A material that takes on the brunt of your household’s traffic is the flooring. Shoes, dirt and weight break down the flooring over the years. It might look unsightly after only a decade. As you consider new flooring, there are a few steps that must be followed first. Examine the top 7 steps to take before overhauling your entire floor. You’ll be completely prepared as a result.
Table of contents
1. Think About Household Use
Every home has its own dynamics. While one property has a single occupant, other homes are full with two parents and several children. Overhauling an entire floor means that the household must be considered. A busy household needs durable flooring, suggests Lowes. Singles or couples can stand to buy more expensive and fragile flooring, such as hardwood.
With the household in mind, the budget can be set. There are several options for each category of traffic within a home. You’ll have to choose between low- and high-end materials in comparison to the household’s use. This decision may take some time. You may even discuss the selections with your contractor. Once the new flooring has been ordered, there’s no turning back.
2. Be Aware of Allergens
Many people suffer from seasonal allergies. They deal with congested noses and sneezing throughout the year. The home is usually a reprieve for the allergy sufferer. When you change the flooring, however, the allergens shift in type and volume.
If you currently have carpet, smooth flooring might be a good alternative. Tile, laminate and hardwood fit the definition of smooth. Allergens cannot collect on the floor because there are no crevices.
You might consider new carpet for the home if everyone is only slightly affected by seasonal allergies. There are hypoallergenic carpets that fight off allergens to a certain degree. Perform some research in this area so that the final product is exactly what you’re looking for in a flooring option.
3. Consider Age Versatility
U.S. News & World Report brings up an important factor during flooring selection. As the population ages, you or a future buyer might live with a senior. During the elder years, balance becomes an issue for some people. Falls might occur.
Flooring that’s relatively soft for falls is what you’ll want for the home. Consider cork, laminate or carpet for a home with seniors. If you end up with smooth flooring, don’t cover it with area rugs. Although they look attractive, the rugs can end up being tripping hazards.
Think about a family who has toddlers or babies in the home too. Although their ages are certainly short lived, you still want a flooring choice that’s safe. Carpet is typically the go-to choice.
4. Examine Color
Every color of the rainbow is represented in the carpet industry. You may be tempted to buy a bold color, such as red. Be more conservative with your choices, however. The flooring should match the surrounding decor.
Look around the rooms that need flooring. Consider the colors in every room. Ideally, you want a neutral color that can complement almost any decor. Beige and other neutrals are perfect for most homes.
The flooring should also match the rest of the home. If you have two floors, the flooring on each floor must have complementary hues. Otherwise, the home has a disjointed appearance that’s off-putting for buyers in the future.
5. Plan the Layout
Installing flooring for just one room is simple. However, you may want to look at the bigger picture. Your home has a certain flow. One room connects into another, which gives you easy access to the living room, kitchen and dining areas. Installing patches of flooring across one floor creates an unsightly appearance.
Try a flooring installation that spans across an entire first floor. By selecting this option, you’re able to connect the rooms in a visual sense. Be extra careful when you have rooms that include the kitchen and bathrooms. You don’t necessarily want hardwood or carpet in these areas. You might opt for different flooring in areas where water is present. The main choice of flooring can still decorate the home for a larger appearance than before.
6. Remember the Trim
Pulling up the flooring isn’t just about the underlayment and upper layer. Every flooring choice must meet the wall. There are floorboards or molding along the wall where it means the floor. This trim may or may not be saved during the installation.
The contractor must pull the trim away from the wall. It might break during the process. In some cases, it cannot be reused because of sizing. An old carpet meeting the wall will have a different trim compared to the new laminate being installed, for instance.
Be aware that the new trim will be quoted as part of your installation. Depending on the number of rooms being serviced, the cost can be pricey. However, most homeowners want the professionals to replace the trim so that the final product looks expertly trimmed.
7. Know the Time Frame
Every home has a different layout and size. Ask the contractors for an estimate on how long the installation should take. For example, the Home Depot reports that laminate flooring in a single room should only take about one day for installation. There are other factors to consider, however.
The home might have stairs, unusual angles and other anomalies. The professionals can certainly handle these advanced situations, but they can take time. They must also factor in furniture movement too. Unless the home is entirely empty, each room will need to be cleared of every item on the floor.
In most cases, carpet is the quickest and easiest flooring to install. Hardwood is often the hardest to install with a price tag to match.
Ask for many quotes from the professionals, such as Gold Coast Tile Removal, so that you can discover the best price. A flooring overhaul is a big project, but it has plenty of rewards as well. In the end, your home will have a floor that’s picture perfect and affordable at the same time.