Installations: 9 Tips for Preparing your Household

Although Wood Monsters cannot speak for each qualified hardwood floor installer you might be working with, we can help you with some realistic things to expect during your installation and provide you with tips to help your installation go smoother.

1. As with any major home improvement, realize you will have some interruption to normal routines including potentially frustrating and inconvenient moments.  
2. Plan your installation so that it will not interfere with any other major home improvement project. For example, if you are remodeling the kitchen and you’ll be putting hardwood flooring in your kitchen, schedule the wood floor installation first and schedule the rest around a suitable time frame for the work to be completed.
3. Make sure your heating and or humidifying systems are running at normal average temperatures that will be expected to your normal living conditions for at least 5 days before you take delivery of your hardwood floors. Keep in mind that your normal humidity and temperatures levels may be different in the winter verses in the summer. Aim for an average between the two. The National Wood Flooring Association Installation Guidelines have more than one reference chart for finding the ideal moisture and temperature ratings for your geographical area of the country.
4. After you learn the size and weight of each carton and after finding out how many cartons of wood you’ll need, start planning where you will be able to stack these cartons inside your home. Experimenting with where to place furniture now will help you not be caught off guard later. Planning this part ahead will also allow you to create walk through areas for household members. For example, there’s nothing worse than having to stack carton after carton of wood flooring in your home in all sorts of odd places that suddenly leave your family members stepping over them just to reach the kitchen.
5. Plan to stack the cartons of wood in such a way they do not fall over. Each carton will weigh a significant amount and if it falls over onto a person or pet, injury will most likely be incurred.
6. Before the installers arrive to begin installation, remove all necessary furniture and personal items from the floor. Leave the countertops clear. Don’t leave anything on the floor. Open up all window blinds and pull them up to allow light to enter the room.
7. Because you’ll have to remove the furniture, take some time now to plan on where you will put the furniture for up to seven days (depending on how large the project is). Your installer can give you a better idea of a more precise time frame.
8. Now that you know where you might have to place your furniture for up to a week, imagine what it will be like to maneuver around your home during this time and start making back up plans. For example: if you’re having your kitchen floor done, what will your menu choices look like for your family for up to a week? If you’re having your living room done and your furniture will be stuffed into a kitchen area, will you still be able to open the fridge or safely operate the stove and oven during this time? If you’re doing one bedroom at a time, how will the kids feel about sharing one room for a week and then sharing the other one for another week? Brainstorm some ideas you can put into place that will make this easier for your family members.
9. Make plans now for how to handle the routines of your pets. These include arrangements for potty breaks or securing indoor cats in another location of your home during installation. For example, if you normally let Fido out the back door but the backdoor is directly in the path of installation, now would be a good time to find his leash and place it near the front door so that you can walk Fido out into the front yard to do his business. If the temperament of your cat will be similar to the effects of dragging finger nails across a chalkboard if she is left alone in a back room, work with your family on ways to alternate Miss Kitty’s living environment during the installation process. Perhaps extra treats or toys will help during this time.

This list is not all inclusive but gives you a good head start on what to expect. Always ask your installer what he or she prefers to make things easier and then the two of you can plan accordingly.

Remember even though you’re taking the time to plan and prepare to have a smooth installation, you won’t always be able to appease each member of the family the entire time. Allow each other extra time and space to maneuver throughout the house safely and to accomplish otherwise normal household routines or tasks.