I had 1200 sf of flooring, all the tools, the floor prepped, but was so nervous. I had watched a dozen videos but still had so many questions. I happened across your video and watched it the night before I was set to start. It was perfect! All my questions were answered! Crooked hallway, closets, non-parallel walls, transition to rooms, correct way to cut with various saws, all super important details that were left unanswered by others. I am now well into my installation with complete confidence. Thank you!
I lost countless hours of sleep trying to figure out how to transition continuously into the next room while having to go four feet backwards in the opposite direction. Your tongue spline idea is ingenious. I have watched countless videos on hardwood flooring installation and have not seen one yet with that Idea. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
I am at the point of putting my floor down. I've watched this video several times over at the least last 5 months. I rewatched the whole thing today to rehearse all of the details. Your presentation is great for the novice and the pro. Thanks a lot again. SUBSCRIPTION!!!
thanks so much, I'm about to do my first hardwood flooring job and this video helped eased some of my worries. I hope mine comes out looking as good as yours
I'm just about to start a floor reno and I watched lots of videos to figure around the little issues that'll come up with my hardwood install but this is the only video that I would have need to see. Thanks so much
I'm about to install reclaimed, vintage narrow oak into a 120 year old small country church. You showed me everything I had concerns about before starting the job. Thanks a ton for your useful, no nonsense video. Your project turned out beautiful.
THANK YOU! So many videos showing just one room, and you all the wrap-arounds that had me so troubled. I have a bull-nose landing too. Here in Cali they want $5k to install 850 sq feet. I am an engineer, but respect skill, so I was hesitant. After this I am ordering a nailer and my 12 year old and I are on the job.
I'm only 11 minutes in & I can tell already this is the most fantastic video. Already helped me tremendously. A bit different but I'm putting down 10" wide red pine flooring. And its new construction where it meets old/existing home. Thank you so very much. I will be referencing this video many times. Thanks again sir!
Thank you very much Dennis. My budget is tight and we can’t afforded to hire a pro contractor to put the down the solid hardwood flooring. I have watched a lot of DIY RUclips videos to get the ideas, but most of them just showing the simple and easy one. I have found a lot of tricks in your video when floor transitions to another rooms, kitchen and using the splice to reverse the flow. I am very confident now and heading to Lumber Liquidators to order my flooring. Thank you and wish you the best!
@@doityourselfdenniscom . Dennis, quick question. When you lay down the hardwood in the kitchen, does it necessary to go under the kitchen range (stove) and under the dishwasher as well? I am not replacing the lower kitchen cabinet, 3/4in hardwood go under the stove not an issue, but the dishwasher will not fit due to the height change with 3/4 thickness. I just wonder how you do your and if you have any issue with that. I probably have hardwood under the stove, but not the dishwasher. Thanks!
@@Discovery123. You will probably want to put it under the stove, although you probably don't have to. As for under the dishwasher, you could probably leave it out, just go up to the leveling legs so that the dishwasher trim will cover the wood. I am not sure of there will be an issue with getting the dishwasher out if you ever replace it. I wouldn't think so.
Great video. A few things I would do different is to use Aquabar underlayment and facenail with serrated flooring cleats and a 90 degree shoe attachment on the floor nailer. The finish nails have a smooth shank and do not hold as well. Stainless steel cleats are better for near the front door.
Never done a multi room install I didn’t know you could nail the hard wood in backwards. For some reason I thought you could just nail it in the tongue. Thanks for the video
Tou dont nail into the grove. He was referring to whats known in the business as a slip tongue. It allows you to reverse the tongue and the groove so you can continue to nail into the tongue. If you nail the groove youll leave every nail high.
Interesting, I always just nailed it with my gun on the first row, but there are times (sadly more than once) where I've caused damage using the gun and had to rip it out. Honestly, I'm now more comfortable with the pre-drilled hammer and nails technique, particularly in on the tongue. No matter how good you think you are, or how long you've done things a certain way, it's always a great idea to see how other pros do it. LOTS of good stuff in this video, well done 👍
Something tells me you missed a key point from the beginning. You never showed how you determined the snapline ?? Had you said to measure off each end of the room 4' or some other number... that would help show where your two points are for snapping the line. Hence, a line without any reference points is just snapping any arbitrary line ?? I'm sure l'm not the only one who sees a problem with your very first steps.
OK help me please. it's not clear to me how you determine the chalk lines orientation if your dealing with a house that's not square? my guess is the dividing wall...
I started in the foyer and when I got to the hallway I measured the distance between the hallway and the bedrooms to see how they worked out. Then I chalked a line from those measurements going down the hallway. I also put a break at the beginning of the hallway so I could adjust the squareness a little bit. As far as the squareness of the the rooms from front to the back into the kitchen and living room, I measured from the front to the rear or vice versa. Then I adjusted best I could from that. The out of square from the lengthway shouldn't matter a whole lot when laying floor.
@25:10 Funny, I've never been around loud sirens or loud noise - never liked going to concerts.... but my wife also says I don't hear so good. I think we men develop a special filter. Where what she says "Rah-rah-rah-Rah-rah-rah-rah..." becomes silence. Just like how my apple wireless noise suppression ear phones work.
Great job and thank you for the great video. I had one question. You mentioned #8 finish nails for the top. What gauge and length nails are you using in the smaller nailer? I understand the 15ga cleats go in the larger nailer. I was curious the size or type of nail was in the smaller nailer. Thank you for taking the time to make this tutorial.
I'm installing hardwood in the hallway and entry area of a mid-50's home. The existing hardwood is laid parallel to the joists in 3 rooms and the living room. Should I just run perpendicular and have it swich directions when you enter a room? Or should I match what's down and try and feather the room transitions and the 4 existing rooms? Thanks!
Thank you for the quick reply! I have plywood subfloor and want to use both nails and glue for hardwood installation. Which glue brand will be best in this case? Once again, thank you!
Do you check room for Square with the 3 4 5 triangle method? We are confused about just popping the chalk line without know how or why to pop that line… thanks in advance!
You can check a room for square using the 3 4 5 method or any other multiplications of it (6 8 10). It has been a while since I made this video but I think you are asking about chalking a line to see how straight the house is in length. By chalking the line and measuring at each end you should be able to see if the house is the same width at each end. I hope this helped.
Thank you for your video, it's been very helpful! One question I have - It makes sense to me how you wrapped around and backfilled the dining room from the foyer with the spline, but if you continued with your flooring separately in both rooms out to the family room and kitchen, how did you then make sure the final flooring matched up in the family room and kitchen when it came together? I have a similar layout with four rooms on the first floor all connected and I'm struggling with figuring out how to make the four rooms all flow correctly without a transition piece somewhere.
The family room and kitchen both came off of the dining room and foyer and met in the middle on the same plain. You should not need a transition piece if I am understanding correctly. When you come in from the foyer and dining room they should match up when your floor wraps around to each other.
@@doityourselfdenniscom Ah ok, so because you already lined up the two rooms from the same reference point before, they should line up the rest of the way and meet up correctly at that point. Thank you so much!
Against the wall.. lay your shims sideways.. you'll get them tighter.. cover more area to press the glue.. not have to figure out where to cut them to get them tight
This is great if you have a rectangle floor plan, but what if you have a floor plan where a room juts out off the rectangle on the front and back of the home?
Hi Dennis Thanks for the video. My house have layout is very alike and I have remove all the particular board and lay down plywood. So I am ready to start installing the hardwood floor. Should start from the main door like you or should I start from the other wall were there is a hardwood floor installed from a TV room entrance? I feel like I should continue with the TV room entrance. Is that easier that starting fresh from the main door wall like you? Thanks Daniel
@@doityourselfdenniscom It almost the same, one is Shawn Brand the other one is Mill run from LL, both 3.25 in. The grooves don't match so I was planning to cut the tongue then glue first row starting at the TV room entrance which a narrow side of the house and finishing at the main door wall, I am not sure. do you have a email I can send you couple of pictures? I really would appreciate.
Hey I’m installing tongue n groove pine in a new construction home . Has moisture barrier down in crawl space and my question is do I put another barrier down on subfloor ? I was told I didn’t need one and to glue and nail it so it won’t squeak. What do you recommend?
If your vapor barrier is in good shape and you don't have any other water issues in the crawl space, it probably isn't necessary. but, it wouldn'y hurt to put down some rosin paper. Not sure I would want to glue because wood needs to be able expand and contract. You are probably better of concentrating on the subfloor not squeeking by making sure it is either nailed or screwed well and nail your flooring into the joists. Hope this helps
Dennis your demonstration is okay but using tar saturated paper underlayment under natural hardwood floor is somewhat questionable. I as home owner will not allow tar to be put my hose. There is VOC free product that meets the NWFA requirements, Silicone Vapor Shield by All Globe at no extra cost, the home owner will be happy and satisfied customer. Thanks
THANK YOU! So many videos showing just one room, and you all the wrap-arounds that had me so troubled. I have a bull-nose landing too. Here in Cali they want $5k to install 850 sq feet. I am an engineer, but respect skill, so I was hesitant. After this I am ordering a nailer and my 12 year old and I are on the job.
I had 1200 sf of flooring, all the tools, the floor prepped, but was so nervous. I had watched a dozen videos but still had so many questions. I happened across your video and watched it the night before I was set to start. It was perfect! All my questions were answered! Crooked hallway, closets, non-parallel walls, transition to rooms, correct way to cut with various saws, all super important details that were left unanswered by others. I am now well into my installation with complete confidence. Thank you!
Thank you. Glad I could help. This is why I started uploading videos.
I lost countless hours of sleep trying to figure out how to transition continuously into the next room while having to go four feet backwards in the opposite direction. Your tongue spline idea is ingenious. I have watched countless videos on hardwood flooring installation and have not seen one yet with that Idea. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
You are quite welcome, glad I could help.
PHEW!!! Excellent work. You encountered, addressed and defeated all kinds of situations. You are an expert.
Thank you.
I am at the point of putting my floor down. I've watched this video several times over at the least last 5 months. I rewatched the whole thing today to rehearse all of the details. Your presentation is great for the novice and the pro. Thanks a lot again. SUBSCRIPTION!!!
Thank you, glad I could help. That is why I do this.
thanks so much, I'm about to do my first hardwood flooring job and this video helped eased some of my worries. I hope mine comes out looking as good as yours
Thank you. I am glad I could be of some help. Good Luck with yours.
Best video I’ve seen on hardwood installation, thank you so much for doing this!
You are welcome. Glad I could help.
I'm just about to start a floor reno and I watched lots of videos to figure around the little issues that'll come up with my hardwood install but this is the only video that I would have need to see. Thanks so much
Thanks. Glad I could help. Good luck with your reno.
I'm about to install reclaimed, vintage narrow oak into a 120 year old small country church. You showed me everything I had concerns about before starting the job. Thanks a ton for your useful, no nonsense video. Your project turned out beautiful.
Thank you, I am glad I could help.
This is by FAR the best tutorial I've seen. Thank you!
Thank you.
THANK YOU! So many videos showing just one room, and you all the wrap-arounds that had me so troubled. I have a bull-nose landing too. Here in Cali they want $5k to install 850 sq feet. I am an engineer, but respect skill, so I was hesitant. After this I am ordering a nailer and my 12 year old and I are on the job.
Thanks. Glad I could help.
I'm only 11 minutes in & I can tell already this is the most fantastic video. Already helped me tremendously. A bit different but I'm putting down 10" wide red pine flooring. And its new construction where it meets old/existing home. Thank you so very much. I will be referencing this video many times. Thanks again sir!
You are welcome. Glad I could help.
Excellent video! By far one of the best flooring videos I have ever seen. Your project turned out very nice.
Thank you!
Thank you very much Dennis. My budget is tight and we can’t afforded to hire a pro contractor to put the down the solid hardwood flooring. I have watched a lot of DIY RUclips videos to get the ideas, but most of them just showing the simple and easy one.
I have found a lot of tricks in your video when floor transitions to another rooms, kitchen and using the splice to reverse the flow.
I am very confident now and heading to Lumber Liquidators to order my flooring. Thank you and wish you the best!
You are quite welcome. Glad I could help.
@@doityourselfdenniscom . Dennis, quick question. When you lay down the hardwood in the kitchen, does it necessary to go under the kitchen range (stove) and under the dishwasher as well? I am not replacing the lower kitchen cabinet, 3/4in hardwood go under the stove not an issue, but the dishwasher will not fit due to the height change with 3/4 thickness. I just wonder how you do your and if you have any issue with that. I probably have hardwood under the stove, but not the dishwasher. Thanks!
@@Discovery123. You will probably want to put it under the stove, although you probably don't have to. As for under the dishwasher, you could probably leave it out, just go up to the leveling legs so that the dishwasher trim will cover the wood. I am not sure of there will be an issue with getting the dishwasher out if you ever replace it. I wouldn't think so.
@@doityourselfdenniscom. Thanks a lot for your help!
@@Discovery123. Not a problem!
This video made all the difference for us, our hardwood floor project is going smooth now, thanks!
Good, glad I could help!
Great video. A few things I would do different is to use Aquabar underlayment and facenail with serrated flooring cleats and a 90 degree shoe attachment on the floor nailer. The finish nails have a smooth shank and do not hold as well. Stainless steel cleats are better for near the front door.
Okay, thank you.
Never done a multi room install I didn’t know you could nail the hard wood in backwards. For some reason I thought you could just nail it in the tongue. Thanks for the video
You are welcome, glad I could help.
Tou dont nail into the grove. He was referring to whats known in the business as a slip tongue. It allows you to reverse the tongue and the groove so you can continue to nail into the tongue. If you nail the groove youll leave every nail high.
Watch a few videos on installing a new floor for sure one of the best Thank you for taking the time to educated us.
You are quite welcome. Glad I could help.
Interesting, I always just nailed it with my gun on the first row, but there are times (sadly more than once) where I've caused damage using the gun and had to rip it out. Honestly, I'm now more comfortable with the pre-drilled hammer and nails technique, particularly in on the tongue.
No matter how good you think you are, or how long you've done things a certain way, it's always a great idea to see how other pros do it. LOTS of good stuff in this video, well done 👍
Thank you. The predrilling is a good.
Thanks for the excellent video. A palm nailer is helpful for those tight areas.
You are correct, a palm nailer would be very helpful.
This is an excellent video. I would love to see such a video for carpet as well. Thank you.
Sorry, I don't lay carpet.
Thanks too.
Thanks for the video. It was long but worth the time as it showed the difficulties in a multi-room install.
Thanks. Glad I could help. Sorry for the delay. I generally try to comment back the same day, but I must have missed this one.
OMG this is just what I needed! thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
You are welcome. Glad I could help.
Something tells me you missed a key point from the beginning. You never showed how you determined the snapline ?? Had you said to measure off each end of the room 4' or some other number... that would help show where your two points are for snapping the line. Hence, a line without any reference points is just snapping any arbitrary line ?? I'm sure l'm not the only one who sees a problem with your very first steps.
yeah i got lost right at the beginning because he doesn't say how he measured for the first chalk line
By far the best video I have seen. Thanks
Thank you, I am ready to jump in and do it with with a lot more confidence now.
Good, glad I could help.
Very informative and helpful video. That's pretty much it for now...
Thanks, glad I could help.
OK help me please. it's not clear to me how you determine the chalk lines orientation if your dealing with a house that's not square? my guess is the dividing wall...
I started in the foyer and when I got to the hallway I measured the distance between the hallway and the bedrooms to see how they worked out. Then I chalked a line from those measurements going down the hallway. I also put a break at the beginning of the hallway so I could adjust the squareness a little bit. As far as the squareness of the the rooms from front to the back into the kitchen and living room, I measured from the front to the rear or vice versa. Then I adjusted best I could from that. The out of square from the lengthway shouldn't matter a whole lot when laying floor.
@25:10 Funny, I've never been around loud sirens or loud noise - never liked going to concerts.... but my wife also says I don't hear so good. I think we men develop a special filter. Where what she says "Rah-rah-rah-Rah-rah-rah-rah..." becomes silence. Just like how my apple wireless noise suppression ear phones work.
Great job and thank you for the great video. I had one question. You mentioned #8 finish nails for the top. What gauge and length nails are you using in the smaller nailer? I understand the 15ga cleats go in the larger nailer. I was curious the size or type of nail was in the smaller nailer. Thank you for taking the time to make this tutorial.
Sorry for the delay I have been extremely busy the last little bit. I use 16 gauge either 2 inch or 2 and a half.
I'm installing hardwood in the hallway and entry area of a mid-50's home. The existing hardwood is laid parallel to the joists in 3 rooms and the living room. Should I just run perpendicular and have it swich directions when you enter a room? Or should I match what's down and try and feather the room transitions and the 4 existing rooms? Thanks!
This is totally up to you. I think it would look best if you stayed with what is already there. But again, it is up to you.
Thank you very much for an amazing video! Very helpful! Could you please tell what kind brand of glue is best to use for hardwood floor?
You are welcome. Where would you be using this glue?
Thank you for the quick reply! I have plywood subfloor and want to use both nails and glue for hardwood installation. Which glue brand will be best in this case? Once again, thank you!
@@ilyboygamer5490 I don't glue mine, but if I did I would probably use a construction adhesive like liquid nail.
Do you check room for
Square with the 3 4 5 triangle method? We are confused about just popping the chalk line without know how or why to pop that line… thanks in advance!
You can check a room for square using the 3 4 5 method or any other multiplications of it (6 8 10). It has been a while since I made this video but I think you are asking about chalking a line to see how straight the house is in length. By chalking the line and measuring at each end you should be able to see if the house is the same width at each end. I hope this helped.
Very comprehensive!
Thank you.
Thank you for your video, it's been very helpful! One question I have - It makes sense to me how you wrapped around and backfilled the dining room from the foyer with the spline, but if you continued with your flooring separately in both rooms out to the family room and kitchen, how did you then make sure the final flooring matched up in the family room and kitchen when it came together? I have a similar layout with four rooms on the first floor all connected and I'm struggling with figuring out how to make the four rooms all flow correctly without a transition piece somewhere.
The family room and kitchen both came off of the dining room and foyer and met in the middle on the same plain. You should not need a transition piece if I am understanding correctly. When you come in from the foyer and dining room they should match up when your floor wraps around to each other.
@@doityourselfdenniscom Ah ok, so because you already lined up the two rooms from the same reference point before, they should line up the rest of the way and meet up correctly at that point. Thank you so much!
@@breannahenk230 I believe so. It is a little hard without seeing the job.
No audio! Actually, I can just barely hear some audio. Same with all other videos of this channel's videos. ???
This is the first that I have heard of this. Sorry.
@@doityourselfdenniscom The problem is on my end. I can hear the audio just fine on my other newer computer.
Against the wall.. lay your shims sideways.. you'll get them tighter.. cover more area to press the glue.. not have to figure out where to cut them to get them tight
This is great if you have a rectangle floor plan, but what if you have a floor plan where a room juts out off the rectangle on the front and back of the home?
You should still be able to use most of the concepts, just carry it on into the other rooms. Hard saying exactly how without looking at it.
Hi Dennis
Thanks for the video.
My house have layout is very alike and I have remove all the particular board and lay down plywood. So I am ready to start installing the hardwood floor.
Should start from the main door like you or should I start from the other wall were there is a hardwood floor installed from a TV room entrance?
I feel like I should continue with the TV room entrance. Is that easier that starting fresh from the main door wall like you?
Thanks
Daniel
Hard to say without seeing the layout and the existing floor. Is the exiisting floor going to match the new?
@@doityourselfdenniscom It almost the same, one is Shawn Brand the other one is Mill run from LL, both 3.25 in. The grooves don't match so I was planning to cut the tongue then glue first row starting at the TV room entrance which a narrow side of the house and finishing at the main door wall, I am not sure. do you have a email I can send you couple of pictures? I really would appreciate.
@@danielc8037 I don't like sending my email, but send it to my email with the same name as my youtube channel without the .com and put @gmail.com
How did you determine the measurement for laying the initial chalk line?
I just picked a random measurement just to have a base to go by to check how straight the walls were.
@Cairo Brentley Good, glad I could help!
Hey I’m installing tongue n groove pine in a new construction home . Has moisture barrier down in crawl space and my question is do I put another barrier down on subfloor ? I was told I didn’t need one and to glue and nail it so it won’t squeak. What do you recommend?
If your vapor barrier is in good shape and you don't have any other water issues in the crawl space, it probably isn't necessary. but, it wouldn'y hurt to put down some rosin paper. Not sure I would want to glue because wood needs to be able expand and contract. You are probably better of concentrating on the subfloor not squeeking by making sure it is either nailed or screwed well and nail your flooring into the joists. Hope this helps
Cleats or staples for 3/4 hardwood floors?
I use cleats.
Where did you go? Every ok?
Nice job
Thanks.
Great video and thanks for the clear explanations, but could you get your flooring partner some knee pads? She's hardcore but dang haha
She has some. Thanks.
Does the subfloor have to be absolutely flat?
Probably not totally flat, but the flatter the better. If it isn't very flat, it will show the flaws.
Great job but you are lucky to have a lovely sexy wife to help you, I might think about getting married now !! ahaha. keep posting
Yes, she is great help, the best. And yes she is sexy and lovely. Thanks.
Dennis your demonstration is okay but using tar saturated paper underlayment under natural hardwood floor is somewhat questionable. I as home owner will not allow tar to be put my hose. There is VOC free product that meets the NWFA requirements, Silicone Vapor Shield by All Globe at no extra cost, the home owner will be happy and satisfied customer. Thanks
Thanks for the info.
Ffs man!
i uk we glue wood floor down stop squeaks
This is not glue down, nail down.
THANK YOU! So many videos showing just one room, and you all the wrap-arounds that had me so troubled. I have a bull-nose landing too. Here in Cali they want $5k to install 850 sq feet. I am an engineer, but respect skill, so I was hesitant. After this I am ordering a nailer and my 12 year old and I are on the job.
Thats a good price rhey gave you.