Installation

Once your new floors are installed, when you can walk on them it will depend a bit on the type of finish you’ve chosen. Generally, you’ll be able to walk on your floors 24 hours after the last coat has been applied. However, for the first couple of days you should stay off them as much as possible and wear socks only – no bare feet or shoes! Avoid moving furniture back in for a few days as the finish will still be soft.

If you’re about to have your new timber floors installed, speak to the company to ask them what you need to do. In many cases, they can help with the preparation, such as moving furniture, but it’ll save time if you can do some of it before they arrive so your floors are in sooner. With that in mind, clear the rooms of furniture and remove curtains and wall hangings so your installers have a blank canvas.

Of course! If you have the knowledge and have done it before, you can certainly do the installation yourself. However, remember that the correct installation can make a big difference to the final look of your floors and the last thing you want is to be left with a finished product that doesn’t do justice to your floorboards. It takes some skill to install floorboards properly and if not done right, it can result in problems like peaking and cupping or noticeable gaps.

Compared to normal wooden floorboards, parquetry is a bit more complicated. Parquetry flooring is made of blocks of wood arranged in a mosaic pattern and installation requires some skill. If you’re looking to have parquet flooring installed, look for a company that has experience with this style of flooring so you can be confident that you’ll be left a stunning final result. Given the complexity involved with parquetry, this isn’t a job for the first time DIY installer.