Okay, let’s get started with my flooring adventure!

So, I decided it was time to ditch the old, nasty carpet in my living room. I’ve always loved the look of hardwood, and I figured, “How hard could it be?” (Famous last words, right?). I did a bit of looking around and settled on this “keel dancing oak” – sounded fancy and looked pretty in the pictures.

Getting Started (and Getting Overwhelmed)

First things first, I ripped out that old carpet. That part was actually pretty fun, a bit of demo work always gets the blood pumping. Underneath, I found some pretty rough-looking subfloor. Nothing I couldn’t handle, I thought. I spent a good day cleaning it up, pulling out staples, and making sure it was as level as I could get it. I even used some of that self-leveling stuff in a couple of spots – messy, but satisfying.

The “Dancing” Begins

Next up, the underlayment. I rolled that stuff out, taping the seams together like I saw on some videos. Felt like I was wrapping a giant present, except the present was my floor, and the wrapping was…well, underlayment.

Then came the actual flooring. I unpacked the boxes, and let the wood acclimate for a few days . They looked great! I started laying them out, trying to follow that “random” pattern everyone talks about. It’s harder than it looks! You don’t want all the short pieces together, or all the long ones. I found myself shuffling boards around like a deck of cards, trying to get a good mix.

Nailing It (Literally)

Time for the nail gun! This was the part I was both excited and terrified about. I rented a flooring nailer.

First few nails? A bit crooked. I definitely bent a few. But I got the hang of it, finding the right angle and pressure. It’s a good feeling, that thunk of the nail going in, securing the board.

• Row by row, I worked my way across the room.
• Some boards were a bit stubborn, needing a little extra “persuasion” with a tapping block and a mallet.
• I learned pretty quickly to check the tongue and groove carefully before nailing – a misaligned board can throw everything off.

The Finishing Touches

Getting to the edges was tricky. I used a jigsaw to cut the boards to fit around doorways and corners. My cuts weren’t perfect, but that’s what baseboards are for, right? To hide all my mistakes!

Then came a long time of installing those baseboards, and filling in any gaps with wood putty. A bit tedious, but it made a huge difference in the overall look.

Finally, I cleaned everything up, swept and vacuumed, and stood back to admire my handiwork. It wasn’t perfect, there were a few little imperfections here and there, but it was my floor. And honestly, it looked pretty darn good. The “keel dancing oak” had a nice, warm color, and it felt solid underfoot. Definitely an upgrade from the old carpet!

Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but the satisfaction of doing it myself was worth it. Plus, I saved a bunch of money on installation costs. Now, I just need to figure out how to keep it clean…