Today I finished installing the last few strips of hardwood flooring in the SE bedroom. The last eight rows need to be done by hand because the reprecussion from the stapler will send the hammer banging into the wall - yes, I found this out the hard way. Installing the flooring by hand involves in the following steps:

• For the first 3 rows:
1. Going in at a 45 degree angle just above the tongue on the side, pre-drill the hole with a 5/64" bit.
2. Use a finish hammer to drive a finish nail into the pre-drilled hole.
3. Use a punch down tool to drive the head of the nail below the surface of the wood.
4. Repeat these steps every 6 inches and within 2 inches of each butt joint.
• For the next 4 rows:
1. Going in at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the board, pre-drill the hole with a 5/64" bit.
2. Use a finish hammer to drive a finish nail into the pre-drilled hole.
3. Use a punch down tool to drive the head of the nail below the surface of the wood.
4. Repeat these steps every 6 inches and within 2 inches of each butt joint.
• For the last row:
1. Hold the last strip of flooring against the wall.
2. Measure how much the last strip overhangs the second to last strip of hardwood flooring.
3. Add a half in to this measurement.
4. Set a compass so the distance between the point of the pencil and pivot point for the compass equal this measurement.
5. Trace the profile of the wall onto the last strip of wood using the compass.
6. Use a miter saw to cut off the extra portion of the last strip of flooring.
7. Going in at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the board, pre-drill the hole with a 5/64" bit.
8. Use a finish hammer to drive a finish nail into the pre-drilled hole.
9. Use a punch down tool to drive the head of the nail below the surface of the wood.
10. Repeat the last three steps every 6 inches and within 2 inches of each butt joint.

Yes, it is just that easy to install hardwood flooring. Doing this for just a little while will really help you feel that your expensive pneumatic flooring staple gun was worth every penny. The following photo shows the last rows of the SE guest bedroom floor that were installed in the closet - yes, I went to all that work for just a closet floor.

And, just in case you were wondering... NO, the floor isn't done. We still need to sand it and seal it.