You know a great deal about a myriad of subjects such as the capitals of all 50 states, what year the Queen of England was born, the lyrics to “Oops!... I Did It Again,” and how to make the best Bolognese sauce (your grandmother’s recipe, of course.) But chances are (unless you live and breathe flooring like we do), this may be a niche that’s not in your wheelhouse.
While googling your flooring questions is always a viable option, for the best advice, consult with our flooring experts. Not to toot our own horn, but Flooring America has an informative FAQ page that breaks down popular questions related to hardwood, carpet, laminate, luxury vinyl, tile flooring, and more. But what do you do when you don’t know all the right questions to ask?
Below are 100+ questions to ask a flooring salesperson or a contractor broken down by product, as well as some general questions that are good to know.
Hardwood Flooring
- Is sanding hardwood floors a DIY project, or does it require an expert?
- Is hardwood waterproof, water-resistant, or none of the above?
- Can my hardwood be stained?
- How long does staining hardwood take?
- Does sunlight affect hardwood floors?
- What does it mean to get a clear coat on hardwood floors?
- How do you keep hardwood from fading?
- What are the moisture levels in my space, and how will this affect my hardwood flooring in the future?
- Do I need a subfloor, and if so, what kind? (Follow-up question: What’s a subfloor?)
- Which is better: factory finished or site finished?
Carpet Flooring
- What kind of carpet is safe for individuals with allergies?
- Can I get a sample of carpet so I can make sure it works with my space?
- What is the difference between carpet squares and wall-to-wall carpeting?
- Should I install carpeting in an area with high foot traffic?
- What is a carpet pad, and do I need it?
- Does the cost of carpeting change per square foot?
- How does carpet change the acoustics of my space?
- Should I budget for semi-frequent cleanings done by professionals?
- What is an underlay, and do I need one?
- How do I properly calculate the square footage of carpeting that I need?
Laminate Flooring
- How do I prepare my subfloor for laminate flooring installation?
- Why do I need to leave an expansion gap?
- How long does laminate flooring last?
- What does laminate peaking mean?
- What does grain mean as it relates to laminate floors?
- Can I add laminate flooring on my stairs?
- How do I determine my starting wall?
- Can I install laminate flooring by myself?
- If just one of my planks gets damaged, can I replace it, or do I need to redo all of the flooring in that room?
- If I currently have carpet flooring, can I install laminate flooring over it?
Tile Flooring
- Can I purchase a tile backsplash from the same place I purchased my tile flooring?
- What are the different design options for tile?
- How does the size of the tile play into safety?
- Is tile waterproof?
- Why is tile considered to be the most hygienic flooring option?
- How can I accurately estimate how much tile I need?
- Can I put tile on my staircase?
- Why do I need to hire someone to install tile?
- Should I seal my tile?
- How do I know when it is time to regrout?
Luxury Vinyl Flooring
- I am building or renovating my home and will need new floors. How far along in the construction process should I be before installing luxury vinyl floors?
- Is luxury vinyl flooring scratch-resistant?
- How long does luxury vinyl flooring take to install?
- How thick is luxury vinyl?
- How does luxury vinyl flooring compare to laminate flooring?
- What sizes does each plank come in?
- Why should I have underlayment?
- What is floating luxury vinyl flooring?
- What is glue-down luxury vinyl flooring?
- Is luxury vinyl waterproof?
General Flooring Questions
- If unforeseen issues arise with the floors during or after they are installed, how should I handle them?
- Should I order more flooring than the size of the space in which I am installing it?
- What's the best flooring for my home with young children?
- What is the top brand for hardwood/carpet/laminate/tile/luxury vinyl flooring?
- What room is hardwood/carpet/laminate/tile/luxury vinyl flooring ideal for?
- Are you licensed and insured?
- After installing the floors, how will the leftover scraps and other waste be cleaned up?
- What type of flooring is best for residential spaces? What about commercial spaces?
- Will this installation project affect my neighbors?
- How much experience do you have? Can you share examples of your work?
Phew! Hopefully, you found the question you were looking for. Needless to say, you should pepper our flooring experts with as many questions as you can think of to ensure that you know exactly what you are getting into when you purchase and install hardwood, carpet, laminate, tile, or luxury vinyl flooring. Ready to start your next flooring project? Find your local Flooring America to get connected with an expert today.
