How to Prepare for a Wood Flooring Installation

You’ve decided to enhance your living space with wood flooring. As the installation day approaches, it’s important to prepare your home to ensure the process goes smoothly. Follow these simple steps to get ready for wood floor installation and make sure your home improvement is done right the first time.

Clear the Room

It may seem obvious, but many homeowners overlook the importance of clearing the area of furniture, household items, and decorations. Be sure to remove pictures from the walls and clean off any shelves to prevent accidents during the installation.

If you’re able, consider handling the furniture removal and clearing yourself. You’re familiar with how to care for your belongings and can potentially save money by doing this part of the project on your own.

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 on 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

While your wood flooring installer may take care of some of the preparation, there are benefits to handling certain tasks yourself.

First, remove all doors in the space and ensure there’s enough clearance at the entrance for equipment and materials. Carefully stack the doors out of the way.

Next, take off the baseboards to allow for a secure and seamless installation of your hardwood or engineered wood flooring underneath. Some installers may use a special tool to slide flooring under the baseboard, so check with them beforehand.

Finally, remove the door trim for a cleaner, more polished finish. Although installers are skilled at handling this area, removing the trim beforehand provides a smoother path and ensures the tightest fit. Be aware that this can be a messy process, and if the trim gets damaged, it may need to be replaced.

Dealing With the Installation

Your wood flooring installer will need a clear space outside the installation area for cutting planks. Set up a space with an outdoor electrical outlet and a flat, sturdy surface for the sawhorse. Choose an area near the entrance, like the garage or patio, for convenience.

Proper preparation makes your wood flooring installation go more smoothly. Clear the room, seal off other areas from dust, and remove doors, trim, and baseboards. These steps ensure a successful installation and help you get the most out of your new wood floors.