Okay, here’s my blog post about installing wooden flooring, written in a casual, personal style:

So, I finally decided to tackle that old, nasty carpet in the living room. It was, like, vintage 1970s shag, and let me tell you, it had seen better days. I was itching for a change, and hardwood floors seemed like the way to go. I’m no expert, but I figured, “How hard could it be?” (Famous last words, right?)

Prepping the Space

First things first, I ripped out that ancient carpet. This was surprisingly satisfying. Underneath, I found some…interesting…padding. It was basically dust held together by hopes and dreams. Got rid of that, too. I swept and vacuumed the subfloor like five times, because you don’t want any little bits messing with your new floor.

The subfloor itself was plywood, and thankfully, pretty level. I did find a couple of squeaky spots, so I grabbed my drill and screwed those down tight. No one wants a floor that sings opera every time you walk across it.

Then I had added the cushions to make the floor feel softer when walking.

Laying the Planks

I chose this engineered oak flooring – it looked pretty good, and the price was right. The “assembly” part is basically clicking the planks together. It’s supposed to be easy, like giant, wooden puzzle pieces.

I started along the longest wall, leaving a little gap for expansion (wood moves, you know?). The first few rows were a bit tricky, figuring out the whole click-and-lock thing. I definitely banged my fingers a few times with the rubber mallet. My thumb is still throbbing a little.

As I got going, it actually started to look like a real floor! I used a tapping block and a pull bar to get the planks nice and tight, especially in those awkward spots near the walls.

The Tricky Bits

• Cutting around doorways: This was a pain. I borrowed a jigsaw from my neighbor (thanks, Bob!), but my cuts were…not exactly professional. Let’s just say there’s a reason I’m not a carpenter.
• The last row: Of course, the last row didn’t fit perfectly. I had to rip the planks lengthwise, which means cutting them along the long edge. I don’t own a table saw, so I used a circular saw and a very steady hand. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

Finishing Touches

Once all the planks were down,I felt really good.

I nailed on some quarter-round molding to cover the expansion gaps around the edges. This made everything look much more finished, even if my jigsaw cuts were a little wonky.

And that’s it! My new floor is in. It’s not perfect, but I did it myself, and that feels pretty darn good. Plus, it looks a million times better than that old shag carpet. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go ice my thumb…