Mistakes:
Using a manual nailer
Nailing into the groove instead of the tongue
Using staples instead of nails

Other suggestions.
Put down a long, dead straight board that will serve as your first course.
IME, this is better than starting off with the actual flooring material
since you can nail this sacrificial course straight down into the subfloor
instead of using the angled nailer, thereby (mostly) assuring it won't move
during the nailing process. Don't remove this board until you have butted
at least 4 full courses against it, at which point the courses shouldn't
move, no matter how much banging (manual or pneumatic) you're doing.

Make very accurate measurements wall to wall in various parts of the room to
determine where to put this backer board. Be sure you're not going to end
up with a 1/4" last course up against a wall. Opinions may differ, but I
put my backer board in the middle of the room, then used a tight
groove-to-groove spline so I'd always be nailing into the tongues (sp?) as I
changed direction and started working toward the opposite wall.

Just one amatuer's opinion based on a job that turned out *very* well.

Joe C.



"ississauga" wrote in message
m...
If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.

"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.

-al sung

"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.

-al sung

On 17 Sep 2004 01:36:59 GMT, ToolMiser wrote:
My mistake was while operating the "manual" nailer that I hit my finger when
the hammer glanced off the window trim when I got close to the wall. It was
time for me to call it a day, and I had an ugly fingernail to show off for a
long time. Best part was that I didn't use any profanity!

Bah, you haven't _lived_ until you hit your shin with the same hammer.
Saw stars on that one, which I thought was just a cartoon thing but was
definately real. It hurt to much for me to swear, too.

Dave Hinz

On 17 Sep 2004 01:36:59 GMT, ToolMiser wrote:
My mistake was while operating the "manual" nailer that I hit my finger when
the hammer glanced off the window trim when I got close to the wall. It was
time for me to call it a day, and I had an ugly fingernail to show off for a
long time. Best part was that I didn't use any profanity!

Bah, you haven't _lived_ until you hit your shin with the same hammer.
Saw stars on that one, which I thought was just a cartoon thing but was
definately real. It hurt to much for me to swear, too.

Dave Hinz

"Alan Sung" wrote in message
news:%gC2d.65233$D%.18417@attbi_s51...
"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over
basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there
too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I
wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual
thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.


a basement slab is not a sub floor... untreaded wood
against concrete with no vapor barrier rots

Phil Scott

-al sung

"Alan Sung" wrote in message
news:%gC2d.65233$D%.18417@attbi_s51...
"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over
basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there
too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I
wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual
thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.


a basement slab is not a sub floor... untreaded wood
against concrete with no vapor barrier rots

Phil Scott

-al sung

"Phil Scott" wrote in message
om...

"Alan Sung" wrote in message
news:%gC2d.65233$D%.18417@attbi_s51...
"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over
basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there
too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I
wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual
thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.

a basement slab is not a sub floor... untreaded wood
against concrete with no vapor barrier rots

Uhm.. How many concrete slabs have a crawlspace beneath them?

: )

"Phil Scott" wrote in message
om...

"Alan Sung" wrote in message
news:%gC2d.65233$D%.18417@attbi_s51...
"Wilson" wrote in message
ink.net...
Use a vapor barrier below the floor, especially over
basement/crawl space.
If there's a crawl space, put plastic on the ground there
too.
Wilson

I hope you don't mean directly under the hardwood. I
wouldn't want a vapor
barrier between the hardwood and the subfloor. The usual
thing is to use
rosin paper between the hardwood and the subfloor.

a basement slab is not a sub floor... untreaded wood
against concrete with no vapor barrier rots

Uhm.. How many concrete slabs have a crawlspace beneath them?

: )

Alan wrote in
:

On 15 Sep 2004 19:42:18 -0700, (ississauga)
wrote:

If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.


Jion the National Wood Flooring Association, read their manual, and don't
listen to some of the terrible advice you see on the internet newsgroups!


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Alan wrote in
:

On 15 Sep 2004 19:42:18 -0700, (ississauga)
wrote:

If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.


Jion the National Wood Flooring Association, read their manual, and don't
listen to some of the terrible advice you see on the internet newsgroups!


----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups
---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

1) Acclimate the wood to the humidity in the house - sticker it and leave
for at least a couple of weeks.
2) put a vapor barrier between the hardwood floor and the subfloor. I used
poly, despite postings not to. A local flooring dealer that I know well
said it is not a problem. Two years now and no problems.
3) If subfloor is not dead flat, put a 1/4" luan layer down
4) Buy or rent a pneumatic floor stapler. And whack it hard every time -
that whack is driving the boards together tight.
5) Speaking of whacking, make sure to get the butting ends of the boards
tight before you whack the pneumatic stapler
6) Cull out the ugly pieces of wood before you start laying the floor.
You'll forget to do this and lay a couple before the "oh crap" comes out of
your mouth
7) Hardwood flooring is always laid perpendicular to the floor joists.
8) Leave 1/4" around the perimeter of the room for expansion. Quarter round
will hide it.
9) Nail the quarter round into the baseboard, not the floor, so the floor
floats
10) Buy or borrow a Fein multimaster to undercut your door jambs - gives a
very professional job
11) When undercutting door jambs, don't cut the security system wires

Bob


"ississauga" wrote in message
m...
If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.

1) Acclimate the wood to the humidity in the house - sticker it and leave
for at least a couple of weeks.
2) put a vapor barrier between the hardwood floor and the subfloor. I used
poly, despite postings not to. A local flooring dealer that I know well
said it is not a problem. Two years now and no problems.
3) If subfloor is not dead flat, put a 1/4" luan layer down
4) Buy or rent a pneumatic floor stapler. And whack it hard every time -
that whack is driving the boards together tight.
5) Speaking of whacking, make sure to get the butting ends of the boards
tight before you whack the pneumatic stapler
6) Cull out the ugly pieces of wood before you start laying the floor.
You'll forget to do this and lay a couple before the "oh crap" comes out of
your mouth
7) Hardwood flooring is always laid perpendicular to the floor joists.
8) Leave 1/4" around the perimeter of the room for expansion. Quarter round
will hide it.
9) Nail the quarter round into the baseboard, not the floor, so the floor
floats
10) Buy or borrow a Fein multimaster to undercut your door jambs - gives a
very professional job
11) When undercutting door jambs, don't cut the security system wires

Bob


"ississauga" wrote in message
m...
If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.

ississauga wrote:
If you have installed hardwood what mistakes have you made? The
hardwood I am installing is the 3/4 inch thick type, about 2-3 inches
wide, oak and maple mostly, finished type.

I am installing hardwood flooring for my customers. There is a big
demand for it here, as many people want me to replace their carpets
with hardwood. I have being reading books and now work with a
professional installer but there is nothing like learning from
mistakes.

NEVER put glue on the T and G. I did this on some beautiful cherry and
installed in the summer. Over the next 2 winters as it shrunk, I heard
loud cracks (like ice on a lake). It didn't ruin the floor, and when we
had it re-finished a few years later, the cracks were filled in. It
still looks great. (but I know where the gaps are ;)

Also, cutting the floor is a hard job to get perfect the first time.
After spending $$ and time putting the floor in you will cry if you
gouge it cutting it for the first time. Hire a pro for this part. And
they usually keep their power tools balanced and tuned up. Rentals from
BORG are usually bad news.

For cherry, DO NOT STAIN. Use sealer (I think mine was called duraseal)
wipe on/ wipe off then 3-4 coats of varnish.

Your smartest move is learning from a professional.

On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 16:44:00 -0400, Rob Mitchell
wrote:

Also, cutting the floor is a hard job to get perfect the first time.
After spending $$ and time putting the floor in you will cry if you
gouge it cutting it for the first time. Hire a pro for this part. And
they usually keep their power tools balanced and tuned up. Rentals from
BORG are usually bad news.

What are you cutting that gouges a new floor? Don't you cut pieces
as needed before nailing them in?

Barry