Professional Installation
Professional solid hardwood floor installation can be worth the cost. Consider that installers work quickly and they understand the complexities when it comes to laying hardwood flooring. By contrast, you will likely be learning as you go, which could extend the time it takes to install the floor. Additionally, pros know how to minimize the costs of inferior boards and wastage (meaning the extra amount of flooring needed to take care of end runs in a row of flooring boards) which could translate into significant savings. (Inferior boards are almost non-existent if you purchase engineered wood flooring.) Sometimes, wastage can be used in other ways with the installation; sometimes, it ends up cluttering your basement.
Do-It-Yourself Installation
With the advent of fold-and-lock laminate and luxury vinyl plank, the art of do-it-yourself solid hardwood installation is becoming less popular. Still, it is possible to rent the three key elements of solid flooring installation—floor stapler, compressor, and miter saw - and install your flooring. Some homeowners may already own a miter saw, and outfitting it with a new combination blade, with between 80 and 100 teeth, will be the best way to get precision cuts. But hardwood flooring is tough on miter saws. Even if you own one, consider renting one for do-it-yourself installation. While yours may be adequate for domestic hardwoods like red oak, it may not be powerful enough to withstand the strain of cutting rock-solid hardwood such as kempas. The estimates below do not include engineered wood, a different product than solid hardwood. Engineered wood costs approximately 10 percent to 20 percent less than solid hardwood depending on type and installation. For example, the do-it-yourself installation of solid kempas is around $12.50; engineered kempas would cost about $13.72 per square foot. Even if the concrete does not appear to be leaking water (meaning no active leaks are coming through cracks), the concrete may still emit moisture which will wick up and create mold under the flooring.
Installation Estimates
All estimates include the cost of materials such as underlayment. In the case of professional installation, the total cost covers labor, as well. For your convenience, prices are expressed both in terms of whole-room installation (100 square feet) and per square foot. The most variable cost will be that of labor since this tends to differ according to where you live and who you hire. There’s another good general rule of thumb for estimating floor installation labor costs. Take the purchase price of materials and add 50 percent of that cost to arrive at your total estimate.
Choosing Hardwood Wisely
It pays to know a couple of facts about hardwood choices. Here are a few that can help you make your decision:
Pine is consistently the cheapest solid hardwood flooring you can buy, closely followed by red and white oak.Brazilian hardwoods like cherry and cabreuva are the most expensive flooring materials.Incredibly tough woods such as those from South America especially Brazil will withstand damage from a pet’s claws.
