Learn How to Install Hardwood Floors | DIY Projects

Want to learn how to install hardwood floors? We show you all the steps from preparing sub floors through installation and finishing with trim.
Difficulty Level: Moderate. If you are not 100% confident installing hardwood flooring, Lowe's recommends that you hire a professional. Call 1-877-GO-LOWES or visit low.es/2C1mABH to learn more about installation services through Lowe’s.
For more information visit: www.lowes.com/howto
Subscribe to Lowe's KZbin: bit.ly/1blLmvD or head to our channel: / lowes
For more ideas to improve your home, check out Lowe's How-To Library or our other social media channels:
Lowe's - www.lowes.com/how-to-library
Facebook - / lowes
Twitter - / lowes
Pinterest - / lowes
Instagram - / loweshomeimprovement

[@johnathandoe5357]

My dad made the hardwood flooring for my house. He cut down the trees, sawed the lumber, ripped the boards, nailed them down, sanded them, then put a coating on them. They’re so beautiful and the fact that he did it all himself with wood from our farm is amazing

[@ihabiano]

Becomes really hard to sell your house with such an sentimental value.

[@jeremynguyen2346]

@@ihabiano what is a flooring nailer

[@brianbishop2293]

That is really cool

[@Boki9]

wow that is beyond cool.......thanks for sharing this

[@marquesbrown4326]

🔥🔥

[@nunkap8874]

Wow , so refreshing. I love wood floors!!

[@oHmega14]

I've always wanted to buy a fixer-upper house and do as much of the fixin' as I can myself. Looking at these videos definitely makes things look a lot less scary, and has me wanted to find a busted-but-beautiful house to invest my DIY drive and some TLC!!

[@Zodiac581]

Yea don't bite off more than you can chew, skip

[@christianhviid2167]

@@Zodiac581 You always bite off more than you can chew on your first few projects. Thats why you need to have a second income while flipping the first few houses as you will always spend alot on mistakes. However, if youre willing to keep going even through the mishaps, you will learn fast and learn better than anyone could teach you. This goes for every trade. Its really not that horrible.

[@BBGMarv]

​@@christianhviid2167❤🫡

[@75Cee]

I agree with the comments below. Understand that videos make things look ten times easier than they are.

[@sukafreecity]

One of the best detailed tutorials I’ve seen on KZbin!..Great job!

[@sirobertson7806]

yes, straight to the point too. watched loads of these and I get tired of people introducing themselves and telling me about THEIR house and THEIR problems and THEIR pizza. good job Lowes

[@nglaali9647]

I now know it’s worth the money to have someone do it for me

[@truhunk1]

Notice to noobs. For hardwood applications, that 3/4'' expansion gap is overkill, DO NOT do that. Most people nowadays only use baseboards, we no longer use quarter round. A 1/4" expansion gap is fine. Remember, the hardwood is nailed down.

[@bbates9332]

I thought bit seemed a bit much 👍

[@dancefan20121]

Manufacturers require 3/4 expansions. If not, you void your warranty. I wouldn’t risk it especially on a large area. It’s too much work to not follow instructions

[@Mck499]

@@bbates9332 same

[@scottroy6195]

I was a bit thrown back there. By baseboards are only 3/8th

[@claudedesaulniers2300]

A warranty against what ? If you want a 3/4” gap, go ahead. That means you must instal quarter round.

[@bzoddeckup]

Wow. Surprisingly helpful

[@damacia111]

The music makes me angry after 4 minutes

[@TechG-lx3bt]

[@LearnEnglishWithMatta]

I needed this video. Thanks 💪🏽🇺🇸

[@sagafarmsandconsultinggrou113]

Very informative

[@davidwelch3444]

Very well made video. A must for first-timers

[@abdullahaboutaleb2341]

Helpful 🙏

[@theCPadministration]

thank you

[@CALHOUNREALTYDETROITONLINE]

Great video

[@BraxtlyTools]

Great video! Emmy Braxtly

[@pauldobler2779]

good video

[@joshmatthew4125]

This is a good DIY video.

[@matthewhutt544]

question? how do you check a 10' span to see if it's level with a 4' level???

[@schkoopdawhoop7885]

...screw it, I’m paying someone

[@-Ms.L]

Don't forget to pay for permits if necessary in your county.

[@hawklord25]

Yeah,3/4 inch expansion gap is way too large, 1/4 in is more then enough

[@mikemerc74]

Does every wood have the same measurements for expansion or does it varies?

[@McNamEvan]

Depends more on room size than wood species. Large rooms require larger gap.

[@Wolf-qh2lk]

Agreed! I only use 3/8” gap then I don’t have to install a shoe giving a much cleaner look

[@izzyyumnu5648]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I hate using shoe molding unless I absolutely have to

[@johnmcwilliams7918]

They're stoned that's way too much

[@MrFrito-tw2sd]

Dude it’s so easy I did it with my dad today he works in construction the wood just went in like a puzzle pice and I just cut the end pieces to fit the room with a tablesaw

[@l.crossjr]

What is the purpose of the paper underlinement

[@hiseminencetheholymacdiarmada]

I don’t have plywood subfloor, my house is on a concrete slab. Do you have a video for slab homes?

[@kelometer3503]

Lay a plywood subfloor above the concrete with a moisture barrier in between the concrete and plywood. Bam now u have a wood subfloor

[@EPICSOUNDTRAX]

Also, you can use both Moisture barrier in between the concrete and plywood but do extra work to be sure no moisture will penetrate -use ceramic paint I used Behr water barrier paint but at the end, I decided I do not want to risk at all and installed ceramic tiles and now my basement in really dry. I will use underlayment and area rugs. Hardwood is nice and warm but one water problem and you are in deep trouble.

[@stevewise1177]

@@EPICSOUNDTRAX Skip the plywood, use engineered flooring and a decent underlayment with vapor barrier. Float the floor using click loc. Easy. Way easier than putting down plywood or gluing.

[@HerchiceraMills]

If I'm near to the beach and there is humidity. What can I do to the wood do no expand?

[@lowes]

That's the purpose of the expansion joints along the edges. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's guidelines for spacing and acclimation of the boards prior to installation.

[@zoegurick9159]

stick with a floating floor or vinyl plank .also sand is easier to clean as the seams in the wood would collect the sand and moisture would then cause it to expand , separating your boards

[@ra5tan365]

What size nails?

[@shimmerine1]

Does installing yourself really save that much money?

[@schmidty6736]

Yes , it deducts any additional labor costs. Considering that you don't mess up a lot of your hardwood planks.

[@tnfan6306]

And its finished

baby im just gonna have lowes people do this

[@googleuser2795]

And this is why is so expensive not only in materials but in labor cost as well! So much work! Beautiful but I also see so many downsides to real hardwood flooring...

[@avarageplayer200]

Where im gonna get all these tools lol

[@A_Final_Hit]

At Lowe's, of course. 🤣

[@AndreOutlaw]

You can just rent them. However, some homeowners end up getting these over time. I've owned a home for the last 20 or so years. The only thing I'm missing is a flooring nailer and chalk line (though I may have a chalk line in a box in the attic or I may have lost it, but I had one at some point).

[@jessicaraine8403]

What is the reason for staggering the joints?

[@lowes]

Besides the aesthetics, it adds additional strength & stability to the floor.

[@zoegurick9159]

first off my dads a Union carpenter for 25 + yrs....you stagger the joints as to not create a "seam" that would ultimately be a weak spot , prone to breaks and gaping (*^_^*)

[@everything2872]

Zoë Gurick that what he said fucktard

[@Mikdugal1]

@@zoegurick9159 glad your dad is a union carpenter. What are you a?

[@katalyst552]

I'm tired watching this. I'll pay someone to do this lol

[@shainnasurles5709]

Katalyst552 lol exactly

[@verticaltc442]

same

[@ikichullo]

normie

[@MorganBrown]

You can buy the raw wood for $4/sqft and tools for a few hundred. Another few hundred to rent sander and apply polyurethane (the easiest part). Going rate for pro hardwood install is $15/sqft. For my 2000 sqft project, that would be $30,000! Versus $10,000 to DIY it.

[@shawnwillis767]

Morgan Brown $30,000 my ass

[@rlolo777]

Do you have to have shoe molding? Why can't you put your floors closer to the wall so you don't need shoe molding?

[@TheToolnut]

A 1/2" expansion gap is perfect, 👍🔨🇮🇪

[@DeeTruth415]

Welp, I see why I WON'T be doing this job myself! 😂

[@luckyvalera6398]

SOLID CEMENT FLOOR D BEST

[@finchy3394]

Why do you have to avoid matching joins every two boards and leave it for the third row?

[@loejets]

finchy3394 aesthetics

[@zoegurick9159]

aesthetics

[@keith1542]

how can it expand, when it's nailed??????????

[@javajav3004]

the fact that it expands when nailed can cause damage. can expand due to heat and moisture

[@EPICSOUNDTRAX]

Oh boy, you have to see a European herringbone hardwood expanding so much creating a big hill in the middle of the room. The hill was so big you could climb it and touch the ceiling. I swear I have seen it . Somebody locked the floor so tight against the walls the only option the floor had was to go up in the middle of the room. This is a common problem in Europe.

[@lelandhumphrey9216]

W

[@calenbolo]

I do flooring for a living and this is WAYYYYYY too complicated lol

[@joshuabistline9564]

Do you actually have to wait 72 hours with the boards are in room temperature

[@javajav3004]

@Generation Identity yea don't put a 3/4 expan gap for one thing 3/8ths is more than enough

[@elenasunshine]

It really isn't that difficult. They coveted every possible situation and that's why it sounded complicated.

[@elgallitodemorelia1603]

First step hire someone to do it for you.

[@rafiaali540]

Next time someone tells me “you can do anything you want”; I will have to say, “no, I can’t. I can’t install hardwood floor!” Lol

[@ilamkipyaas7304]

My father use trickes and make the wood floor easy to install

[@seaglow1]

@@ilamkipyaas7304 What are trickes?

[@ilamkipyaas7304]

These are skills that are understood by watching not theoretical

[@addy4124]

This won't work for lazy ppl like me lol.

[@ivanrico961]

U dont have to put paper

[@everything2872]

I AM lmao

[@ikichullo]

blacks... amirite?

[@mutated__donkey5840]

@@ikichullo tf is wrong with you

[@MontyBird45]

Click-lock bamboo is 4x harder than hardwood. And zero nailing! I did a 150sf floor in 2 days. It was fun! Five years later, people still raved about it. 1/10th the cost of solid hardwood. Now I'm doing an entire house with hardwood. Why? Because my wife likes it, and she's important to me. Do not be intimidated with a little work. Follow these guidelines and you will not be disappointed.

[@jeremiahgroovy3480]

So if I'm spending a pretty penny on wood flooring I'm just supposed to except the bad boards? Spending a months worth of pay on bad wood is not cool at all.

[@Raptor200637]

It's wood.

[@javajav3004]

it isnt titanium wood bends bows and takes in moisture as it waits to be bought that's just how it is

[@ilamkipyaas7304]

Dont use nails because where there weather is changed wood begin to extend and the floor would require repairing

[@philipbrown9470]

What is the best thing to use, if nails are not the best thing to use.

[@ilamkipyaas7304]

@@philipbrown9470 keep gape half inches of surrounding

[@deeno4919]

ILAM KI PYAAS what?

[@AndreOutlaw]

You should use whatever the manufacture recommends you use. If they say use glue (like with some pergo tile) then use glue. If they say use nails then use nails. The last thing you want is to have all that material look like crap after a couple of years and try to file a claim with the manufacture only to have them laugh at you for installing the material using the wrong method.

[@ShoyuRamenBreakingBad]

Still don’t understand how the boards actually stick to the floor without having visible nails on top. 🙄🙄

[@jonathandough9961]

You understand "tongue & groove," right? One side of the board has a tongue on one side, a groove on the other side. You will install each board by inserting the groove end over the tongue of the last board you put down. The tongue of the last board holds the groove side of the new board firm. Then you nail along the tongue edge, at a 45 degree angle, on top of the tongue, not on the face of the board. So one sided is held down by the tongue of the previous board, and the other side is held down by the nails into the tongue side along the top edge of the tongue. The nail will be hidden when the next board's groove is placed over the tongue of the last board. Gee.... was that a serious question of were you pulling my leg and I fell for it?

[@falcon759]

@@jonathandough9961 Pro-tip: you'll be a more effective teacher when you're not being a condescending smartass.

[@itz_icy_gaming2930]

@@falcon759 faxs

[@A_Final_Hit]

Yeah, this looks way too complicated. I'll just hire someone to do this.

[@MistyWoman4]

Ive watched different videos that show it much easier todo than this one. There are so many videos out there. I take a piece of knowledge from each one 😉

[@ubreakitirepairit3569]

I like how they assume everyone has wooden sub-flooring and not concrete.

[@dominic1722]

They catering to all the suburban homes not the projects

[@nglaali9647]

They explained concrete

[@cnkis]

Yeah... I'll hire someone LMAO!

[@aminuddinsoopar]

Man, now I know why the floor guy charges so much, its not a walk at the park at all.

[@chromosomegun5845]

Dude is a lefty

[@giancarlo199119]

NEVER FACE NAIL THE SECOND LAST ROW!!!! cut paper and put glue!!! then face nail the last row!!!

[@tl-lay]

I see why my mom is paying someone to do this now

[@camaroniandcheese7584]

Omg what the hell is going on

[@TheVoicesofvariety]

:)

[@MangoSlade.]

What?

[@carlossrdominguez4670]

Uu8

[@METALADIX]

Too much work. Hiring out.

[@matthewhutt544]

Hire a pro, don't listen to these guys. So much wrong here. Yes, some things are right but man they really give bad advice on a lot for a simple install.

[@trganimations3881]

Block me if you can... Ha, Ha

[@lifeonwheels9802]

Even the enthusiastic average person wouldn't do it. And even professional hardwood installers with 30 + years under there belt don't even want to do it. Its alot of work crawling over the entire floor many many times over not to mention the 1000's of dollars in tools you'll need to buy to get the job done. Now your stuck with a boatload of tools. And if you give up on the job after you start it's gonna cost you for them to come in and fix all your mistakes plus it install the rest of the floor. I got tired just writing this. But that's the facts jack.

[@everything2872]

Jim DiFiglia lmao 1000’s in tools tf are you buying? More like 200 or 300 in tools

[@lifeonwheels9802]

Add up all the tools you'll need unless your renting the tools. A Compressor, A Nail Gun, A Compressor Hose, Nails, A Chop Saw, A Undercut Saw, A Ruler, A Rubber Mallet A Pry Bar and some silly little odds and ends. With 2 to 3 hunderd dollars your lucky if you just can just purchase the Compressor.

[@DaEverything1]

@@lifeonwheels9802 Most of these people that do these DIY already have the tools. No one is going to go out and purposely buy 5 different tools to do a single job

[@pjfields2382]

Bafoons you can even rent the tools ..jeez

[@rollawy]

can be done with the basic hand tools..

[@michaelgray8128]

Instructions not clear, built a table.

[@danwilliams4089]

Lol. Just lol. Leave this to pros

[@_MrWise]

I wanna teach myself this trade, but this video offered NO help in doing so.

[@travismoore22]

He's doing almost everything wrong.