4 Things You Should Know About Installing New Floors

Installing new floors (whether wood floors, vinyl flooring, bamboo flooring, or any other choice) is something that can make a huge difference in the way your home looks and feels.

However, It’s important to note that installing new floors isn’t always as quick and easy as it will appear once the job gets started. Here are four things you should know before you decide to install new floors in your home.

You Will Need To Paint The Floors

Floor paint is a must when installing new floors – even if you are using the same colour of flooring as was previously installed. As the folks at www.egalpaint.co.uk explain, the paint will seal the wood and protect it from moisture, ensuring that your floors last for years to come. Here’s how to choose floor paint:

Compatible With Your Flooring

When choosing floor paint, make sure it is compatible with your type of flooring. There are paints created specifically for use with different kinds of flooring – such as wood floors and bamboo floors. To illustrate, for bamboo floors, you should use catalyzed urethane floor paint. For wood floors, use oil-modified alkyd floor paint. For vinyl flooring, use water-based acrylic paint. For concrete floors, use acrylic-modified latex paint.

Use A High-Hide Paint

Unless your new floors are in a high-traffic area of the home, it is best to choose semi-gloss or gloss paint for optimal coverage and protection. In general, high-hide paints will give you better coverage and hide any previous paint or blemishes on the surface of your floors.

Thin Layer

The paint should apply as a thin layer to ensure that you don’t end up with visible brush marks or coarse textures. You can also expect a thin layer to dry more quickly and thoroughly than a thicker one, therefore creating minimal work and downtime for you.

Temperature And Humidity

The ideal temperature and humidity range is 50°F – 90°F / 10°C – 32°C with humidity of 30% or less. Read the paint can to make sure you are within these recommended parameters before starting work.

You Will Need To Put Down A Water Barrier

Just as you can’t just slap any type of floor paint on your new wood floors, you cannot simply install the new floors over the existing ones. If there isn’t a waterproof barrier protecting your subfloor, then moisture will cause it to swell and warp – which is why you need to put down a water barrier before installing your new floors.

To make sure there is a waterproof barrier protecting the subfloor lay down self-adhesive polyethene (plastic) sheeting with overlapping seams onto the subfloor and secure the edges by stapling them to the floor along walls and door openings. 

You Will Need To Restore The Baseboard And Trim

If you’re installing new wood floors or vinyl flooring, the baseboard and trim will likely need to be restored or replaced. This is because the new flooring will be thicker than the old flooring, so it will not fit properly against the walls. Alternatively, the baseboard and trim may be warped or damaged beyond repair due to humidity or water damage.

To remove the old baseboards, use pliers to pull out any nails. Then, slowly pry up with a putty knife until all of it is removed from the wall, floor, and door frame. 

For new baseboard and trim installation, cut the pieces to fit using a miter saw and then attach them to the wall and floor with a hammer and nails. Make sure that the trim is flush against the floor and walls for a clean, finished look.

You Will Need To Prepare The Area

If you are installing new floors in your home, it is best to remove any personal belongings such as furniture and appliances from the work area. This will prevent damage to them during the installation process and will ensure that the installation goes smoothly without interruption.

To do this, you will need to move the furniture and appliances to another room in the house – or, if possible, outside. You can also cover them with a tarp or plastic sheeting to protect them from dust and debris.

If you’re looking to install new floors, be sure to keep these four things in mind! By ensuring that your floors are painted with compatible paint and by applying a thin layer of paint, you can minimize the amount of work and downtime involved in the installation process. Then, be sure to protect the subfloor with a water barrier and restore or replace the baseboard and trim. Finally, remove any personal belongings from the work area to prevent them from being damaged during the installation process.