How to Install Hardwood Flooring in a Basement
When we began renovating the basement bar and basement media room, the one major thing that had to go was the existing wall-to-wall carpet. Flooring in a basement can be tricky… we considered tile, but ultimately landed on a basement-approved hardwood veneer from Stuga. I promised to share our installation process… click through for a detailed flooring tutorial!
Having shared the basement bedroom reveal exactly one year ago, we’re finally finishing the space. The last two items on the punch list for this room is installing the flooring and replacing the interior door. Today, we completed the flooring- scroll on for the tutorial and before images.
Before Images
Here is a quick look at the carpet throughout the bedroom. I strategically covered it with an area rug for the room reveal and am excited to finally rip it out! The boring gray never matched our aesthetic and it wasn’t wearing well.
Flooring Selection
While we have real oak ¾” tongue and groove on our main and upper levels, we needed something moisture rated for the basement. If you missed our tutorial, check out how to install herringbone hardwood flooring… like we have upstairs! I’m still very happy with that flooring selection, it just wasn’t the best fit for our basement.
After ordering samples, I landed on Stuga’s All Aboard budget-friendly flooring. It’s a European white oak hardwood veneer… meaning it’s a real-wood alternative to vinyl or laminate, it’s durable, but it cannot be sanded or refinished (unlike our upstairs flooring). While this floor is basement installation approved, it must be floated or glued (not stapled or nailed- like other Stuga products).
Why this option? Aside from it being approved for basements, it has a tough acrylic finish and is very difficult to scratch. Each plank is 5 ⅞” wide and 71 ¼” long, giving it an updated look. Here’s what you need for installation…
Supplies & Tools
Click directly on each tool or supply below- everything is linked!
Part of the installation process that makes this flooring product suitable for a basement is the flooring adhesive I linked. It doubles as a moisture barrier, as you’ll see in the installation photos later on.
Remove Carpet
First, you’ll need to remove the carpet or existing flooring. Using a utility knife, cut the carpet into four foot sections, to make it more manageable to roll and remove.
Remove Carpet Pad
Next, you’ll repeat the removal process with the carpet pad beneath… cutting it into sections, then rolling, and removing.
Remove Tack Strips
Grab your pry bar and begin removing the tack strips around the perimeter of the room. If you have a concrete slab in your basement- it can be difficult because they’re nailed directly into the concrete. This may require a hammer alongside your pry bar to work it loose.
Remove Adhesive & Clean
A blade scraper is the best way to remove any existing adhesive from the concrete, left behind from the carpet pad. Once we scraped the entire floor clean, we vacuumed thoroughly with the shop vac, cleaning up all debris. Once the floor is clean, you’re ready to get started!
Begin Flooring Installation
Determine Layout
You’ll want to determine the direction in which your flooring will run, measure for the layout, and take into consideration what pattern you’d like to use. We decided to install the flooring on thirds in a running bond pattern… unlike our intricate herringbone flooring upstairs. Using a straightforward pattern saves a lot of time and cutting.
Adhesive Application
Once you’re ready to lay the flooring, begin by troweling on an even layer of adhesive… working in sections. Make sure the entire section is completely covered in adhesive (with no gaps), because this acts as a moisture barrier.
Install Flooring
This particular type of Stuga flooring is interlocking- meaning it installs easily by snapping together. Most locking floors have to be installed directionally, so double check the joints and make sure each plank is turned in the correct direction. Once you snap each piece into place (over the adhesive), roll it to ensure proper adhesion with the moisture barrier.
Helpful tip… use a tapping block with a hammer to ensure the planks have a tight seam as they lock together. This handy tool protects the plank (damage free while hammering) and easily snaps them together.
Making Cuts
Measuring and cutting the material is pretty straightforward, but having access to a few different types of saws can be helpful! The miter saw is used to cut your board to length. The table saw is used to cut your board to width… ripping it down the middle against the wall, parallel. The jig saw is easiest for notching your boards around door jambs and corners.
Install Millwork
The last step is to install (or reinstall) the millwork. You’ll notice the negative space between the flooring and the baseboard around the perimeter of the room… that’s called the expansion gap. Per the manufacturer’s recommendation, it allows for proper expansion of the floor, and is covered by millwork- in our case, quarter round. Alternatively, you can remove your baseboards and reinstall them on top, for a cleaner aesthetic (sans quarter round).
FAQ
I vacuum regularly and I like to use Rejuvenate when mopping. I use the same cleaning process for our upstairs hardwoods, too! It works great.
Per Stuga’s instructions, no acclimation is necessary. That said, they recommend storing the flooring in a controlled environment that’s protected from the elements. We left the material in our basement for a week before we unboxed it for installation.
We used a ¼” by ⅜” v-notch trowel for the adhesive.
It does feel cooler than our upstairs hardwood flooring, but that’s to be expected in a basement. To combat that, and to make it feel more cozy- I integrated plenty of rugs! We had previously discussed heated tile throughout the basement, but that would have overextended our budget… and I’m fairly certain, non-heated tile would have felt colder underfoot than wood.
I hope this post was helpful if you’re considering installing hardwoods in a basement! I’m really happy with our flooring and it was a breeze to install. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below. I’m happy to help!