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These days, many different wood species are used for flooring, generally as veneers glued over plywood panels. But traditionally, solid maple and oak were used for floors because the wood was so hard and the trees were so plentiful. Solid wood floors may be difficult and time-consuming to install, but they look wonderful and are very durable, often outliving the houses where they were installed.


 

Step 1. Start the job by removing the moldings along the floor. If you want to reuse these boards, then carefully pry them from the wall, and pull the nails out from the back side using locking pliers. Also be sure to label them on the back so you’ll know where each came from.

Step 2. Use a piece of scrap flooring as a guide to undercut doorway casing boards. Then lay 15-lb. felt paper across the entire floor, and staple it in place.

Step 3. Snap a chalk line for the first board; then push the board against the perimeter spacer blocks. Drill pilot holes along the back edge, and face-nail the board.

Step 4. Test fit several rows of boards. This allows you to plan for staggered joints as well as matching variations in the color between the boards.