Avoid These Flooring Installation Mistakes

Thinking about new floors—or installation is about to start? Read this first. Most regrets come from prep and install mistakes, not the product itself. Use this checklist to get it right.

1) Acclimate correctly

Bring material inside the home before install so it stabilizes to your temperature and humidity.

• Solid hardwood: 5–7 days (lean toward 7)

• Engineered hardwood: 2–4 days

• LVP/LVT: 24–72 hours

• Tile/porcelain: no acclimation needed, but see moisture note below

Proof matters: snap photos of the stacks in-place with dates.

2) Follow the manufacturer’s specs

Most warranties expect:

• Temp: typically 60–80 °F

• Humidity: typically 30–50% RH

• Subfloor flatness and expansion gaps: per brand spec

If you can’t show you followed instructions, a claim can be denied. Keep packaging, lot stickers, and your dated photos.

3) Measure moisture (subfloor and planks)

Use a moisture meter on the subfloor and on several boards. Aim for a 2–4% difference or less (check your brand’s limit). If moisture is high—pause, dry, or remediate.

4) Order enough—on purpose

Underestimate waste and you’ll run short or mix lots.

• Order 15–20% extra for cuts, defects, and pattern alignment.

• Buy attic stock now for future repairs. SKUs are often discontinued or color-shift by lot.

5) Plan height transitions before demo

Before you rip out anything, remove a few pieces to see how the previous floor was installed.

• If old planks were glued to a sublayer, removal may tear up the ceiling below or require new underlayment.

• New floor height affects door undercuts, baseboards, and thresholds to baths. Budget for these, or you’ll end up with trip lips and pricey fixes.

6) Keep surfaces consistent

A patchwork of materials (three different “wood looks,” multiple laminates) reads like past leaks or piecemeal fixes—and buyers discount for it.

• If you can’t match exactly in one room, deep clean the carpet and use an oversized rug until you’re ready to do a whole-contiguous area.

• Avoid “close enough” Home Center matches; almost-matching wood looks worse than a clean temporary solution.

7) Be trend-smart

Let décor chase trends, not your hard finishes.

• Skip shiny tile; it scratches easily and is slippery. Choose matte with tight grout lines.

• Keep field layouts straight and simple. Herringbone/chevron looks great in photos but dates fast and costs more. If you must, confine patterns to a small foyer or a backsplash, not the whole level.

8) Install baseboards after the floor

Correct order = flooring first, then baseboards (with proper expansion gap hidden beneath). If you want an instant upgrade, use taller profiles.

• Target ~7¼ in. baseboards where scale allows; shorter walls can use 5–6 in. with a cap molding.

Quick pre-install checklist

1.  Material acclimating inside for the recommended time

2.  Photos of staging, temps, humidity, and lot labels

3.  Moisture readings logged for subfloor and boards

4.  Subfloor flatness checked and corrected

5.  Height transitions, doors, and thresholds planned

6.  15–20% overage ordered (plus attic stock)

7.  Baseboards scheduled after floors

8.  Layout chosen (simple field, minimal pattern)