How To Perform A Wood Floor Installation

MAKING THE CHOICE

When deciding how to go about your wood floor installation the first agenda item needs to be who will install the floor? Wood flooring installation has become less complex in recent years, but it not as easy as some might think.

While wood floor installers who do quality work are not cheap, no one wants to save a few bucks putting in their own wood floors only to regret it later due to obvious flaws. Just because you fancy yourself as being “handy” around the house does not mean you are ready to tackle the challenges of wood floor installation.

Once you have decided that your wood flooring installation will be a “do it yourself” project, you will want to decide which kind of wood you want to use. Oak is a very common choice for many, but other frequently used woods are Maple, teak, and pine. Next on the list would be to decide which wood floor installation method you plan to use. There are three methods and each one requires using different strategies for effective installation. These methods are floated, glued, and nailed or stapled.

DO IT YOURSELF

After deciding on your method you need to be sure you have the correct tools to accomplish the task. Yes, this could cause your wood floor installation cost to rise, but without the right tools, installing your own floors can become a nightmare.

The process for your wood floors installation project does not cease once the floors are in place. Rather, it is vital that you educate yourself on the proper way to care for your floors. You can obtain this information simply by reading the manufacturer's specifications, which should be provided you at the time of purchase.

Often people will choose to pay professional wood floor installers instead of making this a “do it yourself” mission. There are some important keys to remember when using contractors for your wood floor installation.

Key number one is to be sure you get references and view the completed work of any potential contractor(s). Key number two is to make sure you receive a detailed cost proposal before any of the actual wood floor installation commences. Ask questions about anything in the proposal that is unclear. If you do not get satisfactory answers, move on, as this is most likely how they do business overall and you don't want this kind of uncertainty to be in play at any point in the process.

A third point to keep in mind is, do not forget the contractor works for you. This is not a license to treat anyone in an unprofessional manner, but if problems arise, you need to remember who is paying the bills for this undertaking. Hopefully, you will weed out any potential problems before you sign the agreement.

A fourth key is for you to negotiate potential savings with the contractor(s) on such things as saving money by moving the furniture yourself. There are a variety of ways you can reduce the cost of having wood floors done professionally simply by negotiating with the installer. Since many of these companies are small one or two person operations, offering to do some of the minor things yourself saves you money and them time.