You’ve likely seen our finished and furnished bonus room above the garage, but here’s a clear, step-by-step account of how we installed the oak hardwood flooring. This was our first time doing a traditional nail-down installation (we’d previously done a floating hardwood floor), so we wanted to share what we learned: the straightforward parts, the challenges, and the tips that made the job go more smoothly.
Choosing Our Floors
Initially we considered wall-to-wall carpet for the bonus room to make it cozy and because we didn’t have enough leftover hardwood from the rest of the second floor. But we decided it would look better to extend the wood flooring down the hall into the bonus room, and in hindsight that was the right call.
Our challenge was matching the existing upstairs floors. We’d used a color called Lono Oak from Lumber Liquidators, which had been discontinued. Fortunately, small quantities still existed in scattered warehouses across the country. We ordered boxes from multiple states, and although shipping added complexity, the materials were deeply discounted on final closeout. The result: a near-perfect match without driving the materials home ourselves.
Having matching planks made the installation look seamless and helped the room flow visually from the hallway into the bonus space.
Preparation
When the boxes arrived, we moved them into the bonus room to acclimate for several days. Acclimation lets the wood adjust to the home’s moisture level so the boards expand or contract before nailing. After about five days (three is a typical minimum), we rolled out an underlayment to act as a vapor barrier and reduce squeaks between the flooring and the plywood subfloor. We used a white silicone-based underlayment because it’s less messy than traditional roofing felt, overlapping strips slightly and trimming with a utility knife.
Laying the First Rows
The first rows require the most planning. You must leave an expansion gap around the room perimeter to allow the wood to move with humidity and temperature changes. We left a 3/4″ gap (matching the board thickness) and marked where the outer edge of the first row should sit. After marking both ends of the wall, we snapped a chalk line to keep the first row parallel to the wall. A chalk line compensates for minor wall irregularities better than relying only on spacers.
We temporarily face-nailed the top inside edge of the first row with small finish nails (these get covered later by quarter round) to hold the boards while preparing to nail them securely. The first three rows had to be hand-nailed because the pneumatic floor nailer is too large to reach so close to the wall. That meant drilling pilot holes about every 10–12″, hammering nails, and punching them flush—tedious, but necessary.
Using the Floor Nailer
We rented an air-powered floor nailer from Home Depot for about $39 per day and used our own air compressor. Renting makes sense unless you’ll use the tool frequently. The nailer drives “cleats” into the tongue of each board, pulling the boards tightly together and securing them to the subfloor. Cleats come in strips that load into the nailer; the tool drives them into the tongue so they sit out of the way.
To operate the nailer, slide it over the board edge, pull the trigger, and tap the plunger with a mallet to drive the cleat. It takes less force than you might think, but it does require repeated motion. Using the nailer sped the job up considerably: once we had three rows in place, the rest went much faster than hand-nailing. Still, between both of us we installed more than 1,000 nails in two days, so expect it to be a workout.
Working as a team helped: one person fed and arranged boards to keep a steady pace while the other operated the nailer. We also mixed boards from different boxes to blend slight color variations throughout the floor rather than concentrating them in one area.
Cutting Boards
Most rows require an end cut. We kept a small pile of boards with minor flaws—cracks or knots—to use as end pieces after trimming away imperfections. To measure end cuts, we placed the board in position, rotated it 180 degrees, pressed it against the end wall, and marked about 1/2″ from the end to account for the tongue and the expansion gap. We cut boards with a miter saw, batching a few cuts at a time to reduce trips up and down the stairs.
The Last Rows
Like the first rows, the final rows must be hand-nailed because the nailer can’t reach close to the wall. We switched back to the drill, hammer, and nail punch to finish the perimeter. It’s tedious but necessary to protect baseboards and drywall from mallet strikes. After the last boards were secured we cleaned up and installed baseboard, quarter round, and window trim.
Finally we added built-ins and shelving around the window and furnished the room. The result is a comfortable bonus room we use daily, complete with a mega sofa that’s perfect for naps and family time.
If you’re planning a hardwood installation: expect heavy lifting, some tedious hand-nailing at the edges, and plenty of mallet work with the floor nailer. Planning, patience, and teamwork go a long way toward a clean, durable result.
More Flooring Projects
For other flooring projects we’ve completed, see these posts:
- Refinishing Hardwood Floors 101
- How To Select Hardwood Flooring
- How To Install Hardwood Floors Without Nails
- How To Install Click-And-Lock Cork Flooring
- How To Paint A Floor
- How To Stain A Concrete Floor
- How To Remove Carpet
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