It fits
The deck is sound plywood or OSB, and you want the floor fastened to the structure. An occupied house takes less adhesive this way. Widths we supply are 7 1/2, 9 1/4, and 10 1/4 inch.
(01) — Nail-down
Nail-Down Hardwood Installation Toronto
Nail-down fastens the plank through the tongue into plywood or OSB. This is the usual method in a house. Concrete cannot take a nail.
(02) — The method
Nail-down when the deck is wood.
Four ways the same oak goes down. Pick one to see what it sits on.
It does not
A concrete slab cannot take a nail. That job is glue-down or floating. Herringbone or chevron on wood may need glue-assist. The quote says so before install day.
Stuck to the concrete
The boards are glued to the slab. This is the usual choice on concrete when the building allows a glued floor. It feels solid underfoot. We test the slab for moisture first. If the reading is high, we wait or treat it. We do not glue onto a wet slab, and we do not nail into concrete.
- Goes on
- Concrete, once it is dry and flat
- Labour
- $2.50–$4 per sq ft
- We skip it
- When the building wants a floating pad for sound
Glue and nails, together
A bead of adhesive plus nails into plywood. We use this when herringbone or chevron needs extra hold on a wood floor. The pattern labour is its own band. The quote says so before install day.
- Goes on
- Plywood or OSB, usually under a pattern
- Labour
- $2.50–$4 per sq ft, or $4.50–$5.50 for herringbone and chevron
- We skip it
- On concrete. A nail will not hold there.
Nailed into the wood floor
Cleats go through the tongue into plywood or OSB. This is the usual method in a house. You will hear the nailer. If you are living there, we work room by room.
- Goes on
- Sound plywood or OSB
- Labour
- $2.50–$4 per sq ft
- We skip it
- On any concrete slab, including a basement
Locked together, not stuck down
The boards click together over a pad. Nothing is glued or nailed to the slab. Condo buildings ask for this when they want a sound layer. The pad is its own line on the quote. Doors and elevator sills are checked so they still clear.
- Goes on
- A flat slab, over acoustic underlay
- Labour
- $2–$3 per sq ft
- We skip it
- When the building wants the floor glued down
(03) — The process
The nail meets a wood floor.
Concrete cannot take a nail. The deck is confirmed before the first cleat.
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We confirm plywood or OSB is thick enough and sound. If we find concrete, that room becomes glue-down or floating.
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High and low spots are corrected. A wide board shows a wave that a narrow one would hide.
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They sit in the room, toward 35–55% humidity, before the first nail.
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Cleats or staples follow the product. Herringbone or chevron on wood may also get a bead of glue so the pattern holds. That is written on the quote. The nailer is loud. If you are living there, we work room by room. Stairs and transitions in the same stain are listed when the house needs them.
(04) — The quote
Supply is one line. Labour is another.
- Supply
- From $4 CAD per sq ft, when we supply the oak
- Glue-down, glue-assist, or nail-down
- $2.50–$4 per sq ft
- Herringbone or chevron
- $4.50–$5.50 per sq ft
- Also itemised
- Stairs and transitions, when the quote lists them
These bands are not a rate card. Stairs and transitions are itemised when the quote lists them. See stairs and transitions and house installation. The full table is on the cost guide.
(05) — Installation only
The oak can already be yours.
If it is hardwood, we can install it. Send the brand, the type, the square feet, and a photo of the box label. We look at the product and the subfloor before we name a method. Laminate and vinyl are not on this list.
(06) — Start your project
Tell us about your space.
What do you need?
Supply and install. Our oak, then our crew: measure, moisture, method, and a written 5-year workmanship warranty.
- Reply within 1 business day
- Stain match included when you order
- Itemised, no-obligation quote
- Insured crews, 5-year workmanship warranty
The quote request is in.
We reply within one business day. If the job includes install, the reply separates supply from the method and the subfloor. If you want samples, we send them on the real oak. If a site measure is needed, we book it from that reply.
If you chose a colour photo, email the file to tymur@floorstoronto.ca with your name so the match can start. The form stores the file name, not the picture.
What is nail-down hardwood installation in Toronto?
Nail-down fastens the engineered plank through the tongue into a wood subfloor, plywood or OSB, with cleats or staples. It is the usual method in a house.
Can you nail engineered hardwood to concrete?
No. Concrete cannot take a nail. A slab is glue-down, or floating when the building requires underlay.
When should a house choose nail-down?
When the subfloor is sound plywood or OSB and you want the floor fastened to the structure. It uses less adhesive in an occupied house.
Do herringbone and chevron use the same fastener schedule?
Not always. On wood, those layouts may need glue-assist. The quote says so before install day. Straight plank follows the product’s cleat or staple schedule.
Does nail-down include stairs?
Stairs and transitions are in the quote when the house needs them, in the same stain batch. They are itemised, not assumed.
Does Floors Toronto install hardwood it did not supply?
Yes, when the product is hardwood. We inspect it and the subfloor before we commit to a method. Laminate and vinyl are not on the list. Our 5-year workmanship warranty covers the installation we do. The manufacturer’s warranty stays with the manufacturer.
(08) — Next
Keep reading.
- 01Glue-down
The plank bonded to concrete, when the building allows it.
- 02Floating
The floor locks over underlay when the building asks for an acoustic layer.
- 03House installation
Nail-down on a wood deck, with stairs when the quote lists them.
- 04Stairs and transitions
Treads, risers, and the change between finishes.
- 05Acclimation
Boards in the house before the first cleat.
- 06Installation
How the three methods sit in one job.
Updated 23 October 2026