Installation

Installing hardwood floors is an art and Whitetail Hardwood Floors is dedicated to artisan quality and detail to guarantee your install is precise, efficient, and beautiful. If you’ve decided installing hardwood floors is the right fit for your home, we’d be privileged to be part of that choice, making sure your resulting floors stand the test of time and trend.

Depending on type of hardwood you’ve selected as well as the subfloor of the space, hardwood flooring is installed using the following methods:

Nail Down: Solid wood planks nailed down to the subfloor, typically using 2” nailing cleats, a wood flooring nailer and a mallet. The nail down method is only used on wooden subfloors on or above grade.
Staple Down: Staples attach the wood flooring to the subfloor using a pneumatic gun. The optimal type of staple gun and staple size can vary with flooring type and manufacturer.
Glue Down: Most often used for engineered and parquet flooring since solid hardwood can only be nailed or stapled, adhesive or mastic (natural resin) is spread with a trowel to adhere the hardwood to the subfloor.
Floating: Not mechanically attached to the subfloor, in this method engineered hardwood “floats”. A thin pad is placed between the hardwood and the subfloor, and a wood glue is applied in the tongue and groove of each plank to hold the pieces together. A fast and easy approach to installation, it also protects against moisture, reduces noise, and is softer underfoot

Prefinished & Unfinished Hardwood Flooring

Prefinished Hardwood Flooring does not require any sanding or staining, often costs less to install, leaves less odor, and offers high durability. Unfinished Hardwood Flooring, though requiring onsite sanding, staining, and sealing, offers a more consistent, even color and finish, and is easier to stain match. Both options have their advantages and we are here to help you select which is ideal for your home or office.

Solid & Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Solid Hardwood Flooring is made up of single slabs of wood that can be sanded and refinished many times, extending the life of your floors. They tend to expand and contract with changes in humidity and cannot be installed over a concrete subfloor. Bonded with heat and pressure, Engineered Hardwood Flooring is typically more durable and resistant to warping. They can be installed on any level of the home, and are a great option for concrete subfloor basements and high traffic areas. Unlike Solid hardwood, Engineered can usually only be refinished 1-2 times. Our professional service keeps all hardwood installation variables in mind, from wood specie and milling industry trends to room flow and your unique living environment. We look forward to serving your quest for beautiful, livable, and long lasting hardwood floors.