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There are only a few tasks larger than re-flooring your home. Replacing the wallpaper all around your home. Repainting or remodelling the ceilings. Rebuilding the roof. And, changing the decor of your entire home. That’s about it. Everything else is a much smaller task than changing your flooring. For one thing, the new flooring will be using the same structure as the previous. It will also be the same overall size as the previous one. Aside from those two things, the flooring will have to be rethought. However, it’s one of the more straightforward jobs because it is still just flooring. It’s not too complex, the end result is still going to be function over form and it will perform its role in the home without much to go wrong. It’s only the beginning that’s the most complex part.
The new floor
What will your new floor look like? Maybe you’re going from a vinyl flooring to hardwood flooring. You may be going from a tiled floor to a carpeted floor. You may be going from ceramic to concrete. You could be going from stone to marble. The bottom line is, you need to decide what kind of style you’re going for. When you have what you want in mind, then you can choose your colour and your material. Sometimes, materials are restrictive when it comes to colour, so it’s best to have multiple materials for the same style and colour in mind. You might also choose to have multiple flooring styles for different rooms. This doesn’t make the job more difficult, just more layered and complex. Decide on what kind of period the style will be, i.e. Victorian, Edwardian, Italian Renaissance, Greek neoclassical, etc.
The old heave-ho!
You should select a professional flooring company to rip up the flooring for you. You don’t want to damage the structure underneath by digging too far yourself. First, call up a house clearance that can handle DIY project waste removal. They will be able to safely dispose of the wood, tile or any other kind of flooring. Bear in mind, the previous nails and screws will also need to be removed in favour of new nails and screws. Most of the time if you have hardwood flooring the boards will be removed whole. However, other times when the boards are stuck they will be sawed in half as to not damage the foundation underneath.
Setting in
Before you sign off on the fitting, be sure to check all the flooring for any loose boards or tiles, etc. There should not be any gaps or undue gradient changes. When a new floor has been fitted in, it’s wise to be a little gentle with it. Allow the material to get used to its fitting position and to your home’s ambient temperature. You’ll hear a few cracks and clicks, but it’s just the material flexing as it contracts and expands.
The process of putting in new flooring is not that long. Be sure to have your style at the ready so you know exactly what you want when telling the contractor you hire, what to do.