Okay, here’s my blog post about installing some wooden flooring, told in a casual, personal-experience kind of way:

So, I decided to tackle a DIY project – laying down some wooden flooring. The room’s an odd shape, and I figured using a keel, dancing engineer board approach would be the best way to go. Here’s how it all went down.

Prepping the Subfloor

First things first, I had to get the subfloor ready. This was probably the least fun part. I cleared out everything – furniture, rugs, the whole nine yards. Then came the cleaning. I swept, vacuumed, and even scrubbed in a few spots to make sure there was absolutely no dust or debris left behind.

Next, I checked for any unevenness. I used a long level, and, surprise surprise, found a few dips and bumps. To fix this, I got some self-leveling compound and poured it into the low spots. It was kinda like making pancakes, but way less tasty. I used a trowel to spread it around and make sure it was all smooth. Then, I just had to wait for it to dry – which felt like forever.

Laying the Keel

With the subfloor prepped, it was time for the keel. I grabbed my chosen wooden keel, good old solid piece, and dry fit it first. Using a chalk line, I marked the center of the room.

Then I started laying down the keel. This is the main support piece, so it’s gotta be straight and secure. I used construction adhesive to glue it down to the subfloor, and screwed into the floor joists wherever I could. Checked levelling every few inches.

Installing the Boards

Once the keel was set, I got to start with the actual floorboards. I used my measurements for the first board, cut it to fit using my saw. And because of the rooms shape, the wall is not straight, so each board needs to cut to be fit.

I spread the wood glue on the subfloor, then carefully placed the first board, making sure it was snug against the spacer. Then, I locked it into place, pressing down firmly.

I repeated this process – glue, place, lock, press – for each board. It was a bit like putting together a giant puzzle, making sure the joints were tight.

And I used a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place, and used straps to keep them nice and tight while the glue dried.

The Finishing Touches

After all the boards were down, I let the glue dry overnight. The next day, I removed the straps and spacers. Finally, I gave the whole floor a good sweep and vacuum, and it was DONE!

It was definitely a learning experience. There were moments of frustration. But in the end, seeing that finished wooden floor, knowing I did it myself, was pretty darn satisfying.