Wood floors are not the most inexpensive options, but the grandeur and gorgeous appeal of the final finish is always worth it. Many owners considering wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg grapple with the notion of installing the wood floors themselves, but unless you’re a pro, this is not the same as adding paint to the walls. Here’s what you need to know

Installing a wooden floor

A wooden floor is a big, worthwhile investment. This can all be undone if you decide to tackle the installation without the appropriate know-how or special tools required. Remember that ordering extra wood stock is considerably more than paying for extra paint, for example.

Is your floor flat and level? Does the sub-floor material work well for wood? Is the floor properly insulated? Do you know how to do accurate testing for moisture levels, especially when opting for wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg? If you can’t answer all these questions in the affirmative or fix any potential issues arising from them, you’ll be in for a rough ride if you don’t enlist the help of a pro installer.

You’ll also need to know how to center the room, what space to leave for breathing and expansion gaps, and how to fit the pattern around closets, bay windows, fireplaces, staircases and cabinets. Cutting mistakes can be costly and lead to excessive wastage.

How much wood to order

Another question floorers are often faced with when advising on wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg, is how much materials itself should be ordered. Generally, due to the way the wood has to be cut, you’ll need to order 10% more than the square meterage of your home. Depending on how the board is cut, you may not be able to use it elsewhere.

If your room is a plain square with no other shapes such as a bay window or stairs jutting out, the 10% rule is safe. But you may need a bit more due to the cut-outs required to get around irregular shapes. The grain all has to be synchronised for one, so you may not be able to reuse leftover materials.