Picking out new flooring is the fun part. You look at colors. You compare products. You bring samples into the house and stare at them in different lighting. Sometimes you’re making a decision involving thousands of dollars based on a sample about the size of a graham cracker.
Then we start talking about the floor underneath your new floor. Much less glamorous. But after owning Floor Coverings International®, I’ve learned how much the preparation underneath a new floor matters. I didn’t understand all of this four years ago either. Now I look at flooring differently.
If you’re spending thousands of dollars on new flooring, the goal shouldn’t be for it to look good when the installers leave. You want it installed with the conditions underneath properly evaluated so it has the opportunity to perform the way the product is designed to perform. That starts before the new flooring goes down.
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Your New Floor Has to Sit on Something
The flooring you see is only the top surface of a larger floor system. Depending on the home and flooring product, underneath might be plywood, OSB, concrete, existing flooring, or another approved surface. There might also be an underlayment or other material required as part of the installation. The condition of those materials matters.
For example, hardwood manufacturer Shaw requires acceptable substrates to be clean, flat, dry, and structurally sound before installation. Shaw also identifies proper subfloor conditions as part of reducing problems such as squeaking, popping, and crackling.
Those requirements aren’t automatically identical for LVP, laminate, carpet, or every brand of hardwood. Different products and installation methods have their own instructions. That’s why I wouldn’t want someone making assumptions about what’s underneath your floor simply because they’ve installed another floor that looked similar.
The product going into your home matters. So do its installation requirements.
Flat Doesn’t Always Mean Level
This is one of those flooring terms that sounds like we’re talking about the same thing twice. We aren’t.
A floor can have a gradual slope and still be relatively flat. Another floor might look level across the room but have a dip or high area. For many flooring installations, flatness is the issue.
The acceptable amount of variation depends on the product and installation method, so there isn’t one measurement homeowners should memorize and start checking throughout the house. Please don’t spend Saturday crawling around the living room with a level because of this article.
The point is simpler. If the flooring requires a certain degree of flatness, the surface underneath needs to meet the requirements for the product being installed. Flooring placed over a problem doesn’t automatically make the problem disappear.
Underlayment Doesn’t Fix Everything
Underlayment is another area where the flooring product matters. Some installations require or recommend a particular underlayment. Others use different materials or installation methods.
Underlayment might serve several purposes depending on the flooring system, but it shouldn’t be treated as a universal fix for whatever is happening underneath. Hardwood is a good example.
Shaw has different underlayment instructions depending on whether a hardwood product is nailed, stapled or floated. Solid hardwood installed with nails or staples has different requirements than certain floating engineered hardwood installations.
So rather than asking only, “Does this floor come with underlayment?” ask what the specific flooring you selected requires. There’s a big difference between having something underneath your flooring and having the right installation system underneath it.
Moisture Matters Too
Nobody wants to talk about moisture while choosing a beautiful new floor, but flooring products and moisture don’t always get along. The type of substrate matters here too.
Concrete and wood present different considerations. The flooring product, manufacturer instructions, installation method, and conditions in the home determine what needs to be evaluated. The Engineered Wood Association, for example, identifies excessive jobsite moisture as a concern for the long-term performance of wood flooring systems.
That doesn’t mean every floor has a moisture problem. It means moisture shouldn’t be ignored when the flooring or installation conditions call for evaluating it. If testing is required for the flooring being installed, you want to know that before the new floor covers everything up.
What Happens If We Find Something After the Old Floor Comes Up?
This is where homeowners sometimes get nervous. You received an estimate. You agreed on a price. Installation day arrives. Then the existing flooring comes up and something underneath needs attention.
Did the flooring company miss something? Possibly. But not necessarily.
Some conditions simply aren’t visible during the original appointment because another floor is covering them. A flooring professional should evaluate what is reasonably accessible beforehand, but nobody has X-ray vision. Once the old flooring is removed, an installer might see something that wasn’t visible during the estimate.
The important part is what happens next. If a condition is found that affects the installation, you should be told what was found, why it matters for your flooring, what needs to be done, and whether there is an additional cost.
Ask to see the problem. Ask whether the flooring manufacturer has a requirement related to it. Ask what the proposed correction involves.
A surprise underneath the floor doesn’t automatically mean someone did something wrong. Covering a significant problem without discussing it with you would concern me much more.
This Is Why Two Flooring Quotes Aren’t Always the Same Quote
Price matters. Of course it does. Flooring is a significant purchase, and I don’t expect anyone to ignore price.
I see inexpensive flooring and installation offers advertised online too. Some homeowners look at one price, look at another, and assume they’re comparing the same job. They might not be.
A lower price doesn’t prove someone does poor work. A higher price doesn’t prove someone does great work either. You have to look at what each company is providing.
What happens if floor preparation is needed? What preparation is already included? What happens if damaged material is found after removal? Who handles it?
What installation or labor warranty are you receiving? Who do you contact later if something isn’t right? What flooring product are you receiving?
Those questions tell you much more than the number at the bottom of the estimate. I’ve said before that flooring is an investment. Part of protecting the money you’re spending is understanding what you’re paying for before the installation starts.
LVP Still Depends on What’s Underneath It
Luxury vinyl plank is one of the flooring products we work with regularly in the Dayton area. People ask about water resistance. They ask about scratches, especially when dogs are involved. And yes, pets come up a lot in flooring conversations.
But there’s another question worth asking: What does this particular LVP require underneath it?
Different products have their own installation specifications. The condition and type of substrate, required flatness, moisture considerations, and installation method depend on the flooring being used.
So I would be cautious about anyone giving you one universal rule for every LVP floor. I’d also be cautious about blaming every LVP problem on the subfloor. Flooring problems have different causes.
The better approach is to install the product according to the requirements written for that product and the conditions found in the home.
Hardwood Has Different Considerations
Hardwood brings its own installation requirements. Depending on the product, hardwood might be nailed, stapled, glued, or floated. The appropriate method depends on the flooring and the substrate.
Shaw’s hardwood guidance, for example, says the subfloor should be dry, flat, and structurally sound and should not have loose decking or joists. The company specifically connects those conditions with reducing flooring noises.
That’s useful information for homeowners because a squeak you hear at the finished floor isn’t automatically a problem with the hardwood itself. Movement and noise can originate elsewhere within the floor system.
The answer isn’t to memorize hardwood installation specifications yourself. Ask the flooring company what your particular hardwood requires and how those requirements will be addressed in your home.
Yes, We Need to Talk About What’s Under Carpet Too
Carpet feels forgiving. There’s padding underneath it. The surface is soft. Small differences underneath aren’t as obvious to your feet as they might be with some hard-surface flooring.
Floor preparation still matters. The Carpet and Rug Institute has residential installation standards that specifically address subfloor preparation. CRI also recommends homeowners understand what preparation and installation services their flooring provider is responsible for before the job begins.
So carpet padding shouldn’t be treated as permission to ignore a problem underneath. If something needs attention after the old carpet comes out, that conversation should happen before the new carpet covers it again.
Could the Subfloor Affect a Flooring Warranty?
Customers ask me about warranties quite a bit. There are product warranties and labor warranties, and you need to understand what each one covers.
I would never tell someone that an imperfect subfloor automatically cancels a flooring warranty. Warranty terms vary by manufacturer and product. Installation conditions still matter.
For example, Shaw’s hardwood installation instructions state that the installer and owner are responsible for confirming acceptable jobsite and subfloor conditions before installation. The manufacturer also excludes responsibility for certain flooring failures related to subfloor, subsurface, or jobsite environmental conditions.
That’s why I think warranty questions should happen before you have a problem.
What does the product warranty cover? What installation conditions does the manufacturer require? What labor or installation warranty are you receiving? Who do you call if you have a concern six months from now?
Those aren’t nearly as interesting as choosing between two flooring colors. They become much more interesting if something goes wrong.
What I Wish More Homeowners Knew Before Buying Flooring
One thing I’ve learned is how much goes into a good flooring installation. I knew flooring was about choosing the right product. What I understand better now is how much the installation and preparation matter too.
And that changes the way I think homeowners should shop.
Don’t choose a flooring company based only on who shows you the prettiest sample. Don’t choose based only on who gives you the lowest number. And don’t choose based only on who sounds the most confident.
Ask questions.
If you’re considering new flooring for your home in the Dayton area, one thing we encourage homeowners to ask at Floor Coverings International® of Northwest Dayton is what will be evaluated before the new floor goes down.
Ask what floor preparation is included in the proposal. Ask what happens if the existing flooring is removed and a hidden problem is found. Ask what the manufacturer requires for the flooring you selected. Ask who will explain your options before additional work is performed.
You don’t need to become a flooring expert. You should understand what you’re buying.
Because after your new flooring is installed, you’re going to see the color, the pattern, and the finished room. You aren’t going to see the subfloor.
And before it disappears under thousands of dollars' worth of new flooring, it deserves some attention.
Ready to Talk About What’s Under Your Floor?
If you’re considering new flooring for your Dayton-area home, let’s talk about what needs to happen before installation begins. Schedule an in-home consultation with Floor Coverings International® to discuss your flooring options, subfloor preparation, and what your particular installation requires.
