You’ve made the decision to upgrade your living space with a wood flooring installation. As the project date looms, homeowners need to prepare their home and help make the process smooth and hassle-free. Check out these easy steps to prep for wood floor installation and get your home improvement completed right the first time.
Clear the Room
It may be obvious, but many homeowners forget the importance of clearing out furniture, household items and knick knacks from the area. This includes removing pictures from the wall and cleaning off wall shelving to avoid any accidents.
If you are physically able, try to handle the furniture removal and clearing process. You know how to take care of those items and may save yourself some money by tackling this part of the project yourself.
Dealing With Dust
Refinishing a hardwood floor generates significant dust through the sanding process. Cutting and trimming play a major role in new wood flooring installation, and also result in excessive dust. Protect the balance of your home by sealing off those areas not involved in the installation process.
For instance, if you’re having hardwood installed in the main floor, seal off the upstairs bedrooms with plastic sheets and masking tape applied like a curtain around the doorframes. Look for products made for this job, like ZipWall dust barriers, or make your own with care and quality plastic.
Consider having an air cleaner available for the duration of the project. Install a clean air filter in your forced air furnace and remove or cover any furniture in your home that would suffer from exposure to dust.
Dealing With Trims and Doors
Although your wood flooring installer may look after this aspect of the project, there are certain advantages to taking on your own preparation.
Remove all doors in the space, and ensure the entrance to your home has adequate clearance for equipment and product. Stack the doors carefully out of the way.
Remove all baseboards to ensure your hardwood or engineered wood flooring is safely and solidly installed underneath for a seamless finished look. Some installers use a special tool to slide flooring under the baseboard, so check with your installer beforehand.
Remove door trim for a neat appearance and finish. Installers tend to handle this problematic area with as much skill as possible, but removal of the trim provides a clear path and allows for the tightest possible installation. This can be a messy job and damage to the trim may require a full replacement.
Dealing With the Installation
Your wood flooring installer needs a clear place to work outside of the confines of the new flooring area. Set up a space outside for cutting planks, with an outdoor electrical outlet and flat, sturdy surface for the sawhorse. Try to find an area close to the entrance for convenience, and consider clearing out the garage or cleaning off the patio in preparation.
Taking care of the prep for a wood flooring installation ensures your project runs smoother and more efficiently. From clearing out the room to sealing off other areas against dust and removing doors, trim and baseboard, these steps of preparation help you to realize the maximum benefits from a wood floor installation.