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How To Replace Your Hardwood Floor

Installing a new floor (and replacing the old flooring) is the best way to change the feel of your living room. In particular, black floorboards can last for a long time, but after a while, it becomes necessary to replace them. The good news, however, is that a hardwood floor can be replaced easily. All you have to do is to follow the simple process outlined below. You also need some products such as timber floor polish and protective gear to replace your living room flooring in a safe and efficient manner. In this article, we will discuss how you can replace the flooring of your living room in the best way possible!

Prepare your safety equipment  japan black wood flooring

You have to work hard for hours with your hands (on your knees), so you have to protect your body with knee-pads and gloves. Along with this, wear protective eyeglasses to protect your eyes from sawdust and debris. The gloves will protect your hands from splinters, and the kneepads will protect your knees. Once you have taken these precautionary measures, you are ready to start the process to replace the flooring. 

Remove the old hardwood flooring 

The first step to remove the flooring is to measure the thickness of the current hardwood. You can do this by prying up a loose board from the floor and measure the thickness of the plank. This step is necessary to make sure that you don’t damage the subflooring underneath the flooring, with your circular saw. The rough estimation of most hardwood floors is 5 inches by 1 inch, but it is better to have the exact measure rather than guessing. Once you have the measurements (of the hardwood plank thickness), you can set the blades of saw to the same depth. You then need to make the cuts perpendicularly to the direction the wood planks are laying. Start from one side of the room and make small cuts across the flooring. Be careful while working with circular saws, and keep your hand away from the blades, so you do not cut your hands while cutting the wood. Pry up the wood plank using a pry bar and mallet. Wedge the pry bar into the cut and you some force if needed. Remove the remaining piles following the same steps.

Prepare the subfloor 

After removing the hardwood planks, use nail claw or a curved-vice grip to remove all the nails and staples from the subflooring. Removing nails and staples is an important step in preparing the surface for the new flooring. Use a straight piece of lumber to check the flatness of the subfloor. If you find dips and low spots, use a leveling compound to balance it out. After preparing your subfloor for new flooring, use a vacuum cleaner to suck up wood chunks and sawdust to secure a clean surface. It’s important to make the base smooth for installing the replacement flooring. 

Installing the new flooring

It’s time to select the replacement hardwood flooring of your living room! Keep in mind the look and feel you want to achieve, and select a colour and plank design accordingly. Installing the replacement flooring is very easy, as you just have to glue your new hardwood flooring into place (or you can use nails to install the flooring). It is all up to you and what your budget allows for. 

Avoid using the living room for three days before you install the new floor, because after installation, if the planks shrink or swell, your flooring will be left with gaps that can cause serious issues for you. 

Please note that if you don’t have any prior experience replacing living room floors, then I would recommend seeking the help of an expert, rather than trying it yourself and making a mistake. 

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