Things you have to know before installing a new floor.

Choosing flooring is way far more complicated than just finding the best-looking product. Several other factor—moisture, durability, costs, and more—greatly influence your decision. Follow these five steps in order to reach the flooring decision that is right for you and your home.

1- Will Your Floor Be Installed in a High-Moisture Area?

Yes:

– You need flooring that is suited for a high- or medium-moisture environment, such as concrete, ceramic or porcelain tile, or vinyl tile.

No:

– Moisture is not a limiting factor. At this point, all types of flooring still may be used. Proceed to next step.

2- Do you need a Pet-friendly Floor?

Yes:

– You will need a floor with superior wear resistance. Some flooring that appears to be wear resistant often is not. For example, site-finished solid hardwood can easily scratch. Its saving grace is that scratches can be sanded out. Instead, try a durable flooring like ceramic or porcelain tile, laminate flooring, plank vinyl flooring, or even carpeting.

No:

– While everyone wants a durable floor, durability is not a chief factor in your decision. Proceed to next step.

3- What is your Square Footage Budget?

$2.00 or less

– You will find bargain laminate flooring hovering around this price; nothing gorgeous but it has a general wood-like appearance. Sheet and tile resilient flooring can also be found in this price range. Lots of gorgeous ceramic and porcelain tile can be found in this range–but tile is truly a labor-intensive installation.

$2.00-$5.00

– The sweet spot price range for many types of flooring. You can snag some domestic solid hardwood and engineered wood flooring, but do not expect any exotic woods. The more attractive laminates fall in this range, as well as higher quality luxury vinyl tile.

$5.00 or more

Increasing your price range means you can explore some of the harder, more exotic hardwood and engineered wood options–kempas, ipe, brazilian cherry, mahogany. The highest quality, premium laminate and luxury vinyl flooring products will be found here.

Whatever your choice in this section, proceed to the next step.

4- Do you want to install your Flooring by Yourself?

Yes:

By installing your flooring yourself, you can often save some money but before take this decision, you should be aware of the risks … the floor installation is a complex trade and a dangerous activity if not done properly. Doing the installation on your own could leave you exposed to:

– accidents with the tools

– floor lift

– mold due to moisture accumulated under the floor

– plank breaks

– wrong measurements

– waste of material and money

– falls by loss planks

– lack of installation warranty

Each type of floor requires a different installation process and you must be well informed of the specifications of your product. On the internet you will find many videos on how to install floors but they are usually made by people with some experience in the trade. It is a beautiful experience to install your own floor but before start, make sure you are well informed by a professional.

No:

Wall to wall carpet is tough for DIYers to lay down perfectly flat. Nail-down solid hardwood and engineered wood floors are best installed by pros. As mentioned, ceramic/porcelain tile can be self-installed; it is more a matter of whether you want it installed well.

Absolutely. It Is My Primary Concern