How to Install Hardwood Floors: Nail, Staple, Glue & Float Methods (2026)

Understanding how to install hardwood floors is essential whether you are tackling the project yourself or hiring a professional. Hardwood flooring can be installed using four different methods — nail-down, staple-down, glue-down, and floating — and the right method depends on your hardwood type, subfloor material, and the room location in your home.

This guide covers every installation method with step-by-step instructions, explains which approach works for which scenario, and walks you through the subfloor preparation and acclimation process that ensures a long-lasting, beautiful floor.

Installation Methods Overview

The most common installation is nail-down for solid 3/4-inch hardwood over plywood subfloors. If you are installing on a concrete slab — such as a ground-floor living room or basement — glue-down or floating engineered hardwood is your only option. For detailed product information, browse our solid wood flooring and engineered wood flooring guides.

Which Method for Which Scenario

Nail-down is the gold standard for solid hardwood on wood subfloors. It creates the most stable, long-lasting installation. The pneumatic flooring nailer drives cleats at a 45-degree angle through the tongue of each board, locking it to the subfloor permanently.

Staple-down works the same way but uses staples instead of cleats. It is faster and the preferred method for thinner engineered hardwood (3/8 to 1/2 inch thick) that cannot accept the larger cleats of a flooring nailer.

Glue-down is the only mechanical fastening method for concrete subfloors. A moisture-curing urethane adhesive bonds the hardwood directly to the slab. This is the most time-consuming method and requires the most skill, but it produces a rock-solid installation with no hollow spots.

Floating is the easiest and fastest method. Engineered planks click together and rest on an underlayment pad without any attachment to the subfloor. Floating is ideal for basements, condos with sound-rating requirements, and DIY installers who want a simpler process.

Acclimation Requirements

Hardwood must acclimate to the room’s temperature and humidity before installation. Skipping this step leads to gaps, cupping, or buckling after installation.

• Duration: 3 to 7 days minimum. Some manufacturers require up to 14 days for solid hardwood
• Method: Open the boxes and stack the boards loosely with spacers between layers for air circulation. Do not leave boards sealed in boxes
• Room conditions: The room must be at normal living conditions — 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, 30 to 50 percent relative humidity
• HVAC: The heating and cooling system must be running. If the home is under construction, wait until drywall, painting, and trim work are complete before bringing in hardwood
• Moisture check: Use a pin-type moisture meter. The hardwood moisture content should be within 2 percentage points of the subfloor moisture content

Subfloor Preparation

Plywood Subfloors (For Nail-Down and Staple-Down)

• Minimum 3/4-inch CDX plywood or 23/32-inch OSB
• Flatness: 3/16 inch over 10 feet or 1/8 inch over 6 feet
• Secure any loose or squeaky areas with screws into the joists
• Drive all screw and nail heads flush or below the surface
• Sand high spots and fill low spots with floor-leveling compound
• Sweep and vacuum thoroughly

Concrete Subfloors (For Glue-Down and Floating)

• Must be fully cured (at least 60 days for new concrete)
• Perform a calcium chloride moisture test. Acceptable level: under 3 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours for most hardwood adhesives
• Flatness: same as plywood — 3/16 inch over 10 feet
• Grind high spots. Fill low spots with self-leveling compound
• Clean thoroughly — no dust, grease, paint, or curing compounds
• Apply moisture barrier if using floating method

Nail-Down Installation (Step-by-Step)

Nail-down is the most common method for 3/4-inch solid hardwood over plywood subfloors. For comprehensive installation pricing, visit our hardwood floor installation cost guide.

Step 1: Install the Moisture Barrier

Roll out 15-pound asphalt felt paper (tar paper) or a synthetic moisture retarder over the plywood. Overlap seams by 4 inches and staple every 6 to 8 inches. This prevents moisture from the subfloor from reaching the hardwood and reduces squeaks.

Step 2: Snap Chalk Lines

Measure from the starting wall and snap a chalk line at the width of one board plus a 3/4-inch expansion gap. Check that this line is straight and parallel to the wall by measuring from both ends. The starting wall is rarely perfectly straight, so the chalk line is your true reference.

Step 3: Install the First Two Rows

The first row is the most critical. Place boards with the tongue facing the room and the groove against the wall. Since the flooring nailer cannot get close enough to the wall for the first two rows, face-nail these boards through the top surface using 2-inch finish nails, then set the nail heads below the surface with a nail set. You can also blind-nail by hand through the tongue at a 45-degree angle.

Step 4: Rack the Floor

Before nailing, lay out several rows of boards dry (racking) to check the color and grain pattern mix. Avoid placing similar-looking boards next to each other. Stagger end joints by at least 6 inches — 8 to 10 inches is better. Pull boards from multiple boxes to blend color variation.

Step 5: Nail the Field

Starting from the third row, use the pneumatic flooring nailer. Position the nailer against the tongue of the board and strike the plunger with a rubber mallet. The nailer drives a cleat through the tongue at a 45-degree angle into the subfloor. Place fasteners every 6 to 8 inches along the length of the board and within 2 inches of each end joint.

Keep the boards tight. Use a dead blow mallet to tap each board snug against the previous row before nailing. Check frequently that your rows are staying parallel to the chalk line by measuring to the far wall.

Step 6: Install the Last Rows

When you get too close to the far wall for the flooring nailer, face-nail the last two or three rows just as you did the first rows. Rip the final row to width, maintaining the 3/4-inch expansion gap. Use a pry bar to pull the last row tight before nailing.

Step 7: Sand and Finish (Unfinished Hardwood)

If you installed unfinished hardwood, sand the entire floor with a drum sander (three grits: 36, 60, 100), then apply stain and three coats of polyurethane. Pre-finished hardwood requires no sanding — just install and enjoy. For more detail on finishing, see our how to install hardwood flooring resource.

Staple-Down Installation

The staple-down process is nearly identical to nail-down, except you use a pneumatic flooring stapler that drives 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch crown staples. Staple-down is preferred for engineered hardwood between 3/8 and 5/8 inches thick. Thicker engineered boards (3/4 inch) can use either staples or cleats.

The key difference is that staples provide a wider hold pattern, which reduces the risk of splitting thinner boards. Use the staple gauge and length recommended by the flooring manufacturer — using the wrong staple can void your warranty.

Glue-Down Installation

Glue-down is the method for installing hardwood directly onto concrete or when you want the most rigid, quiet installation on any subfloor.

• Spread moisture-curing urethane adhesive with the manufacturer-recommended trowel (usually a 1/4-inch by 1/4-inch V-notch)
• Work in sections of 2 to 3 rows at a time to prevent the adhesive from skinning over
• Set each board into the adhesive without sliding it — sliding creates adhesive buildup in joints
• Tape boards together with blue painter’s tape across the seams to keep them tight while the adhesive cures
• Stay off the floor for 12 to 24 hours while the adhesive cures completely
• Clean adhesive from the floor surface immediately with mineral spirits

Adhesive cost: $40 to $70 per 4-gallon bucket, which covers approximately 80 to 120 square feet depending on trowel size and subfloor porosity.

Floating Installation

Floating engineered hardwood uses a click-lock system identical to luxury vinyl plank. The boards snap together at the tongue-and-groove joint and rest on an underlayment pad without any attachment to the subfloor.

• Install the recommended underlayment with a built-in moisture barrier over concrete subfloors
• Leave a 1/2-inch expansion gap at all walls (hardwood expands more than vinyl)
• Stagger end joints by at least 6 inches
• Click the long side first, then engage the end joint
• Use a tapping block and pull bar — never hit the board directly
• Do not install floating hardwood under heavy fixed objects like kitchen islands

Floating is the fastest installation method. An experienced DIYer can install 200 to 300 square feet in a single day.

Finishing Touches

Baseboards and shoe molding: Reinstall baseboards or add shoe molding to cover the expansion gap. Nail molding into the wall, not the floor — the floor must be free to expand and contract beneath the trim.

Transitions: Install T-moldings in doorways between rooms, reducers where hardwood meets a lower floor, and stair nosing at the top of stairs. Use transition pieces that match your hardwood species and stain color.

Wait time: For nail-down and staple-down pre-finished hardwood, you can place furniture immediately. For glue-down installations, wait 24 hours. For unfinished hardwood with site-applied polyurethane, wait 72 hours for light traffic and 7 days before placing furniture and area rugs.

Cost Comparison by Method

Frequently Asked Questions