# hardwood floor protection



## jhcontracting (Jan 10, 2009)

Got a question for anyone out there
what's the best thing to cover a newly laid hardwood floor to protect it for the rest of the project. We have been using brown paper and masonite over the top of it. Looking to see if there is a better way that is less expensive. Cardboard works fine until some clown drops a hammer on it. if it hits on the claw it goes right through the cardboard and damages the hardwood.
thanks
JHC


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## BrandConst (May 9, 2011)

I typically use masonite.


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## Sar-Con (Jun 23, 2010)

plus one for masonite. Cheap insurance for the inevitable. 

But I'm interested to see what others are using.


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## Jdub2083 (Dec 18, 2011)

In the house we're doing now we just have paper and cardboard. It's a gamble, but there's not too much work left in the areas with the new hardwood.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

typically paper or plastic first to keep fine dust off the floor, then 1" foam. which takes the force of stuff being dropped, then 7/16 osb


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Ramboard.


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## I Mester (Aug 21, 2011)

I use the rubber backed felt that protective product sells. non slip.  durable and reusable.

actually had a customer buy the stuff off of me because she like the look and color and uses it as a runner.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Ram board. Fastenal sells locally. Works great and reusable.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Ramboard works well.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

I've used quietwalk in the past. It's actually a felt type underlayment that goes under hardwood floors to deaden sound. Comes in 100 sq ft rolls. Reusable, rolls back up & is compact for storage.


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## EcoBuilder (May 2, 2011)

Ya, I think the common consensus on all these types of threads on CT is to use Ram Board. It does do a great job. If you are super concerned about a certain area, I just double layer it.


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

Another vote for Ram Board. Anyone near New Haven can pick it up at Colony Hardware.


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## ernesto (Apr 11, 2011)

My consensus that the hardwood floor or what ever traffic sensitive floor should be installed or at least finished last. Course we all know thats not the way GC's work.

I covered one prefinished hardwood floor with rampaper and the installer rammed his powerstretcher head into the door casing and the teeth went into the wood floor right in front of the master bedroom entry.

It just makes the trades less conscious of the sensitive flooring.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

+1 for ram board. I also am buying misprint and left over vinyl wall paper by the pound. That stuff is great and looks cool during construction.


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## RemodelMania (Sep 19, 2006)

*ram board floor protection*

Another +1 for ram board. It can be a little spendy though, so sometimes we use kraft paper floor protection instead...super durable, but doens't have the impact protection liek ram board, but we just lay down some wood inthe areas where that is a concern.

good luck!


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## hawaii (Feb 13, 2009)

There is not cheaper way, paper first just to keep the dust out, then mansonate.
If this is a prefinsihed floor I would blue tape the paper to the edges of the floor and lay the mansonite then duck tape it to the paper, you do not want this to slide at all.
You might protect it well and not hummer dropping will do any harm to the hardwood flooring but if is slides back and forth that is where even a flat surface will damage the floor.
If this is a sand and finish job, DO NOT TAPE the paper to the wood, even the blue tape will pull the fresh finish out, by fresh I mean one year old.
Some of the smarter contractors would have me finish the job, cover the floor, then finish the job including baseboards including the paint then I would come in for the extra coat,this extra coat will take care of every little superficial imperfection , that does not mean you can abuse the floor. Usually the flooring guys do not want to come back for that last coat and you have to pay extra for it.


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## Wood Floor Dog (Feb 28, 2012)

Best practice, do the floors last, of course. Not possible?
We just use red rosin for light foot traffic and masonite for work areas. 
www.hardwoodfloorsbyartisan.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hardwo...19271651529023
http://artisanhardwoodfloors.wordpress.com/


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## EcoBuilder (May 2, 2011)

Wood Floor Dog said:


> Best practice, do the floors last, of course. Not possible?
> We just use red rosin for light foot traffic and masonite for work areas.
> www.hardwoodfloorsbyartisan.com
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hardwo...19271651529023
> http://artisanhardwoodfloors.wordpress.com/


I only use red rosin if I'm trying to stain my floor underneath it. If that stuff gets wet, time to replace some floor. Masonite is just too darn expensive, bulky, and can potentially scratch the hardwood.


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Another vote for masonite


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