- 1). Unpack the flooring, spread it out in the installation environment and let it acclimatize for three to five days. This is an important step for any type of wooden flooring but especially for red oak, because it is highly responsive to moisture and temperature.
- 2). Prepare the sub-floor by filling gaps with floor leveling compound and then sanding all high areas flat with a belt sander. Vacuum all the dust off the floor and then spread a plastic vapor barrier over the floor and staple it to the wood.
- 3). Lay the first course of flooring along one wall, leaving a gap of 1/4-inch to allow for expansion of the wood. Use the straightest boards for the first and second courses. Top-nail the first course by pre-drilling holes through the tops of the boards in pairs spaced about 1 1/2 inches from each other at 12- to 16-inch intervals. Use a finish nail with the head clipped off as your pilot bit and sink the heads of the nails with a nail punch.
- 4). Lay the second course with the ends staggered at least 6 inches from the ends of the first and toe-nail the boards through the tongues using a hammer and finish nails. Don't forget to pre-drill holes to save bending a lot of nails and don't forget to sink the heads of the nails.
- 5). Start toe-nailing with the flooring nailer as soon as you are far enough from the wall to use it. Set the nailer on the edge of the board to be nailed and hold the handle to keep it steady while you hit the plunger sharply with the rubber side of the special mallet that is provided with the nailer. This will drive barbed cleats into the tongue and simultaneously drive the board tightly against the adjoining one.
- 6). Pry warped boards into place before you nail them. This is best done with a large, heavy-duty screwdriver. Pound the head of the screwdriver into the sub-floor and then place a scrap piece of wood between the screwdriver and the warped board. Then use your foot to pull on the screwdriver to force the boards together while you hit the nailer. Two people are often needed for this procedure.
- 7). Toe-nail by hand as you approach the opposite wall and run out of room to swing the hammer. When you have installed the second-to-last course, measure the distance to the wall and rip the last course to fit on a table saw. Then set the blade depth to 1/2-inch and cut the bottoms of the grooves off of this last course. Set the boards in place and top-nail them. Then sink the heads with a nail punch.
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