How to Lay a Wide Plank Floor

Set the wooden planks in the room 72 hours prior to installation to acclimatize the wood to the room. This prevents shrinking or expansion of the wood after placement.

Cover the subfloor with a layer of rosin paper. Secure the paper to wooden subfloors by stapling it into place every 12 inches. Secure it to concrete subfloors by spreading a layer of construction adhesive over the floor first with a low-nap paint roller, then rolling the paper into place. Butt the edges of the rosin paper closely together, and cut it when needed with a utility knife.

Arrange the planks along the floor in rows, setting them in a random pattern across the surface. Use the wider boards in areas that serve as focal points, such as in front of doors, in the room center and running between rooms. Cut the boards as you place them with a circular saw so that the ends line up with the location of floor joists for secure installation. For concrete floors, cut the boards so that the joints stagger between board rows at least 16 inches.

Attach the boards to the wooden subfloor by driving 10d nails through the boards, the plywood subfloor and into the wood joists with a hammer. Place a nail every 5 inches along the edges, nailing at an angle about an inch from the end of the board and directly into the joist below. Place a nail set over the nail head, and drive the nails 1/16 inch beneath the board surface. Attach to concrete surfaces by applying a layer of wood flooring adhesive with a trowel to the rear of each plank and then pressing it firmly to the rosin layer. Allow the glue 12 hours drying time.

Fill in the nail holes with wood putty the same color as the wood planks. Use a putty knife to press the putty into place, then scrape along the putty surface with the edge of the knife to level it out. Allow the putty to dry for two hours.

Finish the plank floor by sanding the surface smooth with fine grit sandpaper. Sweep the sanding residue from the planks, and then apply a wood stain if desired to color the wood, using a paintbrush to spread the stain along the grain of the wood. Allow the stain to dry overnight. Then cover the planks with two layers of urethane finish, applied with a squeegee, to protect the wood surface. Wait for the first layer of urethane to dry for the manufacturer’s suggested waiting period before applying the second layer. Allow the second layer to dry for 72 hours before you use the floor.