Preparation Checklist - Flooring Installation

Your investment in durable, lasting, stylish hardwood floors is at the installation stage. Please review the checklist carefully and contact us if you have questions.

Preparing Your Home

Painting

• Do not paint the walls while the wood is acclimatizing. You may paint before or after the hardwood arrives on site or is installed.
• We are using construction equipment. Fresh paint jobs may be nicked or scratched. Keep extra paint on hand for touch-ups.
• If you paint after installation, use a drop cloth and a slip-resistant mat under your ladder. Immediately clean up any paint drips. Most paint drips can be rubbed off with a fingernail.
• Touchwood is not responsible for paint touch-ups or wiping dust from the walls.

Dust and Furniture Protection

• While dust is minimal due to the use of prefinished materials and our installers using vacuums attached to their saws, you must still protect your belongings from the inevitable dust that comes with hardwood installation.
  • Remove or cover décor, photos, furniture and accessories. Touchwood Flooring can move your furniture for an additional charge and is not liable for damages.
  • Cover any remaining upholstered furniture with sheets.
  • Felt pads are recommended for the feet of any furniture that will sit on the hardwood. Lightly sanding the bottom of the furniture leg before applying the pads will help them to adhere.
  • Remove live and dried plants.
  • Seal kitchen and other cabinet doors with painters tape.
• The best place to cut the wood is in your home. The installers will not set up saws in front of a cold air return. An additional 30% is charged to set up the saws outside or in a garage.

Doors

• Remove closet doors, door tracks and doors that open onto hardwood areas.  Touchwood Flooring will undercut all wooden door jambs and casings at no additional charge, so they do not have to be removed.
• Touchwood Flooring can remove and replace doors or cut down wooden doors for an additional charge and is not liable for damages.
• Touchwood Flooring does not remove or replace mirrored doors.

Baseboards – where applicable

• Remove baseboards.  If you are reusing the baseboards, number the back of the baseboard and the wall that it was removed from.  This will make it easier for you to put them back on.
• If you are supplying new baseboard they should be painted or primed before going on.  It is easier to paint prior than to have to tape off for all your coatings.  We will DAP new baseboards; however, you are responsible for the touch-ups and final coatings.
• If you have a sample of the new baseboard you are using, please leave it for the crew. They will ensure the hardwood will fit under the baseboard profile.  We recommend a minimum of 3/8” thickness at the base.
• An expansion space must be left around the perimeter of a room. You must supply cove moulding or baseboards where no prior mouldings existed.
• Baseboards can remain installed if ¼ round or cove moulding is installed afterwards.

Existing Floor Coverings

Floor preparation is the responsibility of the homeowner unless otherwise stated in the contract.

• Remove carpet, underpad and staples.  Remove smooth edge from around the room’s perimeter.  Remove existing plastic or metal transition pieces. Touchwood Flooring will custom make hardwood transitions.
• If necessary, repair and/or sand uneven edges of the subfloor.
• Eliminate squeaks by screwing down the floor with 1 ¾” drywall screws.  Due to climatic changes, squeaks may reappear at different times of the year.
• If removing tile or linoleum, also remove the subfloor.
• Touchwood Flooring will not install over particle board subfloors.  Particle board must be removed prior to installation of hardwood.
• Hardwood will not level a sloping floor. If leveling is required, advise your sales consultant prior to the arrival of the installation crew.
• It is impossible to know the condition of the sub floor until carpeting is removed.  Any additional charges required when the condition of the sub floor is revealed will be discussed with you before we proceed.
• Supply a clean, level, broom swept floor.

Hardwood Adjoining Other Floor Coverings

• Hardwood to carpet: Touchwood Flooring will undercut transition piece so the carpet can be tacked in place. If professional carpet kicking is desired, you must remove all the furniture in the room and additional charges will apply.
• Hardwood to ceramic or slate: Touchwood Flooring will leave a grout space between the tile and hardwood. You are responsible for the grouting after installation.
• Hardwood to linoleum: Touchwood Flooring will reduce the transition piece to the existing linoleum.
• If required, Touchwood Flooring will frame around fireplace or hearth with hardwood material. You are responsible for the grouting after installation.

Plumbing

• If you are installing in a powder room, laundry room, or in a kitchen where you have a water or a gas line, make arrangements with a plumber to remove and replace the appliances.  For an additional charge, Touchwood Flooring can arrange a plumber to remove and replace the toilet or unhook/re-hook water lines to fully warranty workmanship.

Appliances

• Touchwood Flooring installs under refrigerators and stoves. An escape board will be installed in front of dishwashers or trash compactors to ease future removal of these appliances.
• We recommend Glide N Guard floor protectors (available at your local hardware store) for under the refrigerator and stove. Even though a refrigerator has wheels, once loaded down with food it may be heavy enough to crush the wood fibres, causing permanent damage.
• Touchwood Flooring will remove and replace your refrigerator and stove for a fee and uses an Airsled to prevent floor damage. Empty out fridges larger than 18 cubic feet. Secure any items that remain in the fridge. We are not responsible for spills inside the fridge.

Our Crews

• Our crews will not sort boards by color. Hardwood flooring is a natural product that has already been sorted by the mill into its individual grades. Floor is laid out in a random pattern.
• Our crews will install hardwood flooring opposing the joists unless the subfloor is at least an inch or greater in thickness, in which case we are able to run with the joists. A diagonal installation is an extra labour charge and requires additional material. If hardwood flooring was sold to run on a diagonal, the direction must be signed off by the client prior to installation.
• For basement installations, you may choose direction of flooring.  If no diagrams have been signed off it will be at crew’s discretion.
• At the end of the day our crews will pick up any tools and remove from harm’s way to protect any young children and pets that live in the house.
• We never smoke in your home.
• Touchwood Flooring warranties our work. All installers are covered by liability and WCB insurance.

Relative Humidity

• Use a humidifier to maintain your relative humidity between 35% – 45%. It is your responsibility as the home owner to maintain recommended levels in order to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty.

Customer Survey

• We pride ourselves on how many referrals we receive every year. Please help us by filling out the customer survey at the end of the job. This helps us continue to improve our products and services. We appreciate all comments!