Wood flooring is a popular choice for homeowners, but choosing the right type and ensuring a proper installation can be challenging. If you're in Devon and planning to install wood floors, we offer tips and advice in this article.
Selecting Your Wood Floor
The first thing to consider is your budget, whether you’re having an expert come in to install your wood flooring or you plan on installing your wood floors yourself, the budget you have will impact the type of wood you choose. For example, hardwood flooring will be more expensive than softwood flooring, or you might choose to go for something like engineered wood as opposed to solid wood floors to save some money.
You will need to think about where in your property you will be installing the wood floors. If you’re planning to have it in the kitchen, you’ll want something water and stain resistant such as laminate flooring. If you’re planning on installing it in a hight traffic area in your home, such as a hallway, then you’ll want something durable, a hardwood floor like oak is ideal or an engineered wood floor, consisting of layers is a great option and a cheaper alternative.
Think about the look you want and be sure to take in the quality of the wood you’re purchasing. If you’re installing the wood floors yourself then consider how easy or difficult the type of wood you’re choosing is to install, laminate and vinyl planks are generally much easier to install.
For help with selecting your wood flooring click the button below and find out the types of flooring we have available.
Preparing Your Subfloor
Once you’ve chosen your wood, you’ll want to think about your subfloor. Preparing your subfloor is crucial prior to installing wood floors. Any bumps or irregularities will cause problems later on. Making sure your subfloor is dry and clean is key, so make sure you’ve got your vacuum handy and any spills, glue and residue has been cleaned up.
Next, you’ll need to check your subfloor is level, you can use one of your planks to do this. If you have an uneven concrete floor you will need to use a flexible levelling compound to make it smooth and level for the flooring. The compound needs to be thoroughly dry. Allow for 60 days drying time before installing wood floors.
We have a wide range of wood floorings in our shop, take a look at some of our excellent offers by clicking below.
Tips For Installing Wood Floors
When it comes to actually installing wood floors, you’ll be given detailed instructions with your chosen flooring, which will cover everything you need to know, so make sure to read them! Ensure you have the correct equipment, depending on your floor type you might need underlay if you are floating your floors, glue or nails if you are fixing your floor down.
Think about the direction you want your planks to be laid, this is entirely up to you. Installing wood floors lengthways from a door or window makes a room look bigger and allows natural light to hit the floor on its natural grain patter, highlighting its beauty, so this is often a popular choice. When installing any type of wooden flooring, it is important to incorporate an expansion gap. This gap should encircle the entire perimeter of the room, encompassing doorways, pipework, and fireplaces. A minimum gap of 10mm is essential. The purpose of this expansion gap is to provide sufficient room for your hardwood flooring to naturally expand and contract in response to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Neglecting to leave an expansion gap can lead to restricted space for expansion, potentially resulting in damage to your flooring.
Finally, research how to maintain your wood flooring, different types of wood require different care method, so be sure to look up what your floor needs.
If you need help installing your wood flooring, take a look at our professional fitting services below.
Here at The Flooring Factory in Devon, provide a first-class supply and delivery for a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to solid wood flooring that will last for many years to come. If you’re considering installing wood floors, get in touch today, though we are based in Devon, we deliver nationwide.
