How to Nail Flooring in a Small Hallway

Remove the flooring from the box and spread it out somewhere in your home at least three or four days before installing it and up to two weeks beforehand. This allows the hardwood time to acclimate to the surroundings and expand or contract according to the ambient temperature and humidity

Sweep the subfloor in the hallway with a broom to provide a clean surface for the flooring.

Remove any baseboards or other types of woodwork in the small hallway near the floor. Do this with a flat-head screwdriver. Insert the flat head of the screwdriver in between the baseboard and wall to pry it out.

Check for any uneven areas in the small hallway by using a long straightedge. If you detect humps or low areas, repair the area by using floor leveling compound according to the instructions on the container.

Lay out the flooring so it runs in a perpendicular fashion with the floor joists. This is an ideal way to determine if any planks require cutting. Laying out the hardwood in this fashion also makes the flooring less difficult to install, particularly for a beginner.

Mark any of the hardwood planks with a straightedge and a sharpened pencil where they need cutting, if necessary.

Cut any pieces of the flooring with a table saw to make them fit into small spaces.

Add a groove on the side you cut, using a router and a special tip designed to cut grooves. This step is necessary only if you are using tongue-and-groove flooring.

Lay the planks down to nail them in place. You can do this with a regular hammer and finishing nails, but to obtain a professional look, rent a nail gun designed to install hardwood flooring.

Position the nail gun over the hardwood flooring. Activate the trigger to drive the finishing nail into the hardwood. The power of the nail gun drives it below the surface.

Fill the depression left by the nail with wood putty that matches the color of the flooring. Wipe off any excess putty with a damp cloth and allow the putty to dry.

Replace all the baseboards by nailing them in place with the hammer and the existing nails in the wood. Do this once the floor is installed in the hallway.