There are many different ways to install hardwood floors. The following describes the different methods of hardwood installation.

• Nail Down – Typically used with the 3/4" solid products, however there are adapters available for thinner flooring sizes as well. 2" nailing cleats are used with a wood flooring nailer and mallet to attach the flooring to the subfloor. Solid Strip floors or Plank floors can only be installed on wooden subfloors on grade or above grade. The National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association has complete installation instructions available on their web site.
• Staple Down – staples are used instead of nailing cleats to secure the hardwood flooring to the wood subfloor. A pneumatic staple gun is used to drive the staples into the tongue of the wood planks and into the wood subfloor underneath. The staple-down installation procedure is easier to do than the nail down for do-it-yourself installations. Be aware, not all hardwood flooring manufacturers recommend the same size staple or the staple gun. Read the manufacturers installation manual to be sure you are using the right staple gun and right size staples.
• Glue Down – This is where you glue the wood planks directly onto the subfloor. The recommended mastic or adhesive is spread onto the subfloor using a proper sized trowel and than the planks are set into the adhesive. Glue-down installation of engineered hardwood floors can be done over wood type subfloors and dry, fully-cured concrete slabs.
• Glueless - recently hardwood flooring manufacturers, such as Kahrs, Award and Mohawk have introduced engineered hardwood floors with a glueless locking system, similar to the clic laminate floors. These floors are meant to float of a variety of sub floors such as wood, concrete slabs and even some types of existing floors.
• Floating – With the floating installation method the floor is not mechanically fastened to to any part of the subfloor. There is a thin pad that is placed between the wood flooring and the subfloor. A recommended wood glue is applied in the tongue and groove of each plank to hold the planks together. The padding protects against moisture, reduces noise transmission, softer under foot, and provides for some additional "R" value. Some engineered floors and all Longstrip floors can be floated. This is a very fast, easy and clean method of installation. Please consult the manufacturer installation instructions to see if your flooring can be floated.

Solid wood strip floors and solid wood plank floors can only be nailed or stapled.
Engineered wood floors and parquets can be glued down. There are many types of wood adhesives on the market, please use the manufacturer's recommended adhesive when installing their flooring. By not using the manufacturer's recommended adhesive and trowel size could void any warranties you may have.