Okay, let’s get started on the flooring project! I’ve always wanted to tackle a big DIY job, and laying down this batten dancing oak assembly wooden flooring seemed like the perfect challenge. Here’s how the whole thing went down, from start to finish:

First things first, I cleared out the room. Everything had to go – furniture, rugs, the whole nine yards. This gave me a completely blank canvas to work with, and it was also a good chance to give the old floor a good sweep and vacuum.

Next up, I had to prepare the subfloor. This is super important because any bumps or dips will show through the new flooring. I went over the existing floorboards, making sure there were no loose nails or anything sticking up. Anything I found, I hammered down or pulled out. Then in some other area, I spent a good chunk of time with a level, checking for any uneven spots. I found a few low areas, so I used some self-leveling compound to smooth things out. It was a bit messy, but it dried pretty quickly and left a perfectly flat surface.

Getting the Materials Ready

Now for the fun part – the wood! I’d ordered this beautiful batten dancing oak, and it looked even better in person. Before I could start laying it down, though, I let the wood acclimatize to the room. I stacked the boxes in the room, leaving a bit of space between them, and let them sit for about 48 hours. My buddy, who’s a bit of a DIY expert, told me this helps prevent the wood from expanding or contracting too much after it’s installed. Good lookin out!

Laying the Floor

Okay, time to actually lay the flooring! I started along the longest, straightest wall. I used some spacers to create a small gap between the wood and the wall – another tip from my buddy to allow for expansion. Then, it was all about clicking the planks together. This flooring had a tongue-and-groove system, so it was pretty straightforward. I just had to make sure each plank was snug against the next one, using a tapping block and a rubber mallet to gently nudge them into place. The tapping block is super helpful for getting a tight, even look to your flooring.

• Measure and Cut: When I got to the end of a row, I had to measure and cut the last plank to fit. I used a miter saw for this, but a regular hand saw would work too. Just make sure to measure twice and cut once!
• Stagger the Seams: I made sure to stagger the seams between rows. This makes the floor look more natural and also adds strength. I used a simple rule – the seam in one row should be at least 6 inches away from the seam in the row next to it.
• Tap and Click the New Row: The first board is in, you’re going to line up the next board and tap and click the new board in to the row.
• Keep it Going: I just kept repeating this process – laying planks, measuring, cutting, and staggering seams – until the whole room was covered. It took a while, but it was pretty satisfying to see it all come together.

Finishing Touches

Almost there! Once the flooring was down, I installed the baseboards. This covered up the expansion gap around the edges of the room and gave everything a nice, finished look. I used a miter saw to cut the baseboards at 45-degree angles for the corners, then nailed them into place.

Finally, I gave the whole floor a good clean to get rid of any dust or debris. And that was it! My new batten dancing oak assembly wooden flooring was complete. It totally transformed the room, and I was pretty proud of myself for tackling such a big project.

It wasn’t always easy, and there were definitely a few moments where I thought I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But with a little patience, some help from my buddy, and a whole lot of elbow grease, I got it done. And now I have a beautiful new floor to show for it!