- 1). Lay out the 4-foot by 8-foot plywood sub-flooring on the floor joist. Place the plywood perpendicular to the floor joist. Stagger the joints of the plywood sub-floor so that no two sheets have end joints that line up with one another. The second row of flooring should start with 1/2-sheet of plywood for this purpose.
- 2). Attach the plywood to the floor joist with construction adhesive and wood screws. Use 2 1/4-inch screws along the floor joist, 12-inches apart. This will make a strong sub-floor that will not squeak over time. Use a caulk gun to fill in gaps between the plywood sheets.
- 3). Place a layer of 30-pound felt paper over the entire sub-floor. Tack the felt paper with a framing stapler to keep it in position while installing the board flooring. The felt paper acts as a vapor barrier for the hardwood flooring.
- 4). Attach any species of wood boards to the sub-floor. Tongue and groove hardwood floors are the most common. The tongue and groove joints ensure that the floor remains flat and locked together.
- 5). Start in one corner and lay the flooring straight along the wall. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between the wall and the board flooring for an expansion joint. Nail the flooring every 12 to 16-inches along the length of the boards. Use a flooring nail gun that drives the nail in at a 45-degree angle and countersinks it into the tongue of the boards. Use a rubber mallet to set each nail. This method keeps the joint between the rows tight.
- 6). Stagger the next row of flooring so that no two boards have an end joint that lines up with one another. This adds strength to the flooring and makes the floor more visually appealing.
- 7). Repeat the last step until your hardwood flooring covers the room.
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