Installing traditional wood floors requires a great deal of labor, followed by a messy sanding and finishing process. However, modern prefinished hardwood flooring can be installed by an average homeowner with excellent results. Be sure to check the durability of the finish and the installation requirements before you buy.

Attached floor. Remove the baseboard to allow an expansion gap. Remove carpeting and repair any damage to the floor below. Cut the door trim at the base so the new flooring will slip beneath it. Move the flooring material into the room. Lay out test patterns to see how the flooring fits in doorways and irregular areas. Plan the layout.

Make a paper template if necessary. Cut pieces to length as needed. A backsaw or hand meter box will work, but a power miter saw is best. Cut pieces to width with a jigsaw or sharp handsaw. Protect the finished surface when you clamp pieces to be cut. Mark the outline of cut pieces on the floor. Apply adhesive with a notched trowel up to the guideline, following the manufacturer's instructions. Install the planks.

Glue should not ooze up through the cracks; if it does, there is too much glue or you moved the plank too much. Walk on the surface or use a roller to get a tight bond. Weigh down any areas that don't adhere. Continue to add flooring run by run. Spread only as much adhesive as you can easily cover in the time before it cures.

Most prefinished hardwood flooring is too thin to be sanded more than once; and some can't be sanded at all. Most pre-finished wood floors are made of laminated material, which is more stable than solid wood and can be directly fastened to almost any subfloor, as long as it is level, dry, and tight.

The floor can be glued to vinyl, concrete, or plywood. There are two installation methods, one in which the floor is attached to the surface beneath it and the other in which the floor floats on a pad.

The tongue and groove fittings are very precise; so the pieces must be tapped together gently to ensure a tight fit. Roll the pad into position and trim as needed. Lay the planks, leaving a 3/8-inch gap at the walls. Cut off any excess and use it to start the next run. As you lay each plank, glue it to the one already laid next to it with a thin bead of carpenter's wood glue inside the bottom of the groove. Tap the planks together, using a scrap piece to protect the edges.

Use a respirator and provide ventilation if the adhesive emits fumes. Cut off the excess at the end of each run and use it to start the next run. Allow 3/8-inch for expansion and contraction at the walls. When the flooring is laid, cover the gaps at the walls with baseboards.

Floating floor. An easier installation technique uses a 1/8-inch foam pad under the floor and requires only a little carpenter's wood glue between the pieces.