8 Ways to Prepare Your Home Before a New Floor Installation

A new floor installation is a very exciting venture, but it does require proper planning and preparation so the job goes as smoothly as it can.

If you are looking to redo the floors of any room in your house or your whole house (in laminate or any other material), follow the below mentioned expert tips to make sure you’re not damaging any of your possessions during the process or having it take longer than it should.

Tips to Change Flooring

1. Contain the Procedure

Containment is very important during renovations or when any kind of construction is taking place in a house. Not only does it make sense procedurally, but it also lessens the mess that will accumulate and can prevent dust or footsteps, etc., from interfering with the new flooring being installed. If you’re getting your whole house done, it may be wise to do it in parts that can be sealed entirely (if you’re still living there).

Hang plastic coverings from the doorways, seal the windows, if need be, and also allot a plastic-covered path for the flooring experts to go to and from so that the dust being carried in is at a minimum. Allotting these workspaces is also useful for the residents of the house so they don’t mistakenly walk into rooms that are being floored.

2. Clear the Space Entirely

It is wishful thinking that your new piece of furniture or the new curtains you hung up will not be affected by the flooring process. Truth be told, you will need to remove everything you possibly can from the rooms that are being re-floored. If you want to protect light fixtures or expensive wallpaper you can cover it with a plastic sheet and safe tape. While some flooring companies will move your furniture for you, it is better to do it yourself, especially if you’re paying by the hour. 

3. A Workspace Is Essential 

Flooring installers and experts need a workspace when they take on a job for storing materials, cutting and/or mixing them, and even having the occasional sit-down. Clear some space for the installers and give them access to that room or hallway to make the job go down smoothly. The more comfortably the installer can do their work, the quicker they are likely to finish and you’ll get to enjoy your new beautiful rooms! 

4. Set Up Responsible Waste Disposal 

A new floor installation comes hand in hand with a lot of debris and waste being accumulated. Do some preemptive planning and have a system of waste disposal ready so that old tiles and other debris during the process are not just accumulating in your lawn. Responsible waste disposal also means you recycle what you think you can (ceramics etc. can be recycled) and find out about sustainable landfills near you or other waste processing facilities that reduce damage to the environment.

5. Be Wary of Children and Pets, Near the Area

Flooring installations mean sharp tools and equipment, dust, toxic materials, and so on. If you have children and pets living in the same house, seek alternative accommodation for them temporarily. If you’ve sealed off the area that needs to be floored correctly, you can minimize the exposure to chemicals and dangerous equipment. 

6. Always Seek Quality Over Convenience 

Flooring typically takes a few days depending on the area that needs to be covered, the structural analysis of the existing floor situation that the installers have done, and the type of flooring that the homeowner has opted for. Always hire installers that come with strong word-of-mouth recommendations as there can be a difference in the quality of the work and some installers may tell you they can get the job done very quickly and that is not the best sign. 

When choosing flooring and installers never opt for the convenience factor, but rather seek quality even if it takes longer or costs a fraction more. A few days of inconvenience and hassle are worth it, to enjoy the many years of beautiful new flooring! 

7. Get A Preliminary Evaluation

Ascertaining the state of the old floors and the structural details of each house are very important before installing new flooring. While you or your installer may be in a hurry to get the new flooring done, part of adequate preparation is getting a proper professional evaluation done of the space. You may need to do some deconstruction in the space and check out the state of the baseboard under the old flooring. 

An installer will also measure your walls and doorways as installing new flooring on top of thicker layers of old flooring can affect the flow of the room (such as making doorways shorter). Furthermore, without proper deconstruction, your new floor may not adhere properly, cause noise such as squeaks when weight is applied, or may cause other problems such as with structural installations like pipes or power outlets. Contact a floor sealing company you trust for a thorough evaluation, followed by a price quote. 

If your existing flooring has an uneven or unlevel base, the installer will need to check and sand or grind down the high points in the subfloors. If there are high points in the old flooring, you may be tempted to increase the height of the rest of the floor to match them, but that is usually a mistake so it’s always better to grind them down and then install the new floor. 

8. Consider Other Tasks at The Same Time

When preparing your home for new flooring installations, you can make a list of smaller tasks to do around the same time. For the flooring, you’ll have to empty rooms and set up workspaces so if you’re doing the kitchen for example, you may want to get the plumbing checked or other odd jobs completed too while the area is sealed off to the residents. If you needed to do a paint job, that can also be done right after the installation to minimize debris and have a cleaner finish.