Okay, folks, let’s dive into this little project I tackled – getting some hevea wooden flooring installed, with a twist! I wanted a bit of bounce, so I went with a cushion system.

First things first, I cleared out the room. Everything out, furniture, rugs, the whole nine yards. Gave the old floor a good sweep and made sure it was pretty level. Any major dips or bumps, I used a bit of self-leveling compound to even things out. You want a nice, flat base for this kind of thing.

The Underlayment Adventure

Next up was the cushion layer. This is where the “dancing” part comes in! I opted for these interlocking foam squares. Think giant puzzle pieces, but soft and squishy.

• Laying it down was easy. Just clicked them together, edge to edge, covering the entire floor.
• I used a utility knife to trim the edges to fit snugly against the walls. No biggie.

Hevea Time!

Now for the star of the show: the hevea wood. I chose pre-assembled panels, because, let’s be honest, I’m not a pro carpenter. These panels already had the hevea strips attached to a backing, making my life way easier.

Starting in one corner, I laid down the first panel. Gave it a gentle tap with a rubber mallet to make sure it was snug against the wall. Then, it was just a matter of connecting the panels together. They had this tongue-and-groove system, so they just clicked into place. Click, click, click – music to my ears!

I kept going, row by row, making sure the seams were nice and tight. For the last row, I had to rip some panels lengthwise to fit. Used a circular saw for that – safety glasses on, of course! – and got a pretty clean cut.

Finishing Touches

Once all the panels were down, I installed some baseboards around the perimeter of the room. This covered up the expansion gap I’d left (important for wood floors, they expand and contract with temperature changes) and gave it a nice, finished look.

Finally, I gave the whole floor a good cleaning with a wood floor cleaner. Stepped back, admired my handiwork, and did a little jig. The floor felt great! Solid, but with a nice, subtle bounce thanks to those cushions. Success!