What to Expect With Your Flooring Installation

Flooring installations are one of the most important home improvement projects to get a handle on before the work starts. Because of the fact that a flooring installation usually requires that the work area be entirely off limits while the floor is put into place, many homeowners find themselves taken by surprise by the inconveniences that come along with this type of project. By educating yourself ahead of time as to what to expect from your flooring remodel, you'll be able to plan ahead and meet these challenges head on.

Laminate
Laminate flooring rivals carpet for ease of installation, since it is manufactured to snap together with a minimum of adhesives. Add to that the fact that laminate can be installed over most pre-existing surfaces without having to tear them out, and you can expect a relatively easy time weathering your laminate installation.

You should be prepared to move around the materials for a few days ahead of time, as it is recommended that your laminate flooring material spend two to three days acclimating to your home before they are installed, but other than that, your main inconvenience will be opening your home to the installers for a few days until the project is finished.

Hardwood
With hardwood flooring you'll need to expect a noisy couple of days as your contractor nails the individual planks into your substrate. Depending on the type of installation, adhesives may also be used, in which case you'll want to prepared to deal with the odor until the adhesive is fully dried. Perhaps the largest inconvenience when installing wood floors comes after the planks have been set and a urethane finish is applied. It will take three to four coats of urethane to finish your floor, and each coat must be allowed 4 to 12 hours to dry between applications, during which time the floor cannot be used. Urethane also packs a powerful punch when it comes to odor, so you'll want to avoid the area being treated until it has fully dried in order to avoid the fumes.

Easily the biggest inconvenience is in certain climates the wood planks often need to be stored in the room where they will be laid for a week or so to adjust to the relative humidity in the house. If you are flooring an older, smaller home, this can put the pinch on your available space, but just know that this will not be this way for very long.

Final Note
With any flooring installation, the key is to plan ahead of time for the work area to be off limits for a while. This can be a major inconvenience, especially if your project involves a high traffic or important area such as your kitchen or bathroom. Plan to eat out, order pizzas, and use the downstairs bathroom for a while. Or, even better, plan a short vacation during the time your flooring installation takes place. This way you'll be out of your contractor's way and by the time you arrive back everything will ready to go.