D.I.Y. flooring…Can it be done?
Installing hardwood flooring is a great way to increase the value of a home, but for many homeowners, installing the flooring themselves is the only option their budget will permit.  The beauty and design of hardwood flooring and other flooring types can be quite intimidating to the inexperienced do-it-yourselfer, but installation is relatively easy.  Simple tools and patience are all that is required to lay down a beautiful new floor.  In fact, this home improvement project can be easily completed in a weekend.
Advantages of hardwood flooring
Hardwood flooring is arguably the most popular type of flooring to have in any home.  Hardwood floors are easy to clean and maintain and, with some conditioning and gentle maintenance, have the natural durability to last for years. 
 
 
Wood flooring is available in a wide variety of different patterns, textures and colors.  Add to this the many different shades of wood stains, and the possibilities for designing a beautiful wood floor are almost innumerable.  Hardwood floors can also be easily refinished, either by sanding or stripping the finish, so room design changes may be accommodated without removing the flooring completely. 
Hardwood flooring is the best type of flooring to have in a home if anyone in the family has allergies.  Unlike the fibers of carpeting or even tile grout, hardwood floors cannot trap allergens.  Instead of having to use expensive filters on vacuums or heating and air systems, all the dust, pollen and other allergy-inducing debris can be easily swept away. 
Installing a hardwood floor
The average homeowner can easily lay down ProSource floors, or any other type of hardwood flooring, in a weekend.  Installing a hardwood floor requires the most basic tools, including saws, a hand drill and either hammer and nails or a nail gun.  Once the hardwood flooring has been purchased, it is important to allow it to acclimatise to the home’s atmosphere.  Flooring should first sit for about five days at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and should sit up off the floor if the base flooring is concrete.
Installation should begin by laying down the first row of boards along the longest wall of the room, preferably one without windows or doorways.  This should also be the wall that is perpendicular to the floor joists of the room.  Lay the first row of boards down, countersinking the nails as they are attached. 
Next, “rack the boards.”  This is a professional term for laying out the remaining boards and arranging them where they are going to go.  Rearrange them, adjusting for shading or pattern, so that they look the best, then attach them using hammer and nails or, preferably, with a nail gun.  The final boards will most likely have to be cut to fit.  Install trim around the entire floor to finish.
 
Other types of flooring
Hardwood flooring is often complemented by other hard flooring types, such as natural stone and tile.  These types of flooring can be easily installed as well.  A wet saw, which uses a diamond blade to grind through materials instead of cutting with teeth, is necessary to properly cut the materials.  Grout or mortar are then used to attach the flooring materials instead of nails.
 
 
I would like to thank Dave Stephenson for the guest post. My entire home is hard wood flooring. I love the cleanliness and the look of hardwood. It is quite easy to install yourself; my husband and I have done both ceramic tile and wood. It is a fun project and absolutely a worthwhile upgrade. Good Luck with your home improvement dapper friends!!