Pictured: Palermo Rustic European White Oak
Your Essential Wood Floor Pre-Installation Checklist
Your client has decided on installing hardwood floors. After selecting the perfect one for their home, it’s time to prepare for the next big step: installation. Installing hardwood floors needs planning and careful consideration for many reasons. From adhesive choice to the final installation, it is important to be precise and thoughtful.
We have you covered. This pre-installation checklist provides you with key points for clients to consider when installing hardwood floors. You’ll want to answer “Yes” to every question before installation. (Tip: Print this guide and mark down who checked and when to keep on file for future reference.)
Exterior Considerations
- Are gutters and downspouts are properly placed to drain water away?
- Is soil outside is graded properly to drain water away from the site?
Interior Considerations
- Are all “wet” jobs (e.g., drywall, plaster, paint, ceramic tile, etc.) complete?
- Are air conditioning, heating and ventilation complete and working?
- Is the home enclosed and weather-tight, including all doors and windows in place?
- Is the temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent?
Concrete Slab Conditions
- Has concrete been installed for at least 30 days?
- If wood flooring is to be installed over a slab, is the concrete flat per specifications?
- Has a vapor barrier been installed under the slab?
Delivery and Working Conditions
- Is proper electrical power available: 120V and 220V?
- Are the driveway and sidewalks paved?
Moisture Conditions
- Is moisture content of the wood subfloor no more than four percent above or below the finish flooring and within regional moisture content guidelines?
- Did moisture testing of concrete slab begin no sooner than 30 days after the slab was poured, and did test results show that it is safe to begin wood flooring installation?
