Alright, so I’ve been meaning to redo my floors for, like, forever. Finally got around to tackling it, and I went with this batten dancing soft maple assembly wooden flooring. Sounds fancy, right? It’s basically just interlocking wood planks, but the “batten” part means there are these strips underneath that help with, you know, keeping it all level and stuff.

The Prep Work (Ugh)

First, I had to rip up the old nasty carpet. That was a workout, let me tell you. And dusty! Make sure you wear a mask for that part. Then came the real fun: cleaning the subfloor. It had to be super smooth and level, otherwise, the new floor would be all wonky. I spent a whole day just sweeping, vacuuming, and even scraping off old bits of glue and whatever else was stuck down there.

Laying It Down

Once the subfloor was pristine, it was time to start laying the actual flooring. I started in one corner, following the instructions that came with the wood. They were pretty clear, thankfully. The planks clicked together, which was kinda satisfying. It’s like a giant puzzle, but way more important to get right!

• Unboxed the wooden flooring.
• Checked for any damaged planks. There were a couple, so I set those aside.
• Laid out the first row, making sure it was straight using some measuring tools.

The Tricky Parts

The edges were a bit of a pain. I had to cut some of the planks to fit around doorways and stuff. I used one cutting tool that my friend let me borrow. I am not great with the cutting tools, but I managed. Just take it slow and measure twice (or three times, in my case!).

Also, the instructions said to leave a little gap around the edges of the room for expansion. Wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, so you gotta give it some room to breathe. I used these little spacers to make sure the gap was consistent.

The Final Touches

After all the planks were down, I installed the baseboards. That really finished it off and made it look all professional. And that was it! My new floor was done.

Honestly, it was a lot of work, but totally worth it. My room looks so much better now, and it feels great underfoot. Plus, I saved a bunch of money by doing it myself instead of hiring someone. If you’re thinking about doing your own floors, I say go for it! Just be prepared for some sweat and maybe a few curse words along the way.