When Is the Best Time to Install Hardwood Flooring?

When Is the Best Time to Install Hardwood Flooring?

Hardwood flooring is an all-time favourite among homeowners and a classic choice. Despite the expense and certain drawbacks associated with it, hardwood flooring remains a go-to choice when you are looking for a long-term flooring solution. Many customers inquire about the right time to buy hardwood flooring, given it is affected by humidity and temperature fluctuations. While you can buy them anytime you want, installing hardwood flooring in certain seasons is easier.

This post is a detailed guide about the best time when you can install hardwood flooring for easier and flawless installation as well as to get the best deals.

During fall and spring

Fall and spring generally have moderate weather which is ideal for undertaking any major and laborious construction work. Moreover, the holiday season follows right after fall, giving you ample time to supervise and control the process. Some benefits of undertaking hardwood flooring shopping and installation during this time of the year are:

1. You have moderate weather

Since hardwood flooring is greatly influenced by moisture and temperature changes, the moderate weather of fall and spring is very suitable for the installation process. If you live in a region with high humidity, the hardwood can warp or expand during installation. Fall and spring have a moderate climate that is not as humid but not as cold either.

2. You can open the door frequently

Floor installation means a lot of equipment, old floorboards, and shifting of furniture. The continual traffic will demand frequent opening and closing of the doors. Undertaking the installation work during winter will let the chill in while during summers, the house will heat up. This means the insulation and air conditioning of the house will be working overtime leading to higher electricity bills and imbalanced indoor temperatures.

3. Ventilation will be easier

The fumes and odours of the adhesives, lacquers, stains, and sealers can be suffocating, and you will need proper ventilation and fresh air to get rid of them quickly. Leaving the windows open is the best way to allow sufficient air circulation. Fall or spring are the best time of the year when you can keep the windows open for long hours, making flooring installation easier to deal with.

4. The ideal temperature for adhesives to dry

The adhesives which are often used for hardwood flooring installation require a specific temperature for drying perfectly. The heating and cooling system of the house during winter and summer may not provide that ideal environment, making fall and spring a preferred season if you are installing hardwood flooring with methods that require glueing the boards.

5. Schools will be in session

Any kind of construction work is nearly impossible to finish smoothly when you have children running in and out of the house. If you can schedule the floor installation during the fall, you can take full advantage of the time when your children will be in school or busy with their extracurricular activities.

6. Before the holiday seasons

The holiday season means you will have more guests visiting you than usual. If you can schedule and get the flooring installation done before the holidays start, the flooring will have time to acclimatize before it has to withstand the increased traffic. Also, it will be an awesome surprise to the visitors as well as give your home a face-lift right before the holidays.

After cabinetry and remodelling works

If you have plans to execute remodelling and other similar extensive reconstruction work, you must plan a timeline to organize each and every aspect of the work to minimize chaos and damage. The cabinetry and counter-top designing will produce a significant amount of debris around the house which will have some impact on the floors as well. Paints may spill, dragging furniture around can dent the floors and a lot more can happen. If you have plans to install a floor as well, schedule it after all the remodelling work are completed.

Once the flooring is installed, for a certain period you have to restrict movement in the room to give time to the floorboards to acclimatize and the finish to dry. Hence, when you undertake remodelling work immediately afterwards, it poses a risk of damaging the new floor.

Point to note:

The cost of gas and crude oil are the lowest during the winter, which means the transportation cost for your floorboards will be the lowest during this time too.

• During discounts and cost fluctuations

Usually, new trends and collections are released in spring which means the old styles will be available at a lower price. Also, discontinued styles will be available at discounted rates to make way for the new collections. This is the perfect time when you can get hardwood floorboards at attractive rates. If you prioritize quality over keeping up with trends, you will be able to find some classic styles at a steep discount. The best way to stay updated about such sales is keeping track of the latest discounts at your favourite store. The transportation cost of moving the floorboards from the store to your house is yet another thing to consider, as it will vary depending on the distance and the cost of gas.

• Final words

You may wish to undertake the flooring installation during any time of the year and in the end, it is entirely your choice. While spring and fall provide the ideal climate to work with natural material like hardwood, it is not necessary to finish your work during this time. If you take the necessary precautions such as, controlling the indoor humidity and acclimatizing the floorboards thoroughly, you can smoothly install the wood flooring during any weather.

Hardwood flooring installation is a labour-intensive task which takes time and patience. The moderate weather of fall and spring, proper scheduling of the entire remodelling process and scheduling it before holidays give you the ideal environment to get the work done smoothly. If you have plans for hardwood floor installation in the near future, this is the perfect time to start planning it. Our experts at AA Floors can help you out.