My husband and I want to install Kahrs Maple in our den and dining rooms. Ideally we would float the floors (OSB subfloor, climate controlled basement underneath both rooms, humidifier with heat system) and were originally planning on having it installed.

However, the more I read, the more I wonder whether or not we could do it ourselves. The rooms are more or less square (den 14x13 and dining room 13x12, four "straight" walls in both), have one/two hall openings/doorways respectively. My only concerns after reading the site were cutting under the door molding on the doorway from the dining room to the kitchen - which we looked at and appears to have already been done for us (carpet in the room right now, vinyl floor in the kitchen) - and sanding down the floor to make sure it was even.

On a handyman scale of 1-5, 5 being professional carpenters, I would say my husband and I are 2.5-3... we've done a fair share of projects together (installing crown moulding, building built-in shelves, building raised garden beds, etc). I wouldn't attempt this if the floors needed to be glued down, complicated corner cutting or anything like that. I think we can do it.

Any professionals have any reasons why we shouldn't (besides the fact that someone wouldn't get paid)? I'd really like to save the labor costs (grad student here) but not at the expense of our sanity and/or dining room and den.

I promise to post photos of whatever we decide to do! Thanks in advance for any help/advice!

porcelina:

Hmmmn. I've always maintained DIY'ers can handle square rooms with a product like the Kahrs woodloc, but when it goes into other areas and under door casings, into hallways etc. it becomes more difficult. The hardest part is fitting around and under the casings while keeping proper expansion areas throughout the layout---FLOATING FLOORS ALWAYS MOVE

If you fit too tight under the casings and the flooring lodges against the framing members under the drywall it becomes a recipe for a buckled floor given the right conditions.

I think if you read the installation instructions, follow them to the letter and take your time, you should be able to handle the installation yourselves. You will need ALL the right tools and make sure you understand what Ken is saying re: expansion around verticle obstructions. Undercutting door jambs and casings is critical and this is the area I see DIY's fall down on 'cause they don't own a jamb saw. On a scale of 1 to 5, I'd rate it a 3.5; only because you're dealing with a expensive product that requires proper handling; no banging it around! Level substrates are important, as are the right tools! Did I mention having the right tools? A PULL BAR is critical for floating floors. A tapping block is also necessary. It helps to have a good crosscut saw and table saw, and a jig saw (for those bizarre cuts). Take your time, don't be in a hurry.

Okay.. so hubby and I have read and re-read the installation instructions from Kahrs, and we feel pretty comfortable about the DIY (plus grandfather retired carpenter is going to be on call and available if we need him). That, and saving $1100+ is all the incentive we needed to challenge ourselves.

Now we need to buy the materials.

Our local guy who we have been working with had the Kahr's stockholm for 10.99 a sq. ft... we need 13 boxes according to him, and underlayment, etc. (Shoe molding is coming from Home Depot... we're undecided about the T molding and reducer until we look at HD and Lowes) Does is make sense money wise to buy local (avoid shipping costs) or buy from you?