DIY Hardwood Flooring Installation Mistakes Every Homeowner Should Avoid

If you have a little bit of flooring installation experience, you may be tempted to try your hand at installing your own hardwood flooring. Even though the process looks easy enough when you watch how-to videos online, installing hardwood does take some skill and practice. The slightest misdoings could lead you to make some pretty costly mistakes that will compromise the longevity and appearance of your wood flooring. Here are a few of the biggest mistakes homeowners tend to make when they are trying to install their own hardwood flooring and what you will need to know in order to avoid them. 

Mistake: Not allowing breathing room when making cuts.

Why? Being that wood is a natural material, it does absorb moisture in the air and expand, contracting when humidity levels are low and the air is dry. Therefore, the worst thing that you can do when installing hardwood flooring is to not leave a slight gap around the perimeters of the room where each piece will slip under the baseboards. If you are unfamiliar with installing hardwood, it will be easy to assume that you should be cutting at a precise measurement instead of providing a tiny amount of breathing room.

Mistake: Foregoing hardwood flooring adhesives in large flooring areas.

Why? Even though hardwood flooring usually remains in tact on its own, it can slip and move over time, especially in larger flooring areas where there are not many walls. It is always best to use a hardwood adhesive if you are installing hardwood flooring in a room that is larger than most. This is a protective measure to give reassurance that the flooring will not shift and move throughout the years.

Mistake: Installing hardwood flooring over radiant floor heating without a distributive heat barrier.

Why? Even though you can technically use hardwood over radiant floor heating, this is a task that is best left to a professional. During installation, a protective heat barrier must be installed that will transfer the heat away from the underlying wood surface of the floor. Otherwise, the wood can split open and crack, and possibly even arch and bowl out with high temperatures when the floor heating is in operation. 

When it comes down to it, hardwood flooring can be a lot more complicated to install on your own than what you initially think. If you are considering installing hardwood flooring in your home, contact local professionals, such as those from National Carpet Mill Outlet.