By Eden Flooring installation needs careful planning and preparations. Hardwood flooring offers a comfortable and warm atmosphere. It is elegant and adds beauty to the room, but is even a massive investment. Therefore, there is a need to stay informed about the floor installation process to ensure that it is properly installed and serves you for several decades or even generations. There are several factors to consider for effective hardwood floor installation.
Major factors to know for effective hardwood floor installation
Flooring Acclimation
The acclimation process means adjusting the timber planks’ moisture level to the atmosphere they will be installed. With the fluctuation in temperature, hardwood flooring issue is it tends to expand and contract based on where the material was stored before installation. So once the planks are installed it can cause abnormal gaps due to temperature and humidity changes. It can even cause crushing when hardwood expands.
So, keep the hardwood planks in the area to be installed and maintain normal living conditions. The HVAC has to be functioning in the acclimation process for a minimum of 3 days until installers check the moisture level.
Subfloor preparation
Remove the existing flooring before hardwood flooring installation. Remove the baseboards and reach the subfloors. Ensure there is no dirt, dust, or old adhesive that can create an uneven surface. There is a need for a dry, clean, flat, and leveled surface for hardwood floor installation. Therefore proper floor preparation and levelling services are required, prior to installation work.
Layout, direction, and starting point
Analyze the floor plan and room dimensions. There can be awkward angles, and uneven patterning, which can waste a lot of material if random installation starts. Plan in advance with the installer and create an ideal layout to reduce the leftover material.
Installation process
Traditional methods include stapling or nailing down the hardwood. The finishing will depend on subfloor quality instead of nail or staple. However, the labor-intensive task has become quick and simpler with pneumatic air-pressure tools.
Engineered hardwood installation uses the glue-down method. The adhesive is spread across the subfloor and hardwood is laid on it. It is a costly, messy, and challenging method.
Floating hardwood does not need nails or adhesive to attach to the subfloor. It uses wood-glue between hardwood planks to fasten them together. A soft pad is used as a cushion between the subfloor and floating floor layer.
Click & lock method is also used to hold planks together. There are grooves created between planks, which allow them to snap together. The need of using wood-glue is completely bypassed. It is the easiest and fastest hardwood and laminate flooring installation method.
Dust control
Dust is an issue in hardwood installation because there is a need for wood cutting and floor sanding that releases lots of dust particles. This can cause respiratory issues. Cleanup after hardwood floor installation is a must to avoid dust sticking onto the new hardwood floors. Be prepared to dust, vacuum, and mop the space several times a day to remove dust as much as you can.
Cleanup
Discuss the cleanup terms before because cleanup after hardwood floor installation is a tedious task. Even find out how the installer will dispose of the old torn floor material as it will cost you extra!