Deciding on the materials to use on a new wooden floor can be a complex process. You need to figure out a variety of things, including what colour should you go for? Is this the right style for your room? What finish is best for you? Once you have made these decisions and figured out the obvious things, there are some less obvious factors that you need to think about which are just as important if you want your floor to provide you with years of trouble-free enjoyment. Here are a few common mistakes that you will want to avoid when choosing a wooden floor.
Make Sure that You Measure the Space Correctly
Make sure you measure the space that you plan on laying your new floor correctly. This can be done by ensuring that you are taking accurate measurements from the longest and widest parts of the room. If you are working with a room that is an irregular shape, be sure to split it into separate sections, and then measure each of those sections individually. Once that is done simply add the total together at the end.
Find Out Which Underlay Works Best for Your Situation
People who are unfamiliar with laying flooring down, often incorrectly assume that underlay is simply a trivial addition that comes in a standard size and spec. This is a mistake that can result in a major headache. This is because having the right underlay can extend the life of your new wooden floor, as well as offers noise insulation and needs to be compatible with your heating choices. If you have not already considered what sort of underlay you need, here are some of the primary factors to consider:
How thick do you need the underlay to be?
Is the underlay going on to a concrete or wood sub-floor?
Do you need the underlay to provide a moisture barrier?
If You Plan on Installing Underfloor Heating Make Sure that it is Compatible
There are so many potential issues that could potentially arise when you install your wooden floor over underfloor heating if you have not made sure that it is compatible first. Most people don’t know that many solid wood floors are not compatible with underfloor heating due to the expansion and contraction of the wood as the temperature changes. Having the wrong flooring installed with underfloor heating can result in cracking, warping, as well as bowing and excessive drying out of your once beautiful hardwood floor, which can completely destroy it.
Not Giving the Floor Enough Time to Acclimatize
Are you aware that different wooden floor types require different periods in order to properly acclimatize to your home’s conditions? The humidity and temperature of your home both play a large part in how your wooden floor will contract and expand. In order to lower the risk of gaps and warping in your floor once it’s been installed, the installers would leave the floor in the room in which it is due to be installed for anywhere from 2 to 7 days.