Installing a hardwood floor: which direction should I lay it & where should I start?

[waynescountry]

well all i can say is you keep showing people how to do things like this and i keep fixing it thanks for the work keep the diy videos coming

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry Will do. I'll keep the videos coming. I want to make you rich!!...lol Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@VideoJoeKnows you will and for that i thank for that and once again the is only one to do stuff the right way look up homes on homes he may have fixed some of your work when i get time ill post a video for ya to show you what i mean

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry Let me know when you have the video posted so I can check it out. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

another tip you need to pull your base board under cut you sheetrock and door jamb also snap some caulk lines to find out how square your room is ( 3/4/5 )

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry Squaring up your room is a good idea, if your room is a fairly large room. If your room is small, I would think it would be more important to have your floor straight to your main entrance door. I left the existing base up since I will be installing a quarter round at the edges of the room. This hides the gap (for floating expandable floor). Thanks for your suggested tips. Much appreciated. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@VideoJoeKnows quarter looks like crap and its a waste of money and more work just under cut the dry wall what are you going to do when you come to the door jamb you have to under cut it ya caint caulk it and if ya under cut your dry wall you can cheat you floor to make the room look square try it

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry Thanks for the suggestion...well taken. I installed this particular floor with the idea that I might want to remove it in the future. That's why I installed it this way. Your way would work if you want the floor to be left down for years to come. Thanks for taking time to make the suggestions. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@VideoJoeKnows my way is the right way and it still comes up later if ya want to change it also its less work less money and looks better and i have be a real carpenter for over 20 years so doint tell me my way would work its the way all good carpenters do it

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry Your way is the right way for professional carpenters who have years of experience in installing wood floors. This video is for the DIY'er who will not have years of experience but who still wants to know how they can install their floor. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@VideoJoeKnows but the right way is easy quick and looks good not the get it done look for GOD sake doint do a video on how to fix your car brakes :)

[VideoJoeKnows]

@waynescountry I would be an awful mechanic so my brakes will never have to worry!!...lol Joe :0

[szlagjasny]

this is an amateur do it yourself er and he knows how to upload videos to YouTube , but has no professional knowledge about floors

and you do not determine a direction of floor just so the floor runs same as the door , and you do not install floor over carpet .

[VideoJoeKnows]

@szlagjasny I would never suggest running the flooring the other way to a door. Long vertical lines, entering a room, are frowned upon. I installed this flooring over the carpet because the carpet is a tight gluedown carpet (with no pad underneath) so it's fine to do it this way. If I ever want to pull up the flooring, the carpet will still be there good as new. This floor has been down over a year & is working perfectly. Thanks for commenting. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@szlagjasny your right

[VideoJoeKnows]

@thedelih Thanks for letting me know you like "joe" & what "joe" is trying to do here on youtube, for you. I will keep uploading informative videos for your education, enjoyment, & entertainment.....no matter what. Thanks for keeping the light on. Joe :0

[steven131915]

U dont lay laminate on carpet are you thick people like you should have computer 2 up load videos on a subject u dont have a clue about.DICKHEAD

[VideoJoeKnows]

@steven131915 I guess you didn't have a chance to read the memo......most of the time, you would not lay laminate over carpet....but you can lay laminate over a tight gluedown carpet. Everyone knows you can't install a laminate floor over carpet with pad.......only "dickheads" would do that!!....lol Incidentally, this floor was layed over a year ago & it's holding up just fine. Thanks for commenting. Now you know. Joe :0

[waynescountry]

@steven131915 your right to

[VideoJoeKnows]

@thedelih I'll be here whenever you need me that's for sure. Thanks for your comments. Joe :0

[infringinator]

was that a carpet floor with the patterns? I guess if youre nailing them in place it wont matter lol but I thought you have to have bare floor for this. Laminate will be my next project unless we replace the carpeting

[VideoJoeKnows]

@infringinator This is carpet. It was a gluedown carpet so that's why I went over it. This laminate floor is a free floating floor meaning you do not attach it (nail) anywhere, as the entire floor will expand & contract, so it floats in place. My title should've read laminate floor not hardwood floor as most hardwood floors (if not all) are nailed (or glued) to the subfloor. When you're ready to do your floor, let me know, so you get the right materials. Thanks for commenting. Joe :0

[infringinator]

@VideoJoeKnows Ok I thought you'd slide all over the place if you laid the laminate on top of carpet...but I guess once everything is in place it wont have much room to move around lol. I have concrete flooring undernearth the carpet...I might have to add a sub floor before putting on the laminate to help insulate for winter months.

[VideoJoeKnows]

@infringinator If you have a tight gluedown carpet (with no pad underneath), you can put a laminate floor right over it. You just don't want the gluedown carpet being too plush or the laminate will have too much "give". The flooring does not move around once you snap it all in place (except for expanding & contracting). That's why you leave a gap around all the edges.....for movement. You need to watch more of my flooring videos it looks like! The more you watch, the more you'll learn. Joe :0

[VideoJoeKnows]

@infringinator If you carpet with pad under, you will need to remove everything. Then you would install some sheeting like a very very thin layer of foam pad (they have different things at the hardware store to choose from). This will act as a moisture barrier & is recommended before laying your laminate flooring. Go to the hardware store & check it out before buying your materials. It will make a difference. Joe :0

[rcdesmond]

This is laminate flooring, not hardwood, big difference in installation.

[VideoJoeKnows]

@rcdesmond My mistake. You are correct that I am working with laminate flooring & not actual genuine hardwood flooring. The installation is much different but I would think where you start, in a room, is the same as I am explaining here. Thanks for your comments. Joe :0

[masagsxr]

Hello. I'm currently doing a DIY. Why not start at the door? Isn't it hard to slip the wood under the door jambs? How do I tackle it?

[VideoJoeKnows]

@masagsxr The reason why I could not start at the door is because I did not have a straight wall to start from as the door had a notch in it that went to a sliding glass closet door system that was offset even further, at the closet door threshold. You need to have a straight wall to start from. I guess if the door wall was a long straight wall, I could've started there but then I would have to keep working myself into a hole away from the door. Thanks for your question. Joe :0

[VideoJoeKnows]

@masagsxr It is hard to slip the wood flooring under a door jamb if you don't staret right at the door but it is possible. I have some other videos that show you how to mark your door casing & jambs so you can slide your flooring under the edge.When I install a free-floating floor, I leave the required 3/8" gap at the walls. This will then allow you to sneek your flooring under a door jamb/trim first then back onto your snap edge using the special tool. Joe :0

[VideoJoeKnows]

@masagsxr Look at "joe's" other laminate flooring videos as he shows you how to use the special tools & why he leaves a gap around the walls as well as how he covers this gap with baseboard & trim material. Watch all of "joe's" other laminate flooring videos & you will get a better understanding on how to set up & tackle your job. Good luck with your diy project. Hey..the more you watch "joe", the more you'll learn. That equals big savings for you! Joe :0

[masagsxr]

@VideoJoeKnows Thanks Joe. I've done a few flooring for home but its been a while. Grandma had ask me to do her livingroom and one bedroom area that she'd like done before Christmas. Its the door jambs that I always have a problem with and have not mastered the technique on how to do so. I'll keep watching your videos. I'm kind of "i need to see it" person rather than being explained it to me in words =)... Happy Holidays!

[VideoJoeKnows]

@masagsxr I'm with you. It's better to "see it" than to "read it". That's why "joe" put this channel together just for you! Once you look at the other flooring videos "joe" has, you will be ready to tackle your project. I like watching "joe's" videos since he shows you & talks just about the whole way through for additional information you may have needed. He's the bomb. :0

[masagsxr]

@VideoJoeKnows =)... Yup.. I'm visual and/or hands on... I saw one video that shows exactly what I need but I'd like to see more from other DIY'ers.... I was going to share the link but it wont let me. You can do a search instead if you like. Here is the title of the video "Laminate and door jambs" from (thekawi333)

[VideoJoeKnows]

@masagsxr Thanks for the info.. I've got quite a few videos on laminate flooring details so keep looking & you might find some others that may help you with your project. Thanks for watching "the joe". :0

[bwolfy1983]

@masagsxr

Lay a piece of wood down, and take a undercut saw lay it on top of the wood while you cut the door jams. Remove what you have cut and the wood will slide right under

[VideoJoeKnows]

@bwolfy1983 Great tip. That will work if you have a standard size flexible hand saw. If you only have a short stubby back saw, you can still undercut your door jambs by marking with a pencil then cutting the bottom off freehand. It works pretty good. Thanks for your comments. Joe :0