Hardwood flooring is a beautiful addition to any home, but it comes with a major investment in time and money. While do-it-yourself flooring installation is becoming more accessible, there are times when hiring a hardwood flooring contractor is recommended.

DIY or Call in a Pro?

Despite all of the popular DIY TV shows encouraging homeowners to take matters into their own hands, it is not always the best option. Making the hasty decision to tear up your old flooring and dive headlong into the hardwood flooring installation process may prove costly down the road. Here are the times when it is best to call in a professional.

1. You lack experience.

Sure, those DIY shows make home improvement projects look easy. Looks can be deceiving. If you have no prior experience performing home renovation projects, installing hardwood flooring is not a good choice for a first-time DIY task. Flooring is the kind of home renovation project that can add real value to your home. Messing it up by trying to do the work yourself will eat into your return on investment.

2. You don't have the necessary tools.

Just like experience, having the right tools for the job is important. Power saws, nail guns, and sanders are common tools for installing hardwood flooring. While you can rent these tools, you will still need experience with them to use them safely and properly for your intended job.

3. Your project is complicated.

As mentioned, flooring jobs can be quirky and come with unexpected complications. Oddly shaped rooms and sub-flooring issues can turn what was expected to be an easy job into a DIY nightmare.

What to Expect When Hiring a Professional

If you have decided that calling a hardwood flooring contractor is the right move for your project, what should you expect?

Before any flooring is ordered, delivered, or installed, a professional should always analyze the property for potential problem areas that will affect installation. Professionals who attempt to skip this step should not be considered for hire.

If you are building a new home, hardwood flooring is always the last component to be installed. If you are installing the flooring in an existing home, the flooring expert will advise the amount of time needed for installation. It is important to ensure all furniture and other items are removed from the room where the installation will be done before the professionals arrive to do the work.

To ensure a smooth installation, the new flooring will need to acclimate to your home environment for a few days before installation occurs. Flooring that is not given time to adjust to the temperature and moisture conditions of a home may experience issues later on.

Professional hardwood flooring contractors are as minimally disruptive as possible. This includes making every effort to contain dust produced during the installation process. Most professionals clean up after themselves, removing any dust and debris resulting from the installation process upon completion of the project.

Finally, you can expect to be advised to stay off your new flooring for a few hours or even a few days to give it time to settle and set properly.

Getting Started

American Floor Care is dedicated to bringing out the best in your property, one hardwood floor at a time. A family-owned business serving the Youngstown and Warren, OH areas for the last 20 years, we offer a level of service and professionalism homeowners expect.

If you are ready to get started with your flooring project, give us a call at 330-847-9100 or contact us online.