How to Use Clips for Hardwood Flooring

Clip system hardwood flooring planks are similar to tongue and groove boards. The one major difference is they're secured together by a series of clips that sit below the surface of the floor. Using a clip system will make your floor stronger and more durable than using a tongue and groove system alone. Installing one involves a little more work, but it could mean your hardwood floor lasts longer.

Claw hammer
Sander
Self-leveling compound
Detergent
Cloth
Underlayment
Spacers
Hammer
Floor glue
Tape measure
Jigsaw
Cork expansion strips

Instructions

- 1
  Acclimate your flooring to the humidity and temperature in the room in which you plan to install it, as per its manufacturer's instructions. Most flooring suppliers recommend a minimum of 72 hours.
- 2
  Prepare your subfloor. If you're working with a wooden subfloor, remove all nails and tacks and sand it until it's level. If you're laying on a concrete subfloor, use a self-leveling compound to iron out any peaks and troughs in your subfloor's level.
- 3
  Clean your subfloor thoroughly and allow it to dry.
- 4
  Lay your underlayment as per the manufacturer's instructions. You should generally use an underlayment product recommended by the maker of your floor boards.
- 5
  Put spacers around the perimeter of your room to create an expansion gap. This will allow your floor boards to expand and contract as the conditions in your room change.
- 6
  Place your first board in one corner of the room with the groove facing your wall. Tap a clip into the groove on the bottom of your board. This should not be more than 3 inches away from your wall.
- 7
  Lay the first row of your flooring along the length of your wall. Tap in a clip approximately every 15 inches. Glue the end joints together with a purpose-made flooring adhesive.
- 8
  Measure the gap the last board in your row will need fill, and cut a plank to fit with a jigsaw.
- 9
  Start the next row with the off-cut from the last board you fitted. Tap a clip into the base groove below the tongue of the board and slot the side groove into the tongue of the first row you laid. You'll also need to lower the base groove below the side groove onto the clip protruding from the first row. Clips you attach to additional rows should be at least 2 inches away from those in boards already laid.
- 10
  Continue to lay the rest of your floor adhering to the required distance between clips. Use a jigsaw to cut your boards to shape when you reach the other side of your room.
- 11
  Remove spacers and replace with cork expansion strip before replacing or installing any moldings of skirting boards.

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