Four Tips for Installing Brazilian Cherry Flooring

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring! Now you just have to install it. No big deal, right? Installing Brazilian cherry isn't necessarily difficult; however, there are some things you should know before you start cutting and placing boards. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about installing Brazilian cherry.

Brazilian cherry is a great choice for hardwood flooring. It's durability, beauty, and overall strength is perfect for a buys household. Its aesthetic appeal in its varying degrees of grain patterns and color tones makes it one of the top-selling hardwoods for interior purposes. And because it is one of the most sought after exotic hardwood flooring materials, we're not surprised you chose it, too. Although Brazilian cherry is a sturdy hardwood, make sure you take special care during the installation process.

Materials – First things first, make sure you have enough materials. Before you order your hardwood, make sure you measure the room it's intended for; multiply length by width to find the square footage. After you know how much material your room will require, make sure you add an extra ten percent to your order. That way, you'll have extra materials in case some of the wood becomes damaged or you make a mistake along the way. If you've already ordered your wood flooring and forgot to order extra, call the company back and see if you can add to your order or place a new one. You'll be happy to have extra materials when a mistake does happen.

Acclimate – Whatever you do, don't install your Brazilian cherry the same day it arrives. Instead, take the wood out of its packaging and place it in the room it's intended for. Let the wood sit for a few days to allow it to acclimate to the temperature and humidity levels in your home. It usually only takes 24 to 48 hours for the wood to acclimate in the new climate; after it has settled, there is a smaller chance it will contract or expand after you've installed it.

Leave a Gap – When you start to lay down your hardwood, make sure you leave a half inch gap between the wall and your first row of boards. The gap allows the wood to expand without causing the floor to buckle. We know what you're thinking, "Why would the wood shift after its already acclimated?" It shouldn't, however, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If your wood does need to expand or contract, it'll have enough wiggle room to do so without disrupting the entire floor.

Stagger – When it comes to lying down the boards, make sure you stagger the lengths. Ideally, adjoining boards should have between six and eight inches of differing length. This helps keep the boards locked together and prevents weak spots from developing in the floor.

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