What to Know About Flooring Before You Renovate

Many Perth homeowners make the mistake of rushing into flooring renovations, but overhauling the foundation of your home, either on its own or as part of a larger home upgrade, requires thoughtful planning and preparation.

These are the key considerations to contemplate before you rip out your old floors and install fresh materials underfoot.

1. If you’re renovating more than just the floors of your home, getting the order of new works right is critical.

As a general rule and to avoid costly damage, painting, cabinetry and wet areas should be finished before floors are installed. Skirting boards should be done after, so they can sit flush on top of the new floor.

1. To ensure your overall renovation timeline doesn’t blow out and to allow for lead times (especially on specialty products), it’s wise order new flooring early.

Some floors, like engineered timber, also need to acclimatise to the home’s temperature and humidity before installation, so account for that in your planning.

1. Before you purchase new floors, make sure to factor in:

• The cost of removing your old flooring
• Height transitions in the home (floor height changes can impact doors, door jambs and skirting boards)
• Subfloor (timber vs slab)

4. Keep in mind that renovation flooring decisions are different from new build flooring decisions.

When working with an established home with establishes subfloors and substrates, changes may be required to pave the way for new flooring types.

A new build offers a blank canvas that’s easy to work with from a design perspective. Upgrading flooring in an existing home demands taking into account what’s already there, which can be trickier if you’re trying to blend traditional and modern styles and deal with older construction methods.

1. It may be necessary to inspect and repair your subfloor before installing fresh flooring material, so this needs to be planned for.

Mouldy smells and uneven or sunken areas may indicate issues, including water damage, that must be rectified, because a subfloor that’s not level or solid could harm your new flooring.

Managing a flooring renovation may not be as simple as it sounds, but it is worth it.

Investing in modern, quality floors can dramatically upgrade your home’s visual appeal and bring increased safety and comfort, as well as add value.

Ready to renovate your floors? Drop into one of our eight Perth stores today.

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