The best flooring choices seamlessly blend personal taste with practical functionality – providing a fresh surface that’s beautiful, durable, and easy to care for. By preparing now for those seasonal visits from friends and family, your new floor will be shining brightly when the holidays roll around.
Here’s what you need to know before replacing your flooring this season:
Wood. Whether you’re installing hardwood or laminate, ask your flooring specialist to assess your home’s humidity levels early in the process. Flooring must be acclimated to your environment in order to avoid future gapping or buckling of the surface. Depending on the specifics of your installation, this could take anywhere from a few days to a week or more. After the flooring is installed, you should wait 6 hours before walking on the surface in sock feet, and avoid wearing shoes for 24 hours. Don’t replace furnishings for 48 hours, and wait 1-2 weeks before adding area rugs.
Carpet. Preparation for carpet installation involves moving furniture, pulling up old carpeting, inspecting the subfloor, and removing baseboards as needed. If the subfloor is damaged, it may have to be repaired or replaced. Once the new carpet is installed, the baseboards will be replaced, and the furniture returned. This can generally be completed in a matter of hours. Sometimes chemicals used in carpet manufacturing and installation leave a lingering odor for 48 to 72 hours post-installation. Be certain to ventilate the room, and allow time for the fumes to dissipate before hosting any holiday parties.
Tile. With ceramic tile installation, the adhesive used must be allowed to dry for 24 hours before applying and sealing the grout. If you’re installing luxury vinyl tile, avoid walking on the floor for 24 hours, keep pets off the surface, and don’t wash it for several days. Unlike ceramic tile, grout can be applied immediately to groutable vinyl tile.
If your floors have seen better days, have become warped or stained, replacement may be your best option before hosting that holiday gathering. Selecting the right flooring surface can be a difficult choice, but it’s one of the most important home maintenance decisions you’ll ever make. With the holiday season approaching, the time is NOW to get your home ready for those lovely holiday guests.