Install Hardwood Floors Like a Pro

When you’re planning to install hardwood floors in your home, prepare to do it right so you'll only have to do it once.

The key to a long-lasting, attractive hardwood floor is to not install it until the moisture levels in the rooms in your new house have stabilized. Steve Heap/Shutterstock

Dear James: There are large gaps between the hardwood floor planks in my house. When I build a new house, what can be done differently so this does not happen again?—Kevin D.

Dear Kevin: Newly finished hardwood flooring is beautiful. The various patterns and natural graining in each plank and the depth and gloss make each hardwood floor unique. However, even just a few large gaps and imperfections will spoil the overall appearance of the entire floor.