How to Lay Engineered Wood Floors

By: Mark Feirer, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORS

2. MASKING TAPE
for holding together glued-down boards until the adhesive sets

3. PATCHING COMPOUND
used to fill low spots in subfloor

4. 15-POUND BUILDER'S FELT
for use as an underlayment

5. RING-SHANK NAILS OR PHILLIPS-HEAD SCREWS
for securing subfloor, if necessary

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Straightedge
- Handsaw
  for trimming door casing
- Pneumatic brad nailer
  for fastening the first courses of flooring
- Miter saw
  for cutting flooring strips to length(alternative: backsaw with a miter box
- Jigsaw
  for trimming pieaces to fit around vents and other obstacles (alternative: coping saw)
- Pnuematic staple gun
  for securing flooring to subfloor (alternative: hammer stapler)
- Notched trowel
  for spreading adhesive for glue-down installations
- Plaster trowel
  for spreading filler to level subfloor
- Combination square
- Utility knife
- Mallet
- Pull bar
- Plastic tapping block
- Hammer
- Hammer tacker
- Tape measure
- Drill
- Air compresor
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Photo: Kindra Clineff

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9

8. Final fitting

With a jigsaw, cut flooring around ducts and outlets. Cover exposed edges with mitered trim pieces, which are supplied by the manufacturer. Fasten trim in place with a brad nailer.

When reaching the wall ending wall, and the stapler can no longer be used, toenail the next-to-last courses with the brad nailer.

Using a table saw, rip the tongue off the last course. Be sure to leave a 1/2-inch expansion space between the final course and wall.

Slip the strips into place and force them tightly against the previous course with a pull bar; facenail them with the brad nailer.

Remove all spacers and install the baseboard. Vacuum the floor, then fill all facenail holes with colored putty.