Installing engineered wood flooring as a DIY project - how hard is it?

We recently purchased approximately 1100 square feet of new red oak engineered wood flooring for our home. Our initial plan was to hire a professional to install it, but we are now considering doing it ourselves either next weekend or the following weekend with the help of a friend. It will save us a lot of money, plus this is something that I would actually like to learn how to do in case I ever want to do it again in the future. The flooring will be installed using staples. Is this a job that novice floor installers should be able to handle? My husband and I installed our previous flooring ourselves, but it was a simple click and lock laminate floating floor. Neither of us have ever used a floor stapler before, but we're thinking how hard could it be? Is there anything we need to know? We already know about making sure there is an adequate expansion gap and staggering the boards, so we're not completely clueless. We also already own the saw that we will need for making cuts. We will be renting the stapler from Home Depot. We just want to make sure that this is something we will be able to do ourselves before we even attempt it and end up getting in over our heads. Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

I shared a few tips with out friend Xsleeper a few weeks ago that would also apply in your situation, thread can be found here - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/so...hrow-away.html

Give us a little more info on the room in general - what is the subfloor made up of, how thick, what type of flooring is it replacing, etc.? How big is the room, what shape, and what are the obstacles you will run into? What type of prep have you done so far, has the wood acclimated? Lastly, what is the price of a day rental on the floor nailer? You may be able to purchase one cheaper at harbor freight and not feel rushed to finish to prevent another days rental fees.

 

It's not just a room. It's our entire house (minus the bathrooms). It is a wood subfloor and we will be using a foam underlayment. Only real obstacle is the island in our kitchen, but that won't be hard to get around. Like I said, we installed our previous laminate floor ourselves. The only thing we are new to is using the stapler.

 

No foam underlayment - Use craft paper or 15# felt paper under the floor stapled to the subfloor before installing wood. Again, how thick is the subfloor and what material is it made up of. It is paramount that you have a sufficient subfloor type and thickness to provide sufficient hold power for the staples. Installing a nail down floor is not the same as installing a click lock. Minimum 3/4" thick subfloor, preferably Advantech (or equivilent) or plywood. Regular OSB or Particleboard is not acceptable. Floor also needs to be very flat and meet manufacturer's recommendations for deflection.

In addition to the floor nailer, you will need a 15ga angle nailer for perimeter nailing. This is explained further in the previously attached thread from earlier this month. If a contiguous floor, you will have to measure exactly so that you don't have any sliver cuts/rips at any of the transitional areas such as against walls, door openings, the island and finishing row along the extreme end. Total length of the run will determine weather you start at one wall, or start in the middle, use a spline and work in both directions out from there. Flooring also should be installed perpendicular to the floor joist system such that board lay across multiple floor joists.

You also should remove any shoe and base molding and undercut all door opening jambs and casings.

 

We already know about removing molding and baseboards. We have already done that and have purchased all new moldings and baseboards that will go on after the floor is installed. We installed the subfloor ourselves several years ago and it is very thick. It is not particle board. It is a very high quality subfloor that was purchased at Home Depot and it is perfectly level throughout the entire house. We already know about measuring, cutting, etc. as we have experience doing all of that from our previous floor. We basically just needs tips on using the stapler, i.e. how many times each plank should be stapled, exactly where the staples should go, things of that nature. I appreciate the help.

 

What length/width boards do you have? All boards same size or random length?

And forgive me, but as soon as you said you were using foam underlayment, it implied a lack of knowledge on installation of hardwood nail down flooring.

 

Click lock engineered flooring use an approved underlayment. If you are using staple down, then just roofer's felt. Can you give us a link to the type flooring you plan on installing?

 

The flooring is a 3/8" x 3" red oak engineered.

 

Nail or staple every 8" or so and no closer than 2"-3" to the end of the board.