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Home / Renovation Tips / Ready to Update Your Floors? Three Things To Do Now

Deciding to redo your floors is an exciting time because there are so many gorgeous styles to choose from in hardwood, luxury vinyl, laminate, and waterproof flooring.  Not only will new flooring beautifully transform your space, but it is an improvement that will add value to your home and can last for years to come.  Now that you've made the decision, what should you do next?  

We asked Jennifer Sanford from Hughes Floor Covering in Charlotte, North Carolina to help us compile the top three things a homeowner should do once they've made the decision to replace their floors.  Hughes Floor Covering has been in business for over 41 years so, they've pretty much seen it all when it comes to flooring!  They have an outstanding reputation for quality service and are experts in both flooring products and installation.
 
1) Select the right floors for your space
We were not kidding when we said there are a lot of options in flooring. There are over 1,000 flooring products on Twenty & Oak alone! While you can research flooring online, it is best to visit an experienced flooring retailer who can help you navigate through the choices based on your space and lifestyle needs. 

Jennifer said, "We spend time with our customers getting to know what they want and need.  We will ask does your house have a crawl space or is it on a slab?  Do you have kids or pets? A dog that weighs over 100 lbs?  Is this a flip or a rental property? These are some of the things that help us determine the best flooring products to recommend to a homeowner." 

While it is helpful to know the approximate square footage or the number of rooms for the new floors before you visit a flooring retailer, it is not absolutely necessary.  Many retailers, such as Hughes, will come to your home to take measurements. 
 
 2) Bring samples home
We can't stress enough how important it is to bring a flooring sample home!  Even with the highest resolution photos, colors can look different online from monitor to monitor.  They can look different from your monitor to the display sample in the store.  And, the sample in the store can look different once you take it to your home.  Jennifer advised, "View samples in all the rooms where you will be installing the new floors.  Lighting can be a factor and floors may look different in the day than the night." 

It is definitely worth your time to get samples before making any final decisions.  The last thing you want is to install new floors and think, "That’s not what I picked out.” This is the main reason why Twenty & Oak offers samples on every product and ships them to your home. 
 
3) Prep for installation
On the day of installation, most installers will take care of moving large pieces of furniture and removing the old flooring for you.  However, it's recommended that you move smaller items such as picture frames or other decorative items off dressers and tables beforehand.  You will also want to make sure the floor is clear of any clothing, toys, books, baskets, etc.  While you don't have to remove clothes from a dresser, it is a good idea to remove breakable items (such as china in a china cabinet) and box them up during installation.  

A flooring installation can take anywhere from a day to a week depending on how many rooms, type of flooring, and if the subfloor needs repair.  Jennifer said, "Our sales reps have between 25 and 40 years of experience so, they are very knowledgeable on flooring products and installation.  When they go to a customer's house to take measurements, they will also evaluate if there is any subfloor damage beneath the existing floor so the customer is fully aware of what is needed to complete the job and how long it will take."

While some flooring types are more forgiving than others with subfloor imperfections, it is important to fully examine the subfloor damage so that your new floors will lay evenly and perform as expected.

Following these tips will help ensure that your new flooring journey will be exciting all the way from selecting your floors to installation day! Once you have your new floors installed, be sure to share your photos on our Facebook and Instagram pages.  We'd love to see them!
Hughes Floor Covering
Hughes Floor Covering in Charlotte has been family owned and operated for over 41 years. Their beautiful showroom offers a wide selection of hardwood, luxury vinyl tiles and planks, carpet, and vinyl flooring.  Their friendly and experienced staff has years of experience to help guide you in selecting the right flooring for your home or business.  
 

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