3 Things to Know Before Upgrading to Hardwood Floors

 
When you’re upgrading to hardwood – or any flooring product – the material itself is only half of what you’re buying. And the other half can be even more important.
What do we mean? Just this: when you purchase hardwood floors, the other half of the bargain is installation.
That’s not the first thing on our minds when we’re on the showroom floor. We’re looking at all of the beautiful wood samples. Thinking about how good it will look in our homes. And that’s as it should be.
So how do we make sure installation goes off perfectly?
At McCullough’s Flooring, we pride ourselves on caring about your flooring installation. Here’s our list of 3 simple – but important – things to remember when buying your hardwood floors.
 

 

1. Wait to Install

 
Hardwood floors aren’t cheap. Remember that you’re paying for a good installation that will last.
Don’t be seduced by an offer of same day installation and delivery.
Wood needs to acclimate to your home’s humidity before being installed. Your new hardwood floors are going to be installed on the original wooden subflooring in your home.
If the new floorboards are significantly more or less humid, then they will expand or contract in order to meet the level of humidity in your home. And if they're installed on the same day as delivery they won’t have a chance to adjust.
If they haven’t acclimated, there is a good chance that your floors will warp as they settle. You may not notice it at first – but your floors will have problems down the road.
Request that your new wooden floors be delivered prior to installation for acclimation.
 

 

2. Trust the Science

 
Now the question is, how do you know that your new floors and the original baseboards are within the right range of humidity?
In the moment, it’s tempting to trust the word of the installers. The people installing your floors are the experts, right?
A team of the most well-meaning installers may think that your new floors have had a chance to adjust to the humidity in your home. But you need to be certain. If you want your hardwood floors to be installed right, it’s OK to ask for proof.
Make sure your installers use a wood flooring moisture meter to ensure that your new hardwood floors and your home’s subflooring moisture are within 4 percent humidity of each other.
 

 

3. Secure the Future

 
Your new hardwood floors need to be installed securely. If they’re not, then you probably won’t be able to tell at first – or even a year from now. But a few years down the road, you’ll notice the difference.
Wooden floors will more or less stay in place with nails placed as far as a foot apart. That’s why many installers will take a shortcut in order to get the job done. But if your hardwood floors aren’t secured every 3-6 inches, all of the constant traffic and pressure on your floors will take its toll much more quickly. If that happens, you’ll have creaky, loose floorboards before you know it.
You’re not dreaming about hardwood floors that look great today but are creaky and loose here years from now. You want hardwood floors that will look great and perform well for many years to come.
For secure installation, your new hardwood floors need to be nailed down every 3-6 inches. Don’t accept shortcuts.
 

 

McCullough’s is Here to Help

 
We hope that anyone looking for hardwood floors can benefit from this advice. These are just three simple rules that any homeowner needs to know before buying and installing hardwood floors. And we have a lot more experience and knowledge that we would love to share with you.
If you’re in the Belleville, IL area and are looking for new flooring for your home, give us a call today