New flooring can transform your house, but only when installed correctly. Find out the five common flooring installation mistakes you must avoid to guarantee stunning and safe floors.
Forgetting About a Flooring Inspection First
Don’t waste your energy ripping up old flooring. Likewise, don’t spend your money installing new flooring just to remove it again. Getting an inspection is a fundamental step to guarantee your floors are safe and structurally sound.
You may also want the inspectors to test for asbestos before the home renovation. Some older models of vinyl floors might contain asbestos. Tearing up the flooring before an inspection can put your health in danger.
Installing New Floors on Top of the Old
Removing the old flooring is a must! It’s best to tear off the previous flooring first because it’ll create a secure foundation for the new flooring to adhere to the underlayment. Old flooring can get in the way and ruin an otherwise sound installation.
Choosing a Material You Can’t Easily Maintain
Some flooring materials are more high maintenance than others. Although you may adore the aesthetic flooring materials supply, you must also consider if the maintenance requirements suit your lifestyle.
Vinyl, laminate, and carpeting are some of the easiest materials to maintain. On the flip side, marble, ceramic tiles, and hardwood floors require extra attention. You’ll also discover that these options are higher in price than the materials that require less maintenance.
Failing To Consider Floor Transitions
As you plan for the new flooring, how will it look when it’s placed right beside another type of flooring? That’s where floor transitions come in handy! Whether it’s a flat T-strip or seam binder for connecting two hardwood floors or a vinyl-to-tile transition piece, this element will make your new flooring fit seamlessly with the room next door.
Placing the Floors in the Wrong Pattern
While natural hardwood and tiles will present their one-of-a-kind patterns, manufactured flooring has specific compositions that require intentional arrangement. Vinyl, laminate, and engineered hardwood floors often show repeating patterns that make them look more unnatural.
Manufacturers will create different patterns so that the planks or tiles aren’t exactly alike. However, these patterns are likely to repeat.
It’s important to lay out the flooring before finalizing the installation to ensure there aren’t the same tiles or planks sitting side by side. Avoiding this common flooring mistake will make the floors look effortlessly luxurious.
