Preparing for your installation

Now that you've selected your wood flooring material, it's time to prepare for the installation process. Please keep in mind that due to the nature of the project, some special arrangements may need to made.

Pre Installation Requirements:

The building will need to be complete with windows, doors and thresholds in place. Air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems must be operating with temperature and relative humidity at normal living conditions. Artwork, furniture and breakables should be removed from the rooms to be installed. All closets need to be emptied. Arrangements will need to be made for pets. They will need to be kept out of the areas to be installed for the duration of the project. Boarding may be the best solution as some pets can be sensitive to the odor of the glues and or finishing products. Existing flooring such as carpet, pad and strip or tile removal will be charged for separately as it is not included in the installation quote unless otherwise stated.

Subfloor Requirements:

Generally, no subfloor is "flat" enough to install wood flooring without some type of prep work involved. Be it patching or grinding, prep work will be billed as an additional charge based on time and material. Specifications call for a concrete subfloor to be level within ¼" in a 10' radius. Prior to the commencement of the installation, a flooring supervisor will come to the jobsite and inspect the subfloor and jobite conditions. Any changes or additions can be assessed at this time.

Expectations:

Plan on some minor inconveniences during the installation process. There will be the noises of hammering and sawing. You may find the odors of some of the products offensive. There will be dust during the installation, especially if there is any grinding on the concrete subfloor to be done or tile to be torn out. Our crews will sweep and clean the floor behind themselves, but in many cases a cleaning service will need to be hired by the homeowner.

We strongly recommend that following the installation, particularly if it was a jobsite finished floor, that you have the AC filters changed immediately and have the full system checked and cleaned. Installation time varies depending on the size and scope of the project. With a prefinished floor you may replace furniture and resume normal living conditions after only 24 hours. With a jobsite finished floor there will be periods of "drying time" that can vary due to climate conditions and materials used. It will be safe to walk on your floor 24 hours after the final coat has been applied, but we recommend a period of 48 hours before any furniture should be set back in place.

Felt pads that can be found in most home improvement or furniture stores are a necessity under all chairs, tables and other furniture pieces. Saucer- shaped cups with pads attached are available for larger pieces such as pedestal beds or pianos. Rolling caster chairs are not recommended for you wood floor as they may cause dents. To help avoid this, protective pads or mats may be placed underneath their area. Always take care when moving furniture and other objects around the room. Urethane in both the prefinished as well as jobsite finished products are more durable now than ever before, however, they are not impervious to abuse, pets, stiletto shoes, etc.

Finally, wood is a natural, living product. There will be shade variations and grain differences between boards. This is normal and is what gives hardwood flooring it's character and charm.

Please feel free to call our office at anytime if you have questions before, during or after your installation. We are on hand to make this experience as enjoyable and satisfying for you as possible.