Installing Wood Floors

Home-improvement stores carry parquet flooring and planks in cartons with installation instructions. Enough oak planks to cover 15-16 square feet costs $48-$63 a case.

Doug Mitchell of Renaissance Old World Flooring, in Fresno, Calif., says installing over a wood subfloor is easiest. Gluing is a little trickier because it must adhere properly to prevent moisture from getting underneath and causing the floor to buckle.

"Almost all hardwood flooring is sold pre-finished," Mitchell says, which makes it easier for the do-it-yourselfer, although he cautions that "laying a wood floor should probably be left to professionals." He concedes that the laminates — imitation wood flooring — are of higher quality than they used to be and easier to install. Repairing, however, can be tricky, Mitchell says.

On Lowe's Home Improvement Store website, www.lowes.com, information is posted on how to install and repair wood floors.

(Kathy Barberich writes for Scripps Howard News Service.)