Whether you’re building a new home, buying a house, or renovating your current home, investing in engineered wooden flooring is always a worthwhile investment. Engineered wood floors with real wood surface come with numerous benefits. They’re easy to clean, sustainable, and requires relatively less maintenance compared to other flooring types. Mikasa offers a range of real wood flooring options for those looking to add a bold and inviting feel to their homes. Installing wood flooring, however, comes with a lot of quirks and snags, some of which may not be expected. Fortunately, with a little diligence, these problems can be easily prevented. Here are some few common pitfalls that homeowners should avoid.
Related: 4 Key Benefits of Installing Engineered Wood Flooring
Ignoring the Subfloor
If you have not cleaned your sub-floor as needed, putting wood floors won’t help. You also need to clean blobs from the dry floor and check every wood plank for contaminants. Be sure to clear off the dust from the surface using a rag soaked in mineral spirit before you cover the floor with lacquer or stain.
Not Checking the Moisture Level
Increased moisture, or sometimes lack of it, is the biggest cause of wood flooring issues. Since wood is a sensitive material that readily absorbs moisture from the environment, you may want to be more careful when assessing its moisture content. Humidity doesn’t really have to be a problem if handled well; unfortunately, most DIY installers do not take the right steps. Using a wood moisture meter, you can check the plank’s moisture content and adjust the humidity of your room as needed.
Ignoring Leveling
Your subfloor needs to be relatively level. Changes in height should not exceed 3mm over 2mm or 1.2mm over 0.25m. When you remove your old carpet and find an uneven surface beneath, be sure to level it first. The easiest way to achieve a level floor is by pouring a self-levelling concrete on the uneven surface.
Related: What Type of Wood is Best for Flooring?
Not Acclimating the Wood
Ever noticed wells or shrinks on wooden floors? That was probably caused by laying the planks before they had adjusted to the environment. The recommended practice is that you should leave your wood planks to sit in the room for about two weeks before the installation while letting the A/C or heat run at optimal levels. Set relative humidity at 30-50%.
Not Using the Right Laying Method
It may seem like common sense to put enough fasteners or using a locking system, but installing wooden flooring call for more than that. That is why it is always advisable to avail professional floor installation services rather than taking the matter into your own hands. Using a wrong number of fasteners can lead to several problems. If loose, the planks will make noise and slowly spread apart creating gaps.
Wrap Up
You don’t have to be scared if you’re finding it difficult to lay your wooden planks and can’t find a reliable expert from your local flooring installation services. We’ll help you get things right. At Mikasa, we boast strong easy-to-install wood planks that can last for years. Since Durability starts with a good installation, we want you to get things right from the start. If you want to avoid these costly installation mistakes, you can talk to us about any of your installation concerns by calling 1800-833-0004 or write to us at info@mikasafloors.com.