Okay, here’s my blog post about installing that LVL dancing hard maple assembly wooden flooring, written in a casual, first-person style:

So, I decided to tackle a pretty big project – putting in some new flooring. I went with this LVL dancing hard maple assembly, mostly ’cause it looked cool and I figured it would hold up well. I’m no pro, mind you, but I’m pretty handy, and how hard could it be, right? (Famous last words, I know!).

Preparation is Key (Or So I Thought)

First things first, I cleared out the room. This involved a lot of moving furniture, grumbling, and realizing I own way too much stuff. I should sell this stuff! Then, I had to deal with the old flooring. That was a pain – pulling up old carpet and padding. The tack strips were the worst, always catching on something.

Once I got down to the subfloor, I made sure it was clean and level. I swept and vacuumed like a maniac. Found some uneven spots, so I grabbed some leveling compound and patched those up. I let that dry overnight, just to be sure.

Getting Started with the Flooring

The next day, I unpacked the flooring and let it sit in the room. The instructions said something about “acclimation” – letting the wood get used to the room’s temperature and humidity. Sounded a bit voodoo to me, but hey, I followed the directions. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

I laid out a few rows without any glue or nails, just to get a feel for the pattern and see how it would look. This is where I started to sweat a little. Making sure those first few rows are straight is super important, or the whole floor will be wonky.

The Actual Installation (Things Got Real)

I used a good quality wood glue, applying it to the tongue and groove of each plank. Then, I carefully tapped the planks together with a rubber mallet and a tapping block. That part was kinda fun, actually. Like putting together a giant, wooden puzzle.

I used some spacers along the walls to leave a gap for expansion. Apparently, wood can expand and contract with changes in temperature, so you gotta give it some room to breathe.

• Cutting the planks: This was tricky. I borrowed my brother’s miter saw, which helped a lot. Measure twice, cut once, as they say. I still messed up a few times, though. Good thing I bought extra!
• Working around doorways: This was the hardest part, I can tell you that. Took a lot of fiddling and some creative cutting to get it to look right.

Finishing Up

After all the planks were down, I installed the baseboards. This covered up the expansion gap and gave the room a finished look. I used a nail gun for this, which was pretty satisfying.

Finally, I cleaned up the whole mess. Sawdust everywhere! It took a while, but it was worth it. The new floor looks amazing! I’m pretty proud of myself, to be honest. It was a lot of work, but I learned a ton, and now I have a beautiful new floor to show for it.

Would I do it again? Maybe. Ask me in a few months, after my back stops aching!