Replacing the flooring is perhaps the most tedious and time-consuming part of an interior renovation or remodeling job. It requires thorough planning, effort, and a good deal of money too. On top of that, you will also have to maintain the flooring properly if you want to make it last a long time.
Having said all that, let us look at the five things we need to consider while replacing the existing flooring of a house.
#1 The People Living There
Replacing the flooring with no one living inside the house is very easy. Since all the rooms are empty, you can pretty much start and finish wherever you want. Things tend to get a bit more complicated when you have to replace the flooring with people living there. In such circumstances, planning is vital.
There are two different ways to deal with such situations. The first is that you or the people inside the house need to move out for a few days. That will make the house empty so that the replacement job can go on freely.
The second option is a bit more tactical. It is a room-by-room approach. Firstly, you target a room whose floors you will be replacing. Next, all the things and occupants of that room are moved to a temporary location inside the house. Once that room’s flooring is changed, they move back in with all their stuff, and you repeat the process for all the other rooms.
As you can tell, the second option needs more time as well as effort. However, it is one of the best ways to carry on with the floor replacement without having to move out of the house.
#2 Type of Flooring to Get
The options are never-ending when it comes to choosing a type of flooring. Tile flooring will give you more options in terms of variations and colors. There is possibly an infinite number of tile designs for you to choose from. Each design will give your floor a different type of appeal.
Then there is the option for mosaic flooring. In terms of costs, tile flooring is usually cheaper. However, the costs will vary. They will depend heavily on the type, design, and size of your tiles.
You can also opt for wooden flooring if you want to add a luxurious appeal to your interior. Hardwood flooring will cost a lot more than tile as well as regular mosaic flooring.
#3 Do Not Forget the Stairs
Your stairs are just as important as your floors. Hence, while replacing the flooring, do not forget to renovate your staircase.
No matter the type of flooring you opt for, you should try to give the stairs a wooden finish. Installing a new wooden staircase will help elevate the beauty of your interior. It will also complement your newly installed flooring.
For installing wooden stairs, you have a lot of options to choose from (in terms of wood as well as styling). You can find out more about them by visiting this website.
#4 Maintenance of Your New Flooring
You will need to follow a specific set of instructions to maintain each type of flooring. Generally, however, the maintenance rules are simple. You need to keep the floor clean and away from toxic chemicals, especially on tile or hardwood flooring. You also need to avoid dragging your furniture across the floor. Such movement causes friction which can lead to erosion of the topmost layer of your tiles or wood.
#5 Overall Cost and Time
All the points discussed above will impact the overall cost and timing of the project. Tile flooring is one of the least expensive options, and hardwood flooring is the more expensive one. The costs for all types of flooring will depend on your total floor space as well as the type of tile or wood you plan on using.
As discussed earlier, it will take more time to finish the replacement if there are occupants inside the house. It will take a lot less time for an empty house.
After considering all these tips, you can start with the replacement project. Avoid rushing things. A good floor replacement job will take a bit of time. Hence, you need to be patient. Also, try to keep some additional funds with you in case of emergencies. These are for cases when the floor replacement job might damage certain other parts of the house. Most importantly, you have to maintain the new flooring properly once the replacement is complete so that it can last you a very long time.
