Flooring
Hardwood, LVP, tile, and carpet installation
New flooring is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to a home. The installation method varies by material, but the fundamentals are the same: a flat, clean, dry subfloor is everything. Rushing subfloor prep is the #1 cause of flooring failures.
Step-by-Step Guide
Remove existing flooring
Pull up carpet, staples, and tack strips. For tile, use a floor scraper or oscillating tool. Remove all adhesive residue — high spots will telegraph through new flooring.
Inspect and prep the subfloor
Check for squeaks (screw them down), soft spots (replace damaged sections), and high spots (grind or sand down). The subfloor must be flat within 3/16" over 10 feet for most flooring types.
Acclimate the flooring
Let hardwood and engineered wood acclimate in the room for 48–72 hours. LVP and laminate need 24 hours. This prevents expansion and contraction after installation.
Install underlayment
Most LVP and laminate needs a foam underlayment for cushion and moisture protection. Hardwood over concrete needs a vapor barrier. Tile needs cement backer board.
Lay the flooring
Start from the straightest wall, working toward the door. Stagger end joints by at least 6 inches. Leave a 1/4" expansion gap at all walls — this gets covered by baseboard.
Install transitions and trim
Install T-molding at doorways, reducers at height changes, and quarter-round or shoe molding at walls. Nail trim to the wall, never the floor — the floor needs to float.
Pro Tips
Run flooring perpendicular to floor joists for a stronger installation and to minimize visible seams.
For LVP, check that the subfloor is within 3/16" over 10 feet — use a long level and self-leveling compound for low spots.
Mix planks from multiple boxes as you install to blend color and grain variation naturally.
Rent a flooring nailer for hardwood — hand-nailing is exhausting and inconsistent over a full room.
Recommended Tools
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Materials Checklist
- Flooring material + 10% overage for waste
- Underlayment (foam or vapor barrier)
- Tapping block + pull bar kit
- Spacers (1/4" expansion gap)
- Circular saw or miter saw
- Flooring nailer (for hardwood)
- Chalk line + tape measure
- Pry bar + floor scraper
- Transition strips + quarter-round
- Moisture meter (for hardwood)
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