Pine flooring is and always has been a favorite medium of DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike. It’s easily obtainable, affordable, and just as beautiful as expensive hardwoods. Even if this is your first flooring project, don’t fret because it is easy to accomplish with a little patience and planning.
Let’s take a closer look at how to install pine flooring and clear up some of the misconceptions surrounding this process.
What You Need To Know About Installing Pine Flooring?
One of the biggest hang-ups that people have with pine flooring is its softness. Yes, pine is a softwood, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a viable choice for flooring in your home or business. It can be scratched or scuffed, but we can say the same thing about any type of flooring. This is why many products come with a clear–coat finish on them, and if they don’t it would definitely be wise to add one. Replacing a finish is almost always easier than replacing entire pieces of flooring.
Supplies You’ll Need For Installing Pine Flooring
- Chalk line
- Circular saw
- Finish nailer
- Hammer
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Miter saw
- Pencil
- Ring shank nails
- Table saw
How To Install Pine Flooring? (5 Steps)
Step 1: Prepping Your Subfloor
If you’ve read any other materials from us here at ProFlooringZone, you know how much we preach about taking the time to prep your work area. We need a smooth surface free of any imperfections or old fasteners in order to lay a flat and visually stunning pine floor. You may need to pull nails, sand any humps, or clean any old adhesives. Depending on what type of subfloor you have, you may need to replace parts of it, but we assure you that this process is always worth it. Professionals don’t build homes on unacceptable foundations, and the subfloor is the foundation of this project.
Step 2: Choosing Your Starting Point
Depending on how old, or well-built, your project area is, you may be able to start in a corner and run your rows without a problem. If the room isn’t square, this isn’t a great idea. Should your walls be out of square, you should consider starting from the middle and working your way out toward the walls.
Using a tape measure and level, find the center of the room and extend this line for the entirety of the length. A chalk line can make this process easier for larger rooms. Now that you know your starting point is squared and plumbed with the rest of the room, you can go forth with confidence knowing that each row of flooring will follow suit.
Step 3: Securing Your Flooring
Using nails, adhesive, or tongue & groove technology is the best way to secure your flooring. When using nails, it would be a good idea to ring shanks. They will do a much better job at keeping the floor secure over time compared to a smooth-shanked nail. That being said, removing these nails is very hard to do without damaging anything because they do such a good job of staying in place. If you were planning on recycling these pine floors at a later date, it would be much easier to go with a tongue-and-groove product. Removing ring-shank nails without breaking a board or two is next to impossible for most folks.
Step 4: Rinse And Repeat
Once your first row is laid and square with the world, you can continue to lay your pine flooring knowing that it is going to look great. Just check your work as you go to make sure you don’t miss any gaps that will leave you pulling up boards.
Step 5: A Word About Ripping
Regardless of where you decided to start your first row of flooring, you will most likely need to rip a row down to fit against your walls. This is where a table saw comes in handy. Using a table saw makes long cuts much more straight for most people. If you are confident in your cutting abilities, a circular saw and chalk line can achieve the same thing.
Final Thoughts On Installing Pine Flooring
When it comes to installing pine flooring, the job is no harder than working with other natural or synthetic floors. All it takes is patience, a plan, and a bit of an eye for detail to achieve beautiful floors that anyone would be proud of. As long as you keep the soft-nature of pine wood in mind, you can easily create a finished product that will stand the test of time.