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Success Checklist DIY Flooring
Read the installation instructions
Even if you have installed a similar product in the past, be sure to thoroughly read the manufacturer's current installation instructions for the specific product you are working with. There are important subtleties from brand to brand, and unique differences among competing locking mechanisms. You'll find download links to installation instructions for every product on our site.
Acclimate the flooring
All flooring products contract and expand with changes in temperature and relative humidity. Your floor may have traveled through different climate zones in transit to your home. So make sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for acclimation. Typically, they require the unopened cartons to remain in the rooms in which they will be installed for 2-14 days prior to installation. Additionally, you should insure that the rooms are temperature controlled while the flooring is being acclimated and installed.
Make sure the installation environment is clean
Debris or particles in between the flooring and subfloor or worse yet, lodged between the tongue and groove can have you scratching your head wondering why the flooring panels are not engaging easily. Glueless floors are made with precision milled tongue and groove locking mechanisms with precise tolerances. So make sure to clean and vacuum the rooms thoroughly and do not do any sawing in the rooms during the installation.
Use the manufacturer's moldings and installation accessories
They are specifically designed for the thickness and locking mechanism profile of the flooring.
Open and work with multiple cartons together
This one is frequently overlooked. Sometimes a single carton may, at random, contain many planks that look alike. If these are installed sequentially next to each other, it may stand out. So open up and mix multiple cartons together to avoid this scenario.
Expansion Space
Never skimp on or compromise expansion space, it is a fundamental aspect of floating installations. Our experience has shown that one of the biggest causes of flooring failure (buckling, gaps between panels etc.) is due to inadequate expansion space.
