Wondering, is hardwood flooring a good option for your home? Is it durable? Is this flooring type easy to maintain?
In recent times, many homeowners are turning towards hardwood floor installation; either due to its classy look or its easy cleaning and maintenance attributes. Such flooring adds warmth, personality, and style to any property, whether old or new. You have a plethora of choices available to complement your property and embellish your premises.
Although the initial installation cost of wooden flooring is more than tile or carpet, it can last for generations if proper maintenance and necessary repairs are carried out regularly. If, at any time, you find your floors start to look dull, consider hiring the services of Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Lemont. This will let you restore your floor’s original luster and keep carrying the ‘wow impressions’ for years.
Hardwood Floor Installation: An Ultimate Guide
Hardwood floors can mend in any property, whether residential or commercial. Its amazing characteristics and potential to introduce a timeless appeal can make this option highly admirable. Be it a bedroom, hallway, or kitchen, wooden floors can be placed seamlessly on any sub-floor. However, you should hire the right installation company for help! Because these experts have in-depth knowledge to prepare the subfloor for robust installation.
Why Hire a Professional Installer?
People should approach a professional company to ensure that proper preparation is done before the flooring installation begins. A flooring specialist will remove all the breakables and take safety precautions to mitigate any risk/ damage. Let’s dive in to know what role an installer plays.
DIY v/s professional work
With do-it-yourself flooring installation, there will be a high possibility of costly mistakes. Unless you are extremely handy, it’s arduous to manage everything on your own. It involves a lot of time and requires specific tools. Surely, you don’t have such facilities, and hence, you have to borrow or buy a miter saw, trim equipment, and various other pieces to complete this job. Overall, it can be costly! On the other hand, when you approach professionals for Hardwood Floor Installation in Lemont, they arrive along with all the necessary equipment to accomplish the project quickly and seamlessly. Here are some perks of hiring an expert installer.
- Convenience
Hiring a competent flooring technician will help you focus on your daily chores and other economic activities without worrying about installation. You just need to discuss your budget and desired appearance; they will provide you with the quotes. On approval, they will begin their work and give you excellent results in your preferred timeline.
- Guaranteed Results
When attempting a DIY floor installation, it may be possible that you end up with damaged planks or get tired and leave the job unfinished. But, it’s not the case with professionals. Flooring experts will deliver guaranteed services with satisfying results.
- Better subfloor preparation
Sub-floor preparation is extremely important to maximize the working life of your new floors. They remove major imperfections and level up the space to ensure the planks will be bonded perfectly well.
Aspects Where An Installer Can Help You Make A Choice
- Making a choice between finished and unfinished floors
Many of us are well aware of both options, but if you feel confused about which option to choose, then your flooring contractor is always there to assist you. Backed by years of experience, they will help you make the right decision – If you have unique décor in your home and you are not able to find a ready-made option to harmonize with your interior, then unfinished flooring is the best option. But, if you have a plethora of options in finished floorings, then prefer this alternative as it involves less mess, time, and effort.
- Choosing stain color to match your home decor
Choosing a stain color is required in the case of unfinished floors because pre-finished ones already have a stain color applied to them. While choosing a stain, several factors need to be considered, like the ambiance you want to create (room contrast or brightness), foot traffic, and more. It’s always suggested to test the stain color by applying it to a bit of the floor’s area to see how it looks.
- A Choice of Polyurethane: Water-based or Oil-based
Polyurethane acts as a shield for your hardwood floors, and it safeguards the wood from getting scratches and stains that come with everyday wear and tear. Such product is available in two varieties: water-based and oil-based and several sheen levels, ranging from matte to glossy. Let’s discuss both these types in brief.
You may have been part of an ongoing debate about which option is more sustainable and longer-lasting. Water-based polyurethane has evolved with better formulations these days to provide outstanding protection to wooden floors. Compared with oil-based products, water-based finishes don’t alter the wood shade; they dry clear & remain transparent, so wood retains its natural color. You can apply 2-3 coats of this finish in a day as it withers too fast.
Besides, an installer can help you make a choice between engineered, laminate, and solid floors. They will let you understand the difference and characteristics of different floor types, and as per your requirements, you can pick the right one.
No doubt, flooring is a one-time investment; you should make all the decisions wisely.
How to Hire the Best Installer?
Getting a flawless hardwood floor installation is all that you would want for your home. Thus, choosing the right installation company is indispensable; otherwise, you could end up with unusual gaps between the wood planks or poorly prepared subfloor, leading to expensive mess and mistakes. Floor installation is an art that requires mind-blowing skills and expertise to complete the project while enhancing floor design by combining borders, laser-cut medallions, and even properly finishing it for an overall better-looking property.
Here are some factors that you must know before searching for the top-most floor installation contractor in your area.
- Experience, Responsiveness, and Punctuality
Collecting information about these factors would be a great idea to ensure whether the installer is trustworthy or not. Checking out their experience, taking a first-hand look at their completed work, and reading the previous clients’ testimonials are something that you must not ignore as this will help you make a confident decision. You can visit the potential firms’ official website to gather all the details. If the installer has gained the majority of positive reviews, then you can rely on them.
- Get referrals
Finding a good option can be hard. To locate them, get referrals from stores selling flooring materials. The stores often have a list of good installation companies. After discussing your needs, you can ask them to provide a few names considering your requirements.
Besides, if any of your nearby homes are having hardwood floors installed recently, visit that property and check out the installation finishing. Also, ask those homeowners some questions, like what is their working schedule? Do you think they wasted too much board length with their cuts? Ask if they cleaned up the mess?
As a last resort, you can search for local businesses online. Homeowners can Google their queries like they can enter ‘firms for Hardwood Floor Installation in Naperville’ to get the list of contractors near them. It’s suggested that never fall for the first installation company you come across. Rather, carry out your own research considering different factors as mentioned above.
- Get multiple estimates and compare
It is a great idea to get multiple estimates from different service providers to ensure you’re paying a reasonable price for the project. Make sure the installer has included every step in the plan as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. Once you have comparable estimates, you can then examine which hardwood floor contractor is trustworthy, considering their work and the quoted price.
- Read their Policies
Before finalizing any service provider, you must read the project terms and conditions thoroughly. When will they start working? How are they scheduling work? How much time did they need to complete the project (deadline)? What’s all included? How will they report you on the completed work? Besides, read out their payment terms.
- Finalize the Contractor
Being a homeowner, you must check whether the installer has full Liability and Workers Compensation Insurance. They should be well-versed and competent to foresee potential problems to avoid any mishappenings. If you’re fully satisfied with all the research and their answers, hire that firm and get everything in writing.
These few guidelines will help you choose the right contractor for your installation needs.
Installation process
The entire installation project is divided into four phases. Let’s discuss each phase in brief.
- First Phase – The Material Estimate
After you contact a company, any of their skilled teammates will arrive at the installation site to measure the floor for material purchase. Don’t be panicked if their square-foot measurement is greater than what you’ve measured, as they include around 10-percent extra on account of waste associated with the cutting of wooden planks. If you don’t have much idea about where to purchase all materials, then ask them for help!
- Second Phase – Sub-floor Preparation & Acclimation
Sub-floor preparation will usually take place three days prior to installation. The installation team begins by shifting furniture and cleaning the entire room. Moisture balance and leveling up of floors will be done to ensure a solid foundation for laying floorboards.
- Third Phase – Final Installation
Floorboard installation is the final stage. They will cut down wooden planks of accurate size and ensure no or less material gets wasted. These planks are then fixed using different methods, like nailing-down or attaching with sub-floors using glue. Depending on the requirements and material type, the installer will choose the right technique to deliver durable outcomes.
If you choose an unfinished floor installation, there is a need to do staining and refinishing. Make sure they have the right tools and state-of-the-art equipment to do dustless sanding. Once everything is completed, they will clear up the mess and leave you with a tidy place with brand new floors.
- Fourth Phase – Post-installation Assistance
No one would want to encounter installation issues every now and then. That’s why they hire the best installation company and purchase top-quality materials to avoid such issues. But, unfortunately, due to any reason, if you confront buckling or cupping of boards or planks detaching from its place, make sure the service provider will be ready to provide assistance and quickly resolve all your problems.
Other Services
Besides installation, skilled wood flooring companies also provide other services, namely sanding, refinishing, and repairing. Such services are needed after years of installing the floors when they start to look dull or lose their luster. Expert refinishers can resolve the deep scratches, dents, and provide staining services to help you transform your bland floors into new ones. You can even opt for staining if you want to change the color of your floors. Good flooring technicians can also provide you with tips and tricks to maintain the floor’s beauty for a longer period of time. If you want to know some measures to maintain hardwood floors, click here.
Reach Experts at Big Bro Hardwood to get Top-class Installation, Refinishing, and Repairing Services
Big Bro Hardwood has been a well-known name in the wood flooring industry. At our facility, we offer the best-in-class services, whether it is wood floor installation or Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Naperville. We use only the high-rated materials and the latest techniques to deliver second-to-none results that surpass all your expectations. Our amazing services will leave your guests surprised and make them exclaim a long ‘wow’.
You can directly discuss your needs with us; no salesman, no intermediary. We will always keep you updated with the current working status and strive to complete the job within the deadline. We offer services in Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Aurora, Burr Ridge, Lemont, Oak Brook, and the surrounding areas. If you’ve any queries or want to know whether we can help you with any service, call at (630) 418 4139 or email at [email protected]