Pay attention to these details before installing wooden flooring

Wood flooring is beautiful, durable, comfortable, warm, conducts heat well, is noise-resistant, non-slip, and easy to install. It can reflect a person's lifestyle in terms of health and decorative effects. However, if problems such as wear, cracking, and warping occur after installation, consumers generally believe that the problem lies with the quality of the wood floor itself...

Not entirely! This is closely related to the installation and maintenance of the floor. There's a saying in the industry: "30% flooring, 70% installation." This means that the quality of the flooring's installation is crucial to its subsequent use. The quality of the flooring itself depends largely on the skill of the installer, followed by the quality of the flooring material.

A comprehensive inspection and treatment of the flooring environment before installation is crucial for ensuring quality. If the flooring is installed without adequate environmental conditions, various problems will likely arise over time. More haste, less speed! Let's take a look at the details you need to pay attention to before installing your floor.

01. Measure ground moisture content

Check the waterproofing measures for leaks. If any, treat them before laying the floor. Use a moisture meter to measure the floor moisture content. The standard for ordinary floors is less than 20%, and for heated floors, less than 10%. If the moisture content is too high, dehumidify the floor first. Otherwise, the floor will absorb water and swell, causing problems such as warping, bulging, and noise.

02. Check the flatness of the ground

Place a 2M straightedge flat on the floor and use a 3mm thick feeler gauge to check the gap between the straightedge and the floor. If the gap does not penetrate, it is acceptable. If the floor is uneven, chisel it with a spatula. In severe cases, re-level it or use self-leveling. If the flatness does not meet the standard, it will cause problems such as edge collapse, warping, arching, and unusual noises. Use the handle of a screwdriver or hammer to tap the floor to check for holes or peeling. If so, the floor needs to be re-leveled.

03. Check the environment for termites

This is often overlooked because termites are difficult to detect. Therefore, before installing the floor, you must conduct a termite inspection and preventive measures, otherwise the entire floor and even all wooden products in the room will be seriously damaged.

04. Avoid cross-mixing operations

Flooring installation should be performed after the concealed flooring, ceiling, wall, and plumbing/electrical works have been completed and properly inspected. Cross-operation can easily damage the floor. If the wall work is unfinished, falling sand and gravel can cause dust and scratches on the floor. Paint and coating spills can damage the floor's appearance. Furthermore, if problems arise from cross-working, unclear responsibility can hinder legal protection.

05. Hidden engineering consultation and marking

Before starting work, the owner should be asked to indicate the location of the hidden project and make conspicuous marks to avoid damage to pre-buried water pipes, gas pipes, power lines and communication lines during construction, and to avoid secondary damage during decoration.