Alright, let’s talk about putting in some solid wood flooring. I wanted that classic, sturdy feel underfoot, so I decided to go with the batten down method. It’s a bit more work, but totally worth it in the end, you know?

Prepping the Subfloor

First things first, I gotta make sure my subfloor, those were basic concrete, was ready. I checked it was level. Leveled it with some leveling compound where needed. It can make a difference. I then cleaned any debris and dust, made it totally clean.

Laying the Battens

Next up, the battens. I used treated lumber for these, making sure to space them out evenly. The instructions that came with the flooring had a good guide for spacing, so I just followed that. I secured the battens to the subfloor using construction adhesive, and screws. Really made sure they were solid and not going anywhere.

Acclimating the Wood

While the battens were setting up, I brought the solid wood flooring planks into the room. This step is pretty key, acclimating.

I stacked them in the room with spacers to let the air circulate. This lets the wood get used to the room’s temperature and humidity, keeps it from expanding or shrinking too much later on. I leave them there, for about a week.

Installing the Flooring

Now for the main event! I started laying the flooring planks perpendicular to the battens. I made sure to leave a small expansion gap around the edges of the room. Walls. This is important because wood moves with changes in humidity. I used a mallet and tapping block to get a nice, tight fit between the planks. I nailed each plank to the battens, carefully. Using a nail gun for this part, it is much faster.

• Checked Level.
• Cleaned Dust.
• Used treated lumber.
• Secured with adhesive and screws.
• Stacked solid wood with spacers.

Finishing Touches

Once all the flooring was down, I installed the baseboards to cover up those expansion gaps. The baseboard, a essential part. I also added some transition strips where the wood flooring met other types of flooring in the house. Just wanted to give it a clean, finished look.

Finally, I gave the whole floor a good clean and stood back to check. It’s a good feeling, you know, seeing a project like this through from start to finish. And that solid wood floor? Feels amazing to walk on.