with a layer of roofing felt in between. I copied this from the hardwood floor contractor who did a kitchen in my home once. He'd been in ...
10
votes
3answers
748 views
How should I fill 1/8" nail holes in a hardwood floor?
After an anti-squeak effort, we've got a bunch of 1/8" holes in the hardwood floor. These are aligned with the original nail holes, so they will blend in if darker than the wood.
What putty should ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What should I use to transition from tiles to hard wood floor?
There's currently some kind of solid filling between the tiles in my kitchen and the hard wood in my living room. During the summer when it gets hot and humid, the hard wood expand and cracks the ...
7
votes
4answers
7k views
How do I install transition molding between my new hardwood and existing tile floors?
I have ripped out some old carpet and am preparing to install a new solid hardwood floor myself. In several places, the floor transitions to an existing tile floor. The hardwood floor guys told me ...
7
votes
2answers
283 views
How can I remove a portion of a hardwood floor board?
I am adding a small pantry with door to the kitchen area and want to continue the hardwood floors from the kitchen area into the pantry. After removing the baseboard moldings I see that the last ...
7
votes
3answers
592 views
What are the pros and cons of engineered hardwood?
Are there any downsides to engineered hardwood? I'm looking to install hardwood in dining room and kitchen areas.
7
votes
1answer
95 views
Is it possible to replace this board in the floor with similar hardwood flooring?
We believe that when some previous owner dug out the basement and installed the spiral staircase, that they must have installed this board which looks bad next to the original hardwood floors. This ...
7
votes
1answer
274 views
Can you install hardwood floors on a concrete slab?
I was told the slab is like a sponge and the moisture would ruin the floor.
7
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2answers
341 views
Will frequent sliding while wearing socks cause noticeable wear and tear on hardwood floors over time?
Light hearted, but very serious question here. :)
We recently installed hardwood floors. Stranded Bamboo to be exact. It's beautiful!
Now, besides the sheer beauty of it, one of the main benefits ...
6
votes
2answers
246 views
Is it practical to have a wooden floor installed in an apt in India?
I own a house in India. It is on the 3rd floor of an apartment.
The floor of the apartment is all concrete with tiles on it.
Having lived in the US for a few years now, I have come to like the ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the pros and cons of various hardwood floor finishes?
Trying to decide how to stain/finish some new oak hardwood floors. What are the pros and cons of various options like stain+poly, tung oil, etc. I'm wondering about lifetime cost, durability, ability ...
6
votes
2answers
277 views
Frame or floor planks first?
Is it best to frame a powder room and a couple closets first, on top of plywood subfloor, or best to lay hardwood planks first then frame on top? I guess it would be fewer cuts to frame second. What ...
6
votes
3answers
376 views
How to replace just a few boards in hardwood floor
I want to replace a few boards in our pre-finished bamboo hardwood floor. After i take the damaged boards out and put the new boards in, how do i get the last board in? How do i get the existing floor ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What should I do about a hardwood floor that's sagging between the joists?
I recent bought an older (1890) house. On the original floors, the wood flooring is sagging between the joists--you can feel the height difference as you walk, up and down, up and down. It's firm, ...
6
votes
1answer
8k views
How do I repair spots of damaged hardwood floor finish?
I have some hardwood floors that I refinished 5 years or so ago. They're mostly holding up pretty well, but around our breakfast bar the stools have taken up some of the varathane and have left ...
6
votes
1answer
299 views
Repair wood floor damage
I just moved into a new house. I have never had wooden floors until now. Today, we moved a box and saw a strange waxy looking white gunk on the floor after moving a box. Unknowingly, I scraped it ...
5
votes
6answers
505 views
How do I remake my floor using hardwood such that it will not squeak at all?
I have carpet in my bedroom that when you walk on certain spots makes lots of noise. I am tossing the carpet and putting down hardwood flooring. I am using 3/4 in prefinished oak in widths of 3 1/4 ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Mitre Circular Saw blades for cutting Oak floorboards
I have two different blades (which are almost new) for my mitre saw. One has 24 teeth, the other has 48 teeth.
Which blade should I be using to cut oak floor boards?
5
votes
3answers
4k views
What hardwood flooring is recommended for high traffic areas?
I am having a house built and the developer wanted to charge me $10/sq ft for the cheapest $3/sq ft Bruce Oak, and more for anything better quality. There was no charge for Vinyl so, I had them put ...
5
votes
4answers
6k views
Where should I start laying nail down hardwood flooring and how do I make it straight?
I'm planning to install tongue and groove hardwood flooring in my living room, dining room, kithcen, hallway, and powder room. The longest unbroken length of floor runs from the front bay of the house ...
5
votes
2answers
9k views
How can I repair scratches in engineered hardwood floors?
I have two large dogs, of which one has nails that any womans would kill for, and the energy of a nuclear power plant. My homes primary living areas, are all hardwood floors, kitchen, bath, ...
5
votes
2answers
287 views
Would hardwood or carpet be better for a humid place?
We live in northern New Jersey (read: can get really humid).
We have wall-to- wall carpet in our bedroom. The humidity caused it to rise like a can of surströmming (rotten herring). I have three ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
What size expansion gap should I leave between my wall a hardwood floating floor?
How much space to leave between wall and hardwood floating floor? This is a unique floor. Each board is solid bamboo (never thought I'd say that) but they snap together the same way that an engineered ...
4
votes
4answers
3k views
How do I install cabinets on a floating hardwood floor?
We just purchased a bunch of cabinets for installation of a bar / kitchenette in the basement. There are 4 wall cabinets and four base cabinets. These are going to be installed on the existing ...
4
votes
1answer
264 views
how to install pre-finished hardwood floors?
I have pulled up the carpet in my bedroom and got down to the plywood subfloor.
Do I have to prepare the plywood or lay anything down prior to placing the lengths of 3/4" oak flooring down (and ...
4
votes
1answer
126 views
How do I know when my wooden floor has fully dried out post-flood?
So I had a bit of a flood (tap overflowing) and the wooden floor in my house was under an inch of water for a few hours. It's drying out now, and is a bit warped but otherwise fine. I need to wait ...
4
votes
3answers
3k views
Can I lay down solid wood planks on top of my basement concrete floor?
I live in Oakville, Ontario and have a detached home with an unfinished basement with concrete floor. I would like to put hardwood flooring in part of the basement. Instead of tongue and groove ...
4
votes
4answers
2k views
What type of glue should I use to repair my hardwood floor?
I'm replacing the tongue and grove boards in a section of my hardwood floor that were water damaged. On some of the boards, I'll need to cut out the bottom edge of the female side.
On a YouTube ...
4
votes
2answers
134 views
How can I replace a board in floating wood floor?
I have a condo with a concrete subfloor so I floated an engineered wood floor above it. It's not a "click-lock" floor, it's a glued T&G install.
A contractor recently did some work in the unit ...
4
votes
2answers
313 views
How do I cut bamboo flooring with only a hand miter saw and a circular saw available?
I am about to install some hardwood flooring, which calls for cutting a number of planks crosswise, very accurately. The best tool for this is a miter saw, but I only have a circular saw, and a hand ...
4
votes
2answers
575 views
How much sagging is considered normal for floors in old (100+ years) houses?
I am currently looking at a house in New England that dates back to the 1820's that has a sagging floor in the living room. The floor dips down about one inch near one of the walls and I was told by ...
4
votes
1answer
649 views
Can I install new flooring on top of the existing hardwood floors?
I have some 30 y.o. hardwood floor (parquet type) that is overall in decent shape (firm, no squeaking, even, etc.). I'd like to install new hardwood floors, and my contractor says that new floor can ...
4
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2answers
593 views
What is the best way to condition and protect a hardwood floor under heavy use?
We rent an old house with hardwood floors and the area under one of our office chairs is now brittle and dull. What are our options for conditioning and/or protecting the wood (especially to prevent ...
4
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2answers
1k views
Is it OK to put hardwood flooring over 3/4“ particle board that's over 1/2” wood subfloor?
We want to install either laminate or hardwood flooring throughout most of our home. The home is about 35 years old. I pulled up all the carpet and found 3/4" particle board over 1/2" plywood board ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
How do I repair water-damaged hardwood floors?
We moved a pot plant that was sitting on top of the wood floor. We discovered there's a wet spot about 2 inches wide where a couple of seams meet.
The wet spot has probably been there for months.
...
3
votes
5answers
155 views
Which comes first - Flooring or Kitchen Remodel?
My wife and I are going to upgrade multiple parts of our house but we really want two key areas completed first, but we're not sure where to start or if we should do then at the same time, which is ...
3
votes
2answers
146 views
Why are some of the boards in my hardwood floors disintegrating?
Some of the boards in my hardwood floors (1949) are disintegrating.
Can anyone tell me what gives? And how I might go about stopping it?
3
votes
4answers
103 views
Which way to put a parquette floor according to windows?
I have heard people saying that hardwood-floors should always be put alongside windows while others claim it should be put orthogonal to windows.
Which one is the better way now?
3
votes
3answers
2k views
What is the most durable way to paint a wood floor in a high traffic area?
I have to replace the floor on the landings of our stairs and love the look of painted wooden floors. However, it is a high traffic area, and I've seen many painted wood floors floors lose their ...
3
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2answers
1k views
What are disadvantages of wood floor covering in shower?
I love the idea of the luxurious texture of wood flooring in a shower. Does this add significant maintenance/cleaning concerns to the shower?
3
votes
2answers
339 views
Is underlayment necessary in a room over a garage?
It is my understanding that underlayment beneath laminate flooring reduces sound between floors, i.e. for the room below. Is there a functional purpose beyond reducing noise in the room below?
I'm ...
3
votes
2answers
65 views
What is this old 1/16" thick floor-covering, and how do I remove it?
We recently pulled up the carpet in our bedroom, and found this gray covering over the wood subfloor, which seems to be adhered to the wood with a black adhesive (some previous owner scraped away ...
3
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2answers
48 views
What are the optimal conditions to install a hardwood floor?
I'm going to be installing a Red Oak tongue-and-groove hardwood floor to save some money, but I've heard mixed advice on what time of the year a floor should be installed. I live in the northeast of ...
3
votes
3answers
231 views
Can I install hardwood floors (not floating) on a concrete floor?
We have recently bought an old house, and the ground floor has a hard floor and is currently covered in tongue and groove laminate - which we hate.
We'd like to put reclaimed floorboards down - is ...
3
votes
2answers
74 views
What is the best method of filling the gaps in wooden floors?
Two years ago we had wooden flooring installed. We had the wood sit out for 4 weeks to acclimatize as much as possible before we installed. About 6 months later (fall) we started to notice gaps ...
3
votes
1answer
125 views
When sanding hardwood floors, should I buy a rotary or oscillating tool?
I plan to refinish the hardwood floors in three bedrooms using an orbital floor sander because they seem easier and safer for beginners than the drum sander. I need something to sand the edges, and ...
3
votes
1answer
110 views
How do you remove Minwax stainable wood filler?
Recently my husband and I (who both have no idea what we are doing obviously) just got done redoing our wood floors throughout our entire house. Everything turned out great excpet for the few areas ...
2
votes
4answers
503 views
Should I remove vinyl flooring before laying down hardwood?
I'm putting hardwood floors in my kitchen and living room, which next to each other. The kitchen has vinyl flooring, so it is slightly higher than the living room, which has carpet on subfloor. I ...
2
votes
4answers
437 views
Is it likely that there is lead in the varnish of my old 1930's hardwood floor?
I have recently uncovered an old (and presumably original circa 1930) hardwood floor in the hallway of my house. Over the past couple of weeks I have been cleaning and sanding it in order to ...
2
votes
2answers
207 views
Ideas for levelling partial flooring for kitchen furniture
My kitchen flooring consists of a click-type wood floor laid on top of an old vinyl layer, which again rests on concrete. After tearing down the previous owner's kitchen, I learned that the cabinets, ...
