Hardwood flooring will never go out of style! It’s timeless, classic, bold, and really beautiful. If you’ve recently bought a home, remodeling, or trying to sell your home, we’ve listed out some tips to ensure your hardwood lasts long! Installing floors properly is very important!
Get Ready For Some Prep Work
When installing floors, be sure to start with a very level surface before doing anything. Unlike some floating floors, hardwood does not have near as much flexibility when it comes to imperfections and movement in the subfloor. Starting with a level surface could mean whoever is installing might need to remove any old flooring, or incorporate a self-leveling compound. Be sure to follow the guidelines and directions for this! This will act as a “clean slate” for your new wood and prevent buckling and installation mishaps.
Have A Solid Foundation
For best hardwood installation, lay a subfloor if needed. A subfloor for hardwood can look like a moisture barrier, felt pad, plywood, and many more options. A proper subfloor will not only help even out floors, it can help reduce water damage if you have hardwood in a wet area. Most hardwood is now built to be very durable, and while it cannot hold up to continuous large amounts of water, it can endure its fair share of small spills and wet shoes. We are definitely seeing more new construction homes installing hardwood in kitchen and foyers – what used to predominantly be tile in the past. Regency Homes is a beloved Tennessee construction company known for their stunning custom-built homes. We love how they incorporate wood in all areas of their homes!
Read And Follow Directions
Sticking to the manufacturer’s guidelines and recommendations when installing floors is important. Often times, whether it be cost effective, easier, or just unsure, you see people using glue, nails, etc. that are not recommended for the certain product. The manufacturer typically knows best what type of adhesive needs to used for optimal hardwood installation. The first sign of buckling and damage in your wood is usually due to something during the installation process. If you are having tons of doubts about installing the hardwood yourself, it might be worth hiring a skilled installation crew/general contractor.
Hardwood flooring is an investment, and if installed correctly, will be a long standing one. We hope these tips above give you confidence if you are in the market for redoing your floors with hardwood. Installing floors is something we take a ton of pride in! If you are in the Memphis Tri-State area and would like to use our design and installation services, please leave your name and contact email below so we can reach out to you!