Real Wood Floors: Preparing Job Site Ensures Quality Installation

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- You spend weeks researching the wood
floors you will have installed in your home, but did you know that properly
preparing the job site could have as much to do with the long-term performance
of your floors as the species you choose?
If your home is new construction, wood flooring should not be delivered
before all the wet trades are completed, such as dry wall and painting, the
house is completely enclosed, the final grading has taken place, and the
heating and cooling system is installed and functioning. Once these
conditions are met, wood can be delivered to the job site.
After the wood is delivered, it will need to acclimate. The time required
for this will vary depending on the type of wood flooring used, as well as the
manufacturer's specifications, but generally, this process will take two to
four days. Rushing this step could cause the wood to fail over time.
It's also important to understand that wood flooring will reflect the
shape of its subfloor, so your contractor should make sure your subfloor is
solid and flat. If there are high peaks, they should be sanded down. If
there are low valleys, they should be filled in. Your contractor also should
make sure that the subfloor is securely fastened to the flooring joists, which
will prevent the floors from squeaking down the road.
Taking these simple, but important, steps to properly prepare the job site
before your wood is installed will help contribute to the long-term
performance of your floors. To learn more about the many benefits of wood
flooring, visit the NWFA's consumer web site at http://www.woodfloors.org, and
click on the "All About Wood Floors" link. You also can find a wood flooring
professional in your area by visiting the "Find a Professional or Product"
link.
The National Wood Flooring Association is a not-for-profit trade
organization of more than 4,100 wood flooring professionals working worldwide
to educate consumers, architects, designers, and builders in the uses and
benefits of wood flooring. The NWFA can be contacted at 111 Chesterfield
Industrial Blvd., Chesterfield, MO 63005, or at 800-422-4556 (USA),
800-848-8824 (Canada), or 636-519-9663 (international).
Contact: Anita Howard
Communications Director
636-519-9663
anitah@nwfa.org

SOURCE National Wood Flooring Association

Anita Howard, Communications Director of National Wood Flooring Association,
+1-636-519-9663, anitah@nwfa.org