Hardwood Flooring – How To Make Purchasing And Installation Easier

Do you believe that hardwood flooring could transform your house into a home? These types of improvements are beautiful additions to any living space, but may be expensive to have installed. If you and your family have decided upon investing in a new floor, then here are some tips on how to make the process run as smoothly as possible.

The first step you will want to make is to know exactly where you will want the new flooring to be. Take your vision of home décor and modify it into a concrete plan of dimensions and surface area. Specific types of wood can be very costly, not to mention the labor involved in installing the boards. So, hammer down the specifics ahead of time and do not make more work for a business than you have to.

Once you have decided on this detail, examine the area to see if plywood subflooring is already installed. For example, if you have an area where carpet was recently removed, check to see the thickness of the plywood material. Knowing what thickness of wood boards will be based on this information. This is especially important if there are doors that open into the room in question. If the new surface is too thick, then the doors may have to be trimmed or changed, as they may not open properly.

After dimensions of all sorts are jotted down, decide between pre-finished or non-finished boards. Non-finished boards will need to be sanded and sealed with polyurethane after being laid and installed, where as pre-finished ones will not. The difference is, of course, cost, but this can all depend on who you are hiring and how much time you have to focus on this project.

Along with finish details come those that deal with staining. Are you going to want a surface that has a particular look to match the rest of the room? Give this some thought and make a choice you think you will like for a long time. Most flooring companies will have samples and pictures to help you make your decisions before hiring anyone.

A final detail you will want to work out before the actual boards are nailed down is the exact amount of wood your area will require. These types of jobs usually end up with about 15-20% of waste, due to specific cutting in order to fit the dimensions. Make sure you do not sign an order for more wood than you will need. Most installers will calculate this detail for you, but just to be on the safe side, clarify.

In the end, after giving a good bit of thought on your home improvement and gathering the proper data, you will make the installation process run as easily as possible. In all likelihood, you will save some money, too. Just set aside an hour or so to collect the square footage and you will be thankful later. Also, do not rush into making a choice on the look of new floors. Take your time and pick one that will add appeal to your house for years to come.