First stack it indoors for a few days to allow the wood time to adjust to your home’s humidity level prior to installation. When the material’s have been properly acclimated, it’s time to lay the first few hardwood boards. The first board in an installation sets the tone for the remainder of the installation. If installed properly, the rest of the floor will practically lay itself. If installed unevenly, gaps will develop as you lay subsequent boards and you will be frustrated with the result. Remove the shoe molding, and snap a chalk line 3/8″ out from the baseboard (this allows for expansion in the hot, humid weather and contraction in the colder, drier weather of the wood flooring). Start the installation at the longest unobstructed wall. While the bulk of the installation is tedious but uncomplicated, there are a few areas that can be challenging during the installation.

Overview

1. Cover the sub-floor with a layer of 15-pound asphalt felt, overlapping seams by about 3 inches. Tack the felt down to the sub-floor with a staple gun.
2. Measure the room’s width at two or more points to establish an accurate center line, and snap a chalk line parallel to your starting wall. Working from the joist marks along the walls, snap chalk lines to mark the locations of the support members.
3. To indicate the edge of the first row of hardwood flooring, snap another chalk line about 1/2 inch from the starting wall exactly parallel to the center line. This 1/2-inch gap between the flooring and the wall will allow for expansion; it will be covered by a base shoe or baseboard molding.
4. Choose the longest boards or widest planks for the first row. Near the wall, where the nail heads will be covered by a base shoe or baseboard molding, drill pilot holes for 1 1/2-inch finishing nails and then face-nail the first row through the plywood sub-flooring to the floor joists or sleepers. Use a nail set to recess the nails below the surface.
5. Blind-nail this and the next two rows by hand. Drill pilot holes at a 45-to-50-degree angle through the tongues, centered on each joist or sleeper, at the ends and every 10 inches along the lengths. Fasten with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. Use a nail set to finish driving each nail.
6. When installing the second row and every row thereafter, move a short piece of flooring along the edge and give it a sharp rap with a mallet or hammer to tighten the new row against the previous row before nailing.Remember that end joints in two adjacent rows should not be closer than 6 inches; end joints should also not line up over a joint in the sub-floor. If you’re installing a wide-plank floor, some manufacturers recommend leaving a crack the width of a putty-knife blade between planks for expansion.
7. If you’re installing hardwood flooring over a large area, use a wood floor nail-er once you’ve installed the first three rows. Slip it onto the board’s tongue and, using a heavy rubber mallet, strike the plunger to drive 2-inch nails or staples through the tongue into each joist and into the sub-floor midway between joists. Be extremely careful not to scratch or otherwise damage the flooring.
8. When you reach the final row, use a block and a pry bar to wedge the last boards tightly into position. Drill holes and face-nail boards where a base shoe or baseboard molding will cover, using the reference marks along the wall to locate the joists. Set the nail heads below the surface using a hammer and nail set.
9. If your new hardwood flooring will cause a change of level to a hallway or adjoining room, install a reducer strip for a smooth transition. This strip, milled with a rounded or beveled top, fits onto the tongue of an adjacent board or the ends of perpendicular boards. It can also be butted against the edges or ends of grooves. Face-nail the reducer strip at the edge of the floor, set the nail heads below the surface, and fill with wood putty. Finally, for the last part of the installation; install a base shoe or baseboard molding.