Things to Check Before Laying Wood Flooring

1. Inspect your sub-floor (the floor you will be laying your new wooden floor onto) for moisture, damp areas and any signs of leaks or past problems. It’s very important to make sure there’s no moisture that could affect your new floor.

2. Check radiators/water systems for any signs of small leaks. These could drip for months, working their way under the floor and causing damage from beneath.

3. Inspect the outside of the home. It seems silly but check all the airbricks are not blocked and the damp course is intact and un-breached. Damage outside which could cause excess moisture or humidity is often more easy to spot. Inside damp can be hidden behind wallpaper etc. It’s worth remembering this should not be necessary on an upstairs room or any flats above the ground floor.

4. Make sure your sub-floor is flat enough to receive your new flooring. A bumpy floor will still remain a bumpy floor, + or – 5mm over 2 metres is the accepted guide. To check this lay a 2m (6ft approx) straight edge on the floor in different places around the room. Check there are no bumps or dips causing the straight edge to rock or a gap under the straight edge greater than 5mm.

5. Make sure all doors have a big enough gap at the bottom. If necessary cut down all doors which open onto your new floor. Allow an extra 3 or 4mm to minimise the chance of grit catching under the door and then scratching the floor as it is opened.