installing hardwood floors

Installing Hardwood Floors Doesn't Have To Be Hard!
by John Reynolds

So, you've decided to take the plunge and have hardwood flooring installed in your home. Congratulations! Here's a handy checklist - just some things that you should take care of BEFORE the work begins.

Right off - you want to inform your whole household that you are going to have those floors worked on. Tell them when it is going to happen, and what will be expected from them during the install. This family meeting is very important - especially if you have kids. When the workmen get to your home and begin work, there will be lots of noise, dust and confusion, and this meeting will help everyone to prepare.

And before those workmen arrive, you need to go into each room that will be worked on, and with your family's help move EVERYTHING that is in there - out. And I do mean everything. Every scrap of furniture, and all the drapes, curtains and mini-blinds must also be removed as well.

Why do you need to remove everything? Because hardwood floor installation can be difficult and messy, and you don't want the workmen to accidentally bump in to something and break it. And make sure that everything that has been moved to a different location can stay there for a while, because you will need a few days, at least, for your new floor finish to dry and cure before you can move that stuff back.

Do you have pets? If so, you will need to take special precautions. The best solution is to allow a trusted neighbor, friend or family member to care for them for the interim. You don't want Fido or Princess getting their hairy paws on sticky floor finish, do you?

Speaking of finish, after your hardwood flooring has been installed and the workmen have sanded and applied finish, the flooring will have to dry for at least several days. During this time, you must not walk on the floors at all (and that goes for the pets as well). How long you will have to stay off of your floor depends on the type of wood and the type of finish that was used.

But once your flooring has dried and cured sufficiently, you can then move your furniture safely back in. When you do, take care to put small floor protectors under the legs and bottoms of the furniture. Small rugs and pads can also be used.

When walking on your new hardwood flooring, don't mark up the surface by wearing hard rubber soles. Ditto for using athletic shoes, as these have cleats and spikes that can damage it. As for spikes, ladies should not walk on hardwood floors in spiked high heels. If you have stairs and doorways that are bound to get lots of foot traffic, put down some rugs to protect those new hardwood floors that you have spent so much money on.

The author of this article, John Reynolds writes about home repair issues and Restoring Hardwood Floors Learn more about how to Clean Hardwood Floors by visiting his website.

refinished hardwood floors| about us | contact