Flooring Articles
How to Install Hardwood Flooring (Complete Instructions)
We first ran this article in 2010. It provides detailed instructions for installing hardwood flooring over a wood substructure. It chronicles tutorials for each step of the process, derived from our installation of 3/4 inch solid, tongue-and-groove Brazilian Walnut hardwoods in our own home! At the bottom, we provide links to posts on the tools we use and frequently recommend for hardwood installation. Below is one picture of the final product. Here’s the rest. This project was a lot of fun. We hope you enjoy the tutorial!While...
We Installed a Bamboo Floating Floor with Habitat, Tuscaloosa
I mentioned yesterday that I one of the projects we tackled in Tuscaloosa was installing a bamboo floor, and all together we laid bamboo in each bedroom, the hallway and the living room. The only exceptions were the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms where they chose tile instead. A floating wood floor was the best option since we were laying it over a concrete slab, and it allowed us to move very fast. If you’re a DIYer and want to install wood floors, consider a floating floor as it’s much easier than alternate methods. Looking...
Is DuraCeramic better than Ceramic Tile?
My brother and his wife are remodeling their kitchen, and they’ve taken the time to carefully investigate all the different options including flooring. I was really curious when they began talking about DuraCeramic for the kitchen floor. It’s a relatively new product, and I wanted to know how it compared to a more “traditional” choice like ceramic tile. Editors note: We’re updating another old post from June 2008. Since that time, more information regarding the benefits and disadvantages of DuraCeramic have...
Painting vs. Staining Quarter Round & Shoe Molding Trim
We’ve written a fair amount about installing baseboard and quarter round for hardwood floors, and the right finish nailer for doing this job. One recurring question from fellow DIYers tackling this project is whether you should lay quarter round that matches the wood floor or just paint the quarter round white to match the baseboard. Editors note: This article was first published in November of 2008, and it has garnered a lot of attention. We’ve learned there are several different opinions about this topic and have instituted...
How to Cut Baseboard Molding with a Coping Saw
I’ve been installing the baseboard molding, and it’s going up pretty quick. I completed about half of the molding last Saturday, and plan to finish the rest this weekend. The toughest part about installing any molding (baseboard, shoe molding, chair rail, crown molding) is getting all those corners to line up nicely. As is often the case, most walls are not perfectly square making it even more challenging. Outside corners have to be miter joints unless you chose to use decorative corner blocks. Inside corners can be miter joints...
Casa de Color Hardwood Flooring Review: Problems with Stain Alignment
Whenever we’re about to undertake a hardwood flooring project, we always turn first to Lumber Liquidators. We’ve found them to be helpful, and we really prefer and recommend their Bellawood product. If you’ve been reading here for some time, you probably remember that we installed more than 1000 sq. ft. of their Bellawood Brazilian Walnut product last Summer in our own home. A good friend of ours is currently remodeling a townhome rental to get it ready for sale. We recommended he check out the local Lumber Liquidators...
Dealing with Gaps in Hardwood Floors
Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. Not only are they an eyesore, they can also collect dirt and dust. Hardwood gaps are generally caused by one of a few installation errors:improperly acclimating the hardwoods prior to installation; failing to install the first board perfectly straight in a hardwood flooring installation; failing to keep boards straight when working around an outside corner; or, installing boards that are not uniform.Generally speaking, for #2, #3, and #4, you know the gaps are there immediately...
Lumber Liquidators Review
Over the summer, we spent two weeks telling you about our installation of more than 1000 square feet of Brazilian Walnut flooring in the first floor of our colonial home. We compiled the entire experience into a series of more than a dozen tutorials for installing hardwood floors that cover all the details of a typical wood floor installation. The series was a resounding success, and one of the most extensive we’ve ever produced here at One Project Closer. Below is just one of the “after” pictures from the installation....
Brazilian Walnut Pictures
We’ve reached then end of our hardwood flooring installation! We’re thrilled with the results and we hope you found our two weeks of tutorials helpful if you decide to tackle this job in your own home. We wanted to share some “after” pictures of the remodel with you as inspiration for your own hardwood job! This is the final post in our series on how to install hardwood floors. Thanks for reading, and visit that link for all the information you need to install hardwood flooring in your own home! Before we start,...
How to Install Baseboard and Shoe Molding for Hardwood Floors
Baseboard and shoe molding dress up a new hardwood flooring installation. After you’ve put in the time installing the new floor, trimming it out frames the floor, showcasing the hardwoods just like a quality frame showcases quality art. Baseboard comes in many different shapes and sizes and should be picked based on a balanced approach to style and money. The simplest builder-grade primed white baseboard can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes for around $0.30 / linear foot, while stain-grade elaborate baseboards can cost as much...
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