- 1). Sweep the floor with a broom to remove dust and tiny debris. Undetected pebbles or small objects will dramatically shorten the life of the hardwood floor. Any wet areas must be completely dry as well, to prevent premature warping.
- 2). Lay the felt paper out on the subfloor. Cut the ends of the felt paper to leave a 1/2-inch gap between the ends of the felt paper and the walls. Staple down the ends of the felt paper so it is taut. Hammer the staples lightly, so that the staple heads do not protrude above the felt paper surface.
- 3). Overlap the felt paper by 4 inches on each successive felt section (strip) applied when using 15-lb. paper. Staple in place at either end, and lightly hammer. Most felt paper manufacturers provide a 4-inch white line on either side of the paper to make this easy. When using 30-lb., simply butt the sides of each felt paper strip together, then hammer the staples lightly.
- 4). Adjust any twisted or uneven sections of felt paper. Inspect all staple heads to make sure they do not protrude. Remove any unused felt paper from the room in preparation for the hardwood application.
Source...