With all of the flooring choices available now, there are many that are easy to install yourself. This can save you a lot of money and make hardwood flooring much more affordable. If you are considering the option of installing hardwood flooring yourself, you will want to know what tools you may need to complete the job properly. For your convenience, the following list is a description of the tools that may be required for the installation of hardwood flooring:

Chalk Line: A chalk line is used to mark measurements and is a great tool for marking a straight line over a long distance to guide you when installing your hardwood.

Nails: If you are installing ¾” thick solid hardwood flooring, you will need 2” nails or flooring cleats to nail down your hardwood planks to the wood sub-floor. These are available at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Wood Flooring Power Nailer: A nail gun is required to efficiently drive the nails through the hardwood flooring and into the wood sub-floor. It will make the installation process easier and safer. Power nailers are expensive so you might not want to purchase one unless you are installing hardwood flooring in your entire home. You may find that renting one from a rental or hardware store would be more economical.

Hammer or Mallet: In the event that you need to nail down some flooring that cannot be reached by the power nailer, you will want to have a hammer or mallet on hand.

Power saw: This tool will make your installation job a lot faster and easier, especially when installing the harder wood flooring, such as red oak and exotic hardwoods.

Protective padding or underlayment: The quality of your underlayment is extremely important in preserving the life of your hardwood flooring and preventing any buckling or warping. This protective padding is installed over the sub-floor before laying your hardwood and is designed to protect the hardwood from absorbing any moisture from the sub-floor. It can also act as a sound barrier to decrease the amount of sound you hear when you walk across your hardwood flooring.

Flooring Adhesive: If you are installing floating flooring or glue down flooring, you will need a flooring adhesive that is specially recommended by the manufacturer for your type of flooring. Please refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to see if a mask or protective eye-wear is recommended to wear when applying the adhesive.

This list is a guideline to go by when acquiring the tools and materials that you will need to install your own hardwood flooring. Please read the manufacturer’s installation instructions completely before attempting to install your hardwood flooring to make sure you have available everything that you will need to install your particular type of hardwood flooring, since the installation process and necessary tools and materials will vary depending on the product, the installation method and the wood species. Of course, at www.woodwudyshop.com, we are always available to assist you in any way possible. If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-877-966-3983 to speak to a trained flooring specialist. 

.