How to Install Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Flooring

Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring is one of the most popular types of hardwood in the market today. This type of flooring can provide you with a very elegant and durable flooring option. If you understand the process, you should be able to install this type of flooring yourself with a little bit of labor. Here are the basics of how to install Brazilian cherry hardwood floor.

Step 1--Measure

In order to determine how much Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring you are going to need, you will need to first measure the room. Take your tape measure and get the length and the width of the space. Multiply the length and the width together to get the square footage of the space. Then you will need to add 10 percent to that number so that you will have enough for waste.

Step 2--Preparation

You will then need to start preparing for the job. Take the Brazilian cherry into the room in which it is going to be installed. Leave it there for approximately 24 to 48 hours so that it can acclimate to the temperature and humidity of the room. This will prevent future problems of expansion and contraction after you have it installed. You will need to remove everything out of the room before installation. Take your pry bar and use it to remove the baseboards from the wall.

Step 3--Felt Paper

You will then need to take a roll of felt paper and spread it out over the entire floor.

Step 4--Start Laying

At this point, you are ready to start laying your Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring. Take one of the boards and start in a corner of the room. You are going to want to put a wedge in between the wall and the board on each side. This will provide enough room for the flooring to expand and contract without buckling. Hold the board in place and then take your flooring nailer and shoot some nails diagonally down through the tongue of the board. Then you will need to take another board and slide it into the tongue of the narrow side of the board. This will put your next board right up against the wall also. Place a wedge between that board and the wall. Nail it to the floor. Continue putting boards in like this until you have completed a row.

Step 5--Making Cuts

When you get to the end of a row, you will need to make a cut in order to allow the board to fit. Take your saw and make the appropriate cut on one of the boards and then nail the board into place.

Step 6--Continuing

Take the piece that you have left over from the cut and use it to start the next row so that it will be staggered. Slide that board into the tongue of the first board of the first row and then nail it into place. Continue making vertical rows until the entire room has been covered.

Step 7--Finishing Up

After everything is installed, you will need to put the baseboards back on the walls to cover up the expansion gap.