New Floor Survival Guide and Checklist

Deciding that you want a new floor installed in your home is never an easy decision and there are a lot of things you need to consider and think of. It is also a decision that requires taking your time and doing good research in order to find the best flooring that will meet all your needs, check all the boxes, and answer your requirements and desires. However, let’s say you have gone through all the challenges of the process and you have finally made the decision. Everyone is on board, you have booked an appointment with the best and most reliable floor installation service providers in town and now all you need to do is preparing for the big day.

Installation is a key process in the lifecycle of a wooden floor and in your life too. Proper and high-quality installation is essential for making sure your floor will last for a long time, be durable, sturdy, and beautiful. Being wood floor specialists with a great deal of experience in the industry, we would like to provide you with some helpful tips and tricks on how to prepare for a wood floor installation project at home, what comes before, during, and after the big project. So here we start, let’s help you navigate this important floor installation journey and be able to enjoy stunning results.

Initial Steps

Before you even decide on the flooring you will purchase, make sure to purchase it from a reliable and reputable supplier or retailer. This will give you peace of mind that you are getting great value and high quality for your money. A reliable and experienced retailer or flooring service provider will help you make the best choice and decide on a floor that best meets your requirements and the specifics of your project.

Next, you want to find a reliable installation service provider who will make sure each step of the floor fitting project is done properly and the overall project runs smoothly and stress-free with minimal disruption. In case you never had a floor installed in your home, do not be afraid to ask questions. It is important to know what is happening, what you can expect, and what can be done properly in order to ensure your new floor is installed properly and will last for a very long time.

Work closely with your floor fitting service provider and you have made the right choice to choose a real professional they will gladly guide every step of the process. In case you do not feel confident or knowledgeable enough to determine the square footage and how much materials you need to order, do not hesitate to ask the flooring specialist to do that for you and ensure you are not ordering less or more than what you need for the project.

In addition, flooring specialists have advanced technology that helps determine the square footage and acquire the right measurements. This is also the perfect time to have the site inspected by the flooring specialist as they will able to spot any issues with the subfloor that need to be taken care of before installation begins.

They will be also able to tell if there are any awkward corners and seam placements that require specific cutting of the floorboards so excessive wastage could be prevented. Knowing the exact measures and how much material you need will help you find the highest quality flooring within your project budget and prevent you from wasting money on materials you don’t need.

In case your floor installation project includes the kitchen, if you don’t decide on having all cabinets and appliances out for full-floor installation but you opt for having the flooring installed around, make sure to order some extra materials. This will give you the peace of mind that if someday you decide to renovate the kitchen and replace your cabinets and appliances with new ones with different sizes, you will always have some extra material to use for filling in all those gaps that can be possibly left due to the difference in sizes.

Once you place the order, make sure you do that a few days in advance. Once the materials are delivered to your home, you want to have them out of their transportation packaging for at least a couple of days. This will help wooden floorboards to acclimatise to their new environment before floor installation.

This is really important to do. Wood is a natural material and even when cut into floorboards, it has its natural response to changes in its environment such as increased or decreased moisture content levels, humidity and temperature fluctuations. To these changes wood normally will respond with contracting and expanding, then shrinking. Now just imagine you have your floor installed before letting wood to acclimatise to the site’s environment.

Of course, this will prevent you from achieving great structural integrity of the floor and you risk experiencing the occurrence of gaps and a number of other issues. While this will affect the appearance of the floor it will most importantly affect its overall condition, stability, and lasting power.

Meanwhile, there are a few more things you want to consider before the floor is installed, First of all, consider if you want the walls repainted now. It is better to be done before the new floor is installed to prevent getting the floor stained and scuffed right after it has been just fitted. It is also a good idea to purchase all flooring accessories you may need later. There is a variety of styles and types of flooring accessories, choose depending on your own preferences and what is required for a completed and sleek look of your new floor and for the functionality and comfort of your home.

Before the installation project begins and after the site and the subfloor are carefully inspected and all repairs are done, if any are required, your wood flooring service contractor will also determine what is the best installation method for your project. The choice of installation method is a subject of many factors, including the type of flooring, the type and condition of the subfloor, etc.

One more thing that you need to consider is that the doors’ height should match the height of your new flooring. In case the new flooring is higher than the old one, the door’s need to be trimmed to fit the new one. However, if you don’t want to do that, you can opt for replacing all the old doors with new ones in case your budget is allowing that. This will give your floor a newer and fresher feel altogether with the new hardwood flooring.

Before the Installation

Now, there are a few days left before the big day of the installation of your new floor and you are done with all the major projects mentioned above. Now, it is time to clear out the site where the installation is planned and make sure the installation professional has an empty space to work with. In case you are planning to remove the old existing flooring, make sure to discuss that with the installation professionals in order to make sure that everything is done properly.

The best case would be if the people installing the new floor are also the ones removing the old one. The room will be installation-ready when all the furniture is moved out of the room. You can either do that by yourself or discuss it with the contractor as many companies provide additional service of moving everything out. Even if the contractor is moving the furniture out for you, make sure to empty out all drawers and closets so the furniture pieces are lighter and easier to lift and move.

Drapes, curtains, window coverings, artwork and anything else hanging too close to the flooring should also be removed from the installation site. Make sure to also protect expensive, valuable, antique, and breakable pieces by moving them out of the room to prevent them from getting damaged by accidental bumps and other situations.

After Installation

Well finally, the floor of your dreams is already installed. Now, you are probably wondering what to do next and is the floor instantly ready to be used. Make sure to consult with your installation contractor when the floor is ready to be used as in some cases it could take up some time.

If the contractor says the floor should not be used overnight, comply with that and make sure the family is not walking on the new floor. Make sure the temperature and humidity on site are kept steady. In case you cannot adjust the right temperature and humidity through your HVAC system, you should consider getting a humidifier in wintertime and a dehumidifier in the summertime.

Before you start using your flooring on an everyday basis, make sure you are familiar with the Warranty and all maintenance instructions provided by the manufacturer or supplier. This is recommended so you can make sure your floor looks and feels great for longer and you are not making any mistakes that can lead to wear and tear or damage to the floor. Now you can enjoy your new hardwood floor.